School education in Australia is marked by significant inequity. National and international test results remind us that large numbers of Australian children are not on track for learning success and the vulnerability is not evenly spread.
At the same time, technology, AI and their educational applications are booming. There is emerging evidence that high-quality digital education technology has the potential to help improve learning outcomes but currently teachers, parents and schools lack accessible, robust information about application design, quality assurance and digital safeguards, and how tools can be best used for impact.
We know that to bring about change, edtech needs to be well designed, skillfully used and carefully managed. The Network’s program will span five focus areas:
Purpose
Creating common purpose by bringing people together to listen and learn, shape common priorities, and identify opportunities for partnerships, projects and research.
Policy
Working with governments by sharing independent insight and expertise, engaging with policy processes, and identifying policy mechanisms to strengthen the social benefit of edtech.
Evidence
Growing understanding by improving the accessibility of quality resources, building evidence of high impact use through partnerships, and leveraging teacher professional practice.
People
Foregrounding new voices and conversations by seeking a broad range of views on edtech’s potential and risk, bringing community experience to the edtech lifecycle and edtech policy, and spotlighting innovative edtech serving diverse groups and communities.
Innovation
Innovating for equity by identifying new initiatives, in partnership with industry and the social sector, which establish foundations for an effective, responsible and sustainable edtech sector. By listening to diverse voices, fostering dialogue, and finding opportunities for real impact, the Network strives to redefine the edtech landscape in Australia, as an important step towards bridging the educational divide.
The Network is supported by:
Professor Leslie Loble AM
Leslie is Chair of the Australian Network for Quality Digital Education. Leslie is a recognised leader of public purpose reform, both in Australia and the US. Leslie has spearheaded significant reform in school, tertiary and early childhood education, including the Gonski funding reforms, and establishment of the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation, the Centre for Learning Innovation and the Catalyst Lab, within the NSW Department of Education. Leslie holds governance roles at the Australian Education Research Organisation and Copyright Agency and appointments to government expert advisory panels in education. She is Industry Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and affiliated with its Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion. Leslie is also a Paul Ramsay Foundation Fellow.
Dr Kelly Stephens
Kelly is an experienced education policy and research leader. Kelly served as Director, Strategic Analysis within the NSW Department of Education’s Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation for a decade, where she played a leading role in the development of the School Excellence Framework and the fostering of evidence-based practice through What Works Best. Kelly has also held leadership roles in the Centre for Learning Innovation, the Education for a Changing World program, and as Director, Schools Policy, where she managed the strategic policy framework for K–12 education. Kelly supports the Network and its associated work program as Director, Edtech and Education Policy.