Workload huge for web pilot

Implementation of DET's web services pilot is proceeding slowly and the additional workload is huge, writes JENNIFER LEETE.

Feedback to Federation from 50 schools and TAFE colleges involved in DET's pilot indicates that its implementation is proceeding at a snail's pace and the additional workload for those involved is burdensome.

Despite DET's claims that the pilot could occur and the "rollout" to the rest of the state would occur mid-2003, as of week 4, term 4 most schools were still to complete the essential but time consuming task of collecting student permission notes for involvement in the project.

The main reasons for this seem to be that no teacher is being given any release time to implement the pilot in their school or college, any training given is woefully inadequate and the technology is such that it is time consuming and complex to use. As stated by one teacher involved in the project: "The workload issue of just creating and administering the groups, chats, forums and listservices (as they call them) are horrendous. And the issues of the vast increase in teacher's workloads as they are expected to read and respond to emails from students, parents, colleagues etc... and manage their chats, forums, web pages and listservices. Truly -- it is not a happy thought. And it is clearly meant to be done from home -- when else does a teacher get access to a computer -- at school my staff have one or two computers in each staff room (two in big staffs, that is 10 to 14 teachers) and six computers in the common room."

Federation is in discussions with DET about the details of the evaluation of the pilot. Despite assurances from the Minister and senior officers of the DET that an "education impact statement" (EIS) as proposed by the Federation would be completed as part of the evaluation, the first draft provided to the union by the DET made no reference to any component of the EIS. Thus, it may take some time for the evaluation to proceed.

Federation's intention is to use the information generated by the pilot to inform us of the staffing, professional development and other resourcing required before the project could "roll out" across the state. Federation will not allow the pilot to expand until these matters are resolved.

Jennifer Leete is the Deputy President.

For further information

November 2003 contents