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How can digital leaders raise the profile of computing in schools?

• Raspberry Pi Foundation • Season 3 • Episode 5

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In this episode we explore the role learners can play as digital leaders, supporting the development of computing in school settings whilst themselves learning valuable skills. Sway and James talk to educators who have introduced digital leader programmes in their schools. These programmes increase the visibility of computing across the school and empower learners who have a particular interest in the subject to support computing in their other lessons.

Full show notes:
https://helloworld.raspberrypi.org/articles/how-can-digital-leaders-raise-the-profile-of-computing-in-schools

Sway Grantham:

Yeah, that was the presentation of the other level of other people seeing you receive your badge...

James Robinson:

And Tracy and Lorraine, how's your badge Our badge game is pretty strong here too to be fair.

Sway Grantham:

The cream of the digital crop.

James Robinson:

Welcome to Hello World a podcast for digital making. I'm James Robinson, a content creator for the Raspberry Pi Foundation, specializing in Computing pedagogy.

Sway Grantham:

And I'm Sway Grantham. I'm also involved in foundation. And my passion is working for those children under 11 to show everyone else the amazing things that that age group can achieve. If you want to support our show, then subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a five-star review.

James Robinson:

So today, we're asking, how can student computing in our schools. How do School staff recruit support and make use of digital leaders? Both in Computing lessons, but also around the school. What makes a good digital leader and how do we go about introducing digital leaders into our school settings. These are all the questions that we aim to answer today, Sway I'm going to start with your thoughts as I know that you've run a digital leaders program in the past. For you, what our digital leaders in your experience and, what's the benefit of a program like this?

Sway Grantham:

So yeah, I basically set up digital programs at the top end of the school. So we're talking about 10 / 11 year olds, and basically, they did whatever I needed them to do, which is very generic, but it was so useful. So this could be anything from checking equipment was charged getting it set up in classroom, so that teachers, that were less confident with getting out specific pieces pieces of equipment. Had it set up and ready for their lessons. They would do things like trial new apps or new piece of hardware and report back on their experiences and what age groups they thought they were most appropriate for. so they're kind of the logistical things, beyond that I had them run clubs for some of the younger children. So I would be present, obviously an adult to make sure there's no rioting, not that there ever was, but they would be running the club's. They would plan the sessions. They would be doing showing them exactly what they need to do and almost training my next set of digital leaders for when they they came up through the school. They were also great to use around Online safety. Like keeping me updated on what was cool at the moment. What was trending in terms of popular videos on YouTube or other platforms or what games were popular. So that I could be aware of what they are about and that could help me to manage any risks or outcomes that might occur. And I think overall I would just say they freed up my time so that I could concentrate on things to raise the profile of computing in other ways and allow, you know, teacher time is so valuable and it's so hard to come by. So I used them to be extra pairs of hands and feet on the ground to keep Computing as a really important part of the school's I was working in.

James Robinson:

So you had this little Posse or troupe. Di.. Did you give them a name were they like, Sways, I don't know, squad or something like that. I don't know, did they have a little, I just imagine, this little group of primary children, following you around doing your job.

Sway Grantham:

Unofficially. I refer to them as my minions. But I didn't tell them that they were just the digital leaders, but they were fabulous. Yeah.

James Robinson:

You've talked a little bit there about how suppose like how they helped you kind of do things around the school. Was there, was there a benefit do you think or an intrinsic benefit for them?

Sway Grantham:

Oh, there was like, it worked out so well for I would say like for me it freed up some of my time but it also gave me that Insight from a learner's perspective that pupil voice that's so important. For them they had all sorts of opportunities, you know, being able to run a club. It was very much a badge of honour that they were trusted to have this expensive equipment. They came to events with me and spoke at conferences. They had people adults come up to them and say, how amazed they were with what they could achieve, which for them was. So inspiring and motivating and even just for the school in general, the school often showcased what our children were able to achieve based on our digital leaders. Visitors came to the school. Then the digital leaders might come in and set up a projector for them or get a slides ready for a presentation and it really just showed off how happy and confident the children were using technology in the school and their ability to Showcase that to anyone that came to visit.

James Robinson:

That's great. It's really good to hear a I think until like we kind of set this conversation up. I think my preconception was that digital leaders was a very kind of primary school thing, but actually we're going to talk today to two secondary teachers. Who've established digital leaders in their in their classrooms. So to help us understand the impact that digital leaders can have we're joined today by two Educators who are currently running digital leader programs in their school. Firstly. I'd like to welcome. Lorraine Hall from Saint Matthew's Academy in Ayrshire, Scotland, where she leads the school's digital learning and teaching strategy. Welcome Lorraine its great to have you with us. Could you tell us a little bit about your digital leaders at Saint Matthews Academy?

Lorraine Hall:

Thanks James, so our digital leaders are So those are pupils between the ages of 16 and 18 and they take on the responsibility for a part of our digital strategy. So we started using digital leaders in 2020. So our program is still in the early stages. Obviously, last year. We didn't get the opportunity to see the program through due to in school closures. However, this year we've made a kind of run at it and we've had a better opportunity to evaluate the impact that they're having. We identified Online safety as an area within our digital strategy that our S6 pupils could lead on. And they've been working on creating resources for pupils in first year. So those that have just transitioned up from primary school. And I've talked about, you know, the risks and challenges associated with using different online platforms and social media and how they can seek support if it's required. So, that's the main sort of project that they are working on at the moment. One of our digital leaders is undertaking level six qualification, which is a leadership award through the Scottish qualifications Authority. And she is using that as her leadership project. So she's created the resource and has delivered that, shared that with the group of digital leaders so that they can deliver that to other classes too that happened, during our digital skills week in December, which we done internally and one of the focuses during that week, is Online safety, so that fit in quite nicely and has given those pupils, the opportunity to lead a project and help support younger pupils and the school with that. They've also been supporting first-year pupils and Enterprise classes. In those Enterprise classes pupils are learning how to use different Microsoft applications. And so they then there to support them with using teams and class notebook and things like that because that's what we are using as a way of delivering online learning even now that we're back, you know, full time. We're still continuing the use of that. so that's given them again another opportunity to improve their own digital skills and knowledge relating to Microsoft applications, but also to support first year pupils using these so that they are able to engage with digital learning. Those first year pupils are also working on the Bronze award through iDEA. So the section of digital leaders and those classes have been kind of overseeing that work that they've been doing as well.

Sway Grantham:

Also, joining us is Tracy Mutter, a digital Falkirk High School, great to have you joining us Tracy. Similar to Lorraine, you work with older students. What has been your experience of digital leaders in your school.

Tracy Mutter:

Thanks, Sway. So our digital leaders are have all of our pupils able to be digital leaders. So that would be from S1 to S6 so 11 to 18 year olds. They would all have the chance to be a digital leader rather than only focusing either at the bottom end or the top end of the school, that was until the pandemic. And because I'm not allowed to mix bubbles I had to pick one or of the other groups, given that senior pupils would be focusing on exams. I decided to stick with the junior group. So I currently have a group of S1, S2 and S3 pupil. So kind of 11 to 13 year olds who are our school, digital leaders at the moment. We have just gone to a one-to-one device provision with iPads. So they are heavily involved in that in producing training materials, both for pupils, but also for staff. They also help out with staff training. So I will train the digital leaders and then they will come in and support when I'm delivering training to staff. We have trained head teachers across our Authority in using OneDrive to collaborate on documents and things like that. And the digital leaders were the ones who actually led that training session, but obviously, I was just there to some moral support for them. We also work with our Associated primary schools. So that will be primary schools where the children from that school will transition to ours. So we work with the digital leaders in that setting as well. In our own school, it does give the digital leaders leadership kind of ability and a chance to do that. We also work towards the IDEA award our digital leaders work towards that as well. And lots of ours have actually gained their silver award already. Lots of them will do that in their own time as well as as during digital leader time. We are also working towards our digital skills award, which is a Scottish and an Irish award I think for schools. In class time they are working with members of staff. So a member of Staff. If they are not very confident. They can use one of the digital leaders to kind of support them with that. Or if there's other children in classes, who are not very sure how to do something then our digital leaders, can support them with that.

James Robinson:

That sounds like a really what we've heard Lorraine and Tracy are three quite different experiences of digital leaders, but I think actually, what really comes through in every case is actually that this is not just a title that we give some students. It is actually really about leadership, you know, and whilst that might look different in different schools and at different phases, and with schools with different priorities. I think we are trying to give these students ownership and Leadership and the ability to have an impact on what the school is doing in this space. So I think that's really interesting. I'm really curious as well about about how you select digital leaders. And I think, you know, how do you, how do you find those students? Is it, is it, anybody can just say yeah I'll do that or is there a process? How many school leaders do you? Do you have in your school? I'm interested in in anyone's perspectives. Really, on how do you go about, finding those students who be want to sort of give this opportunity to?

Lorraine Hall:

So, in the past, when we piloted this in in Computing, were approached and asked if they would be Keen to take on the role to support younger people's in the school. At that stage. Our aim for the digital leaders was to be like a sort of help desk type thing. Where pupils further down the school if the needed access to a device or you know, to get them logged in to Microsoft teams and things like that. They could make an appointment with one of the digital readers, and they would go through all that with them. So they were able to engage with, you know, the kind of blended learning approach. This year however, the the option to everyone in S6, if they wanted to volunteer to become a digital leader, but also looking at some S6 peoples, who are keen to get involved with well-being as well. So we have a pupil wellbeing ambassador program. So quite a few of the digital leaders on the group are also wellbeing ambassadors. So, it's worked out quite well that they're interested in digital learning, but also that sort of wellbeing aspect has been really helpful in terms of delivering on the Online safety resources that they they've been discussing with pupils further down the school, so it's been good to have a mixture of, you know, the digital learning side of things but also taken into account people's may be feeling if they're online and they're seeing different things or they're unsure of material they've maybe come across or whatever. So it gives that they are able to, you know, have that discussion with them as to what they can do and who they can speak to if they need to report anything and things like that. So that was another factor in our working this year.

Sway Grantham:

It's really interesting to hear like the open to everyone I think is always is a great approach. When I had my digital leaders one of the things I got to after running the program for a few years was that they interviewed the Next Generation. So we had these ten or eleven year olds interviewing the the nine year olds that were coming up. Children are ruthless is what I would say if I ever had an interview that strict I think oh wow, but it was a really again that impact and it's so empowering for them. I was thinking of for Tracy like, you've achieved a lot with your digital leaders, all these things that you were talking about. How did you get started with them? Like, right in the beginning? If you've not already got digital leaders in your school. How do you get from kind of nothing to where you are now, how did you get started?

Tracy Mutter:

I had obviously wanted to introduce digital senior leadership team as to what I wanted them to do. What I thought we could gain as a school and what I thought the pupils were getting out of it. The first time that we recruited digital leaders we had an online application, which was in Microsoft forms, the pupils applied to be digital leaders and were then interviewed, by myself. And we had 16 digital leaders the first year that we went for it. Since then things have kind of changed and we don't do the kind of formal application and interview because we kind of have like a clubs fayre, where the children will all come down to the hall and they'll circulate the whole and see all the clubs that are going and they sign up at that point, but I quite often get, because we work with some of the digital leaders from our primary schools. Some of them will come at the very beginning of the year in August, and ask to be a digital leader because they've already worked with us, we do have an authority wide, digital leaders platform in Microsoft teams, and we do Authority by training. So, my digital leaders will train alongside the primary ones. So, again, it's another way to recruit your digital leaders from primary school because you've seen kids, who were already digital leaders. So you kind of get to know them that way but in everybody has the opportunity to sign up and be digital leaders. We normally, when I had digital leaders right through my school our senior pupils became digital leader prefects. So their duty to the school was not you know on campus as such in patrolling or doing whatever. There's was the digital learning within the school. So they would come and do like kind of parents evenings and information evenings and kind of showcase what the digital leaders did. And also what happens in Computing because I tend to find that my senior digital leaders also, take Computer science.

James Robinson:

I guess similar question to you Lorraine. Obviously, you're in a slightly earlier, kind of point in your journey with digital leaders, but how have you gotten started? And what's kind of next? What's next on your road map?

Lorraine Hall:

So, in 2019, when I started taking the lead strategy, you know, similarly to Tracy i kind of looked at where we were as a school and what we had to do to move forward on our digital journey and I worked with my head teacher and my link deputy headteacher. And we looked at how we could move our strategy forward so that we could, you know, improve the provision of digital learning and teaching across the school and ensure that digital technology was essential consideration to learning and teaching with an all curricular areas. So, we identified within our strategy where we thought pupils would be able to lead a project and as I say the, the first year, we kind of piloted the program. We looked at, you know, the help desk type situation. Where as this year we've looked a bit more at we... kind of wellbeing online and Online safety. We were also working towards the digital skills award. So we achieved that at the beginning of last year, and then just before Christmas, we achieved the Special recognition awards for cyber resilience and Internet safety. So our digital leader had a significant impact on us achieving those awards from the work that they did. And they were also involved in our validation meeting that we had, where we shared our, the work that we've been doing across the two, the two years. Going forward we are looking to work on our self evaluation for the digital wellbeing award that digital school Scotland is offering. And again, we'll be continuing to work on the Online safety aspect of the digital learning and the digital leaders will continue to be heavily involved in that. We're hoping to create a more robust version of the help desk. Where pupils are able to make more formal appointments with digital leaders, you know, with we're kind of hoping to stay up QR codes on a display board. So they can scan that, make an appointment. And then when the digital leaders have a known contact period, they're able to go and speak to that pupil and deal with their concerns. Or if there are any issues that they're having, Using any of the Microsoft applications that we require for them to engage with our digital learning.

James Robinson:

I don't have a very serious question for So, if I was a student and one of the things that I think I've seen when we've talked about this on Twitter, is how do you we recognise those students around the school? Importantly, is there, a badge associated with this role? And how important is that in terms of recruiting and promoting digital leaders? Sway did you have badges in your school for your, for your digital leaders.

Sway Grantham:

We didn't have badges because there are quite common, but they were just known by status and that was that was sufficient. They were seen in assemblies and they were, you know, they were allowed out of class sometimes to meet visitors and that definitely made you the, the cream of the digital crop.

James Robinson:

And Tracy and Lorraine. How's your badge

Tracy Mutter:

We have enamel pin badges, that are digital But they don't get them right away from the sign up. They actually have to sign up and actually turn up and do some stuff rather than just instantly get the badge. So we're quite ruthless that we in that they actually have to be a digital leader in order to earn the badge. But yeah, they are quite popular that their badges and you do get quite a few questions of when do I get the badge? They do get the recognition as we had said about, you know, getting out of school to go and do training or to go and work in a primary school and those kind of things. So other children do see that they are getting a privilege that they don't maybe have, but I think the enamel badges is the one, that's the winner.

James Robinson:

And Lorraine would I have to work for a badge when I sign up? Are you going to make me work for it?

Lorraine Hall:

Yeah, absolutely. Our badge game is pretty So the first year, we didn't have any bad ges just because, you know, we were in and out of the building and things like that and we never kind of got round to get in those. But this year that was one of the the conditions that the, the digital leaders were a part of that group, as long as they were getting a badge that they were happy to help. So, yeah, we do have badges now, but again, similarly to Tracy, they need to be in those enterprise classes and supporting the S1 pupils before they're given that and then their photo was put on Twitter when they were awarded their badge so they were very excited about that. So, yeah, definitely need to do a bit of graft before the badges get handed out definitely.

James Robinson:

I think on that, on that evidence I'm gonna stick it to myself.

Sway Grantham:

Yeah, there was Badges and there was the which like is a whole other level of other people seeing you receive your badge. So yeah, be great to hear from either of you about what do you think the impact of has been of digital leaders either on yourself and your own practice as a teacher, or in your school, or on the children themselves?

Tracy Mutter:

I think the biggest thing for me is obviously Digital leaders to support other staff and other pupils and it takes some of that pressure off myself because as principal teacher of digital learning that I am the first call of anything kind of goes wrong. So, it kind of puts that little buffer in so staff will maybe ask a digital leader first before asking me, I think the biggest thing for the children is the leadership opportunity and getting to run things and organise things, try things out, that they wouldn't normally have had, more all of my digital leaders I actually, not this year, but the previous years. I had actually looked at the background of all our digital leaders and every single one of them had a record of needs recorded. So it is maybe children, who wouldn't normally have had leadership opportunities. That wanted to be and were digital leaders in my school, which I thought was very interesting that we all had something recorded about them. So an additional need somewhere and again, it's maybe not your traditional pupils that would get the leadership opportunities across the school that are getting this one and it has helped pupils in terms of picking Computer science and thinking about Computing science as options or careers that they can see that digital is not just somebody sitting behind a keyboard bashing away at it, but it is about solving problems and helping people, and, and they are quite interested in that.

Lorraine Hall:

So, our decision, you know, to introduce two of our school values community and achievement. Where, we want pupils to have the opportunity to you know, use their gifts and abilities to support their peers, but also achieve new skills and new knowledge that helps to prepare them for Life After school and the world of work. So, at the moment, we've got about on average 94 to 95 percent of our pupils who move on to positive destinations. So want to continue to equip pupils with the skills that they need to for the changing world, you know, when digitals becoming they kind of main focus in education in further education and the world of work. So that that was where we can stem this idea from, in terms of those pupils, developing their leadership skills. They've taken on this project. They've gone into classes and delivered lessons, so they're improving their confidence and their resilience, you know, they're in these classes, delivering information. They're getting asked questions that they're maybe not quite prepared for or whatever so they're kind of having to think on their feet, which again are skills that are essential for moving into the world of work. For the junior pupils having that extra support in class, has been excellent. So they've had, you know, extra hands or near to ask questions to and be shown how to use Microsoft teams and class notebook and really improve their skills and knowledge as well. So I would say those are in terms of skills development. That's been the kind of immediate impact on the pupils so far. Obviously, as I say, we are in our early s tages so evaluating the impact sort of overall will come later in the year once they've kind of seen their program through, then we'll be able to see exactly what sort of impact its had on both the sixth year pupils and around Junior pupils, yeah.

James Robinson:

Thank you both for sharing. It's really great to hear about the impact of the program like this can have in school. I guess my final question to you both is, you know for our listeners who might not have digital leaders set up in their school, might be thinking about it, might have never heard of a digital leaders program. What piece of advice would you give to anyone listening who you know about how to, how to go about setting up a digital leaders program in their school?

Lorraine Hall:

So just based on my experience so far of the first thing to do is definitely find any area where you feel the digital leaders could take responsibility for a project and take that forward. I think it can be too tempting to try and do too much all at once and get them to lead this and deliver different things and I think starting small and finding one Focus for them. So that you can get that in place and you can see it through again, so that you're able to evaluate it and make changes before you introduce something extra. So that, you know, they have a positive impact. I think if they were to take on too much all at once, they would be spinning too many plates and maybe wouldn't be able to deliver as effectively on each of those. So that from me would be the one major piece of advice that I would give if someone else was wanting to introduce that that digital leaders to their school.

Tracy Mutter:

I think I would echo what Lorraine has just setting up the digital leaders. I was thinking about what I actually want them to do and what do I want to achieve with it. I'm much further down the line there with the digital leaders than Lorraine because I've had them for a number of years. And I would definitely agree that start small, think about what you actually want them to do, what you want to achieve with it. And get that bit up and running. In terms of looking for the kids either look to the kids who are in your computing department or kids that you know are really good with IT and just you know, like helping even if they don't have particular, great, digital skills, if they like help helping others, then the digital skills they can pick up and just looking for people who are Keen to get involved and even maybe getting another staff member who is Keen to get involved and support you with it as well. So at least then you have somebody to bounce ideas off or someone to help out just an extra pair hands as well. But yeah. Start small and then you can grow it from there.

Sway Grantham:

Yeah, some great advice there. I think I would just add that like you don't need to have all the answers when you start like the children will guide you as to what they're interested in. You will sometimes have to scale them back because you know, they'll have big plans and big vision and again start starting small is obviously great advice, but I think just getting started with a couple of learners that are keen and with a small project you've got an idea for they will help guide kind of what's next. So you don't have to have the full plan mapped out, in your head already, which can seem like a really daunting task when you just don't have time to do that outside of your usual teaching routine.

James Robinson:

Great. Thank you so much everyone for your It's been a really, really, really interesting and hopefully helpful conversation for our listeners. We asked you our listeners to share some of your experiences of digital leaders in school. We heard from a number of different people on Twitter and Claire Buckler was a great example who's been running a program in her school for the last ten years. And that's proved to be a very successful and impactful program.

Sway Grantham:

Phil Hackett used digital leaders to support The digital leaders had badges that allowed their peers to know who was a good buddy to check their work with if they'd been stuck for a while, after trying to solve their own problems, the impact of this was that both Learners and teachers would recommend people to become digital leaders and they would go above and beyond in their lessons to showcase the skills that they were developing. It also appealed to a much wider, variety of students than you would often see succeeding in Computing lessons.

James Robinson:

And to be honest then the conversation really Badges and people sharing their beautiful enamel and sort of well styled badges, which is great to see. If you have a question for us or a comment about our discussion today. Then you can email via podcast@helloworld.cc or you can tweet us at. HelloWorld_Edu. My thanks to Lorraine Hall and Tracy Mutter for sharing their expertise with us today. Next episode we'll be thinking about the role of action research for professional development. So Sway, what did we learn today?

Sway Grantham:

I think the biggest takeaway is that you to the digital leaders could do that would just really support you and get going. The program will evolve over time, and you can do lots more in the future. But the takeaway is just get started.

James Robinson:

And for me the takeaway was if I wanted a myself, aren't I?

Sway Grantham:

I think that's probably for the best.