Up to $50,000 is available from DLSG for schools and other organisations to encourage and facilitate the implementation of Digital Technologies.
Digital Literacy School Grants (DLSG)
The Digital Literacy School Grants (DLSG) are an initiative under the Inspiring all Australians in Digital Literacy and STEM measure of the National Innovation and Science Agenda.
Background
The Australian Government, through its National Innovation and Science Agenda, is investing $50.6 million over four years (1 July 2016 – 30 June 2020) to support all Australian teachers and students in embracing the digital age and in implementing the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies.
This funding provides support for:
- Grants to school principals and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leaders for projects to implement the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies through a whole of school approach;
- Online professional development courses for teachers through expansion of the University of Adelaide’s Digital Technologies Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs);
- Online computing challenges for all Year 5 and Year 7 students (aligned with Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies) that provide structured teaching and learning modules to support the curriculum;
- ICT summer schools to engage Year 9 and 10 students, with a focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to increase their participation in digital technologies and STEM studies in school, post-secondary school and the workforce;
- Cracking the Code – a series of fun and engaging computing and coding challenges and activities for school students, to be held in National Literacy and Numeracy Week;
- Teacher support for digital technologies to provide in-class support and/or telepresence support and follow-up to schools in the early stages of implementing the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies; and
- Developing effective partnerships between Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals and schools to build teachers’ and students’ understanding of STEM applied in the real world.
Objectives
To this end, under the Program, the Australian Government has committed $4 million over 2 years (1 July 2016 – 30 June 2018) to provide schools with grants for projects, that will encourage, facilitate and inspire the effective implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies on a whole of school basis. Through these grants, the aim of the Program is:
- to stimulate best practice models of implementation of, and student and teacher engagement in, the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies;
- encourage sharing of ideas and experiences in relation to the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, within and among schools;
- facilitate the development, implementation and sharing of demonstration projects that can be used by other schools to implement the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies; and
- facilitate effective ways that leaders can inspire their teachers and students to extend and apply their learning across other learning areas through the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies.
The Program will be administered by the Department.
The Department acknowledges that, in funding these projects, there may be new challenges and hurdles for schools to overcome and that many excellent lessons will be learned throughout and after the projects. It is a great opportunity in implementing a new curriculum to gather these collective experiences and share best practice and learnings with others – thereby assisting leaders and teachers to gain confidence and skills in the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies. The role of school leaders – such as principals, ICT leaders, executive teachers and professional bodies – as champions of change cannot be overestimated. This Program seeks to specifically engage these individuals in an effort to drive increased digital literacy in schools and support the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, therefore these school leaders also have the opportunity to submit Grant Applications, as appropriate.
Funding
Grants for projects under the Digital Literacy School Grants (DLSG) are application based and will be subject to a competitive assessment process. The grants are split into three categories:
- Category A – grants of between $10,000 and $20,000 for single year projects;
- Category B – grants of between $20,001 and $50,000 for projects of larger scale lasting up to two years; and
- Category C – includes grants greater than $50,000 where a project has demonstrated capacity to reach regional, national or sectoral scalabilities such as projects involving clusters of schools and/or peak bodies/professional associations.
Eligible Projects
The Digital Literacy School Grants (DLSG) application project proposals must:
- Focus on school-based activities or programs that support school leaders and teachers to understand and implement the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies on a whole of school basis; and/or
- Engage students with the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies.
Grants are intended to be provided for projects which propose innovative methods for driving enhanced digital literacy throughout schools such as through:
- Partnership models whereby a school partners with one or more school(s) to exchange best practice, ideas and innovation. This could include partnerships between successful ICT leaders in high performing schools with other, less ICT capable local schools;
- Partnerships between a school (or schools) with industry to access professional expertise and/or equipment to implement the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies;
- Leveraging off existing facilities to establish cross curricular ‘creation/fabrication’ spaces including 3D printers, laser cutters and the like; and
- Supporting professional development for Principals and school leaders to become ICT champions through facilitated learning and/or other training methods to transfer their learnings to other teachers.
Multi-school projects spanning primary/secondary, and/or a combination of sectors are also encouraged.
All Grant Applications will need to identify at least one school leader as a Digital Literacy Champion and clearly articulate their role(s) in fostering improved digital literacy among their colleagues and the student body.
Eligible Applicants
- All government and non-government primary and secondary schools are eligible to apply
- All government and non-government schools must have an Approved Authority approved under the Australian Education Act 2013 and must have an active Australian Business Number (ABN).
- All Grant Applications must have the written support of the school/s’ principal/s. Grant Applications under Category C must also have written support of the organisation/s’ leaders (if applicable – for example for projects that involve a cluster of schools and/or peak bodies/professional associations).
- Primary and secondary teachers regardless of teaching discipline may submit Grant Applications as long as they clearly demonstrate their ability to lead across the school and have their principal’s support to this effect.
- Grant Applications will also be open to primary and secondary principals’ associations, teacher representative bodies and other educational organisations. For example they may submit Grant Application in respect of funding for webinars, training for members and other broader programs to promote the role of school leaders in driving digital literacy in schools.
Timing
Application for Round 2 is expected to open in the first half of 2017.
