19 Dec 2012

Govt told to boost schools' IT use

12:56 pm on 19 December 2012

The Government has been told to consider major improvements to the use of IT in schools, including mandatory IT training for teachers and requiring students to have access to a digital device.

The recommendations are in a report on digital literacy published on Wednesday by Parliament's Education and Science Committee.

In making 48 recommendations, the select committee says new technologies and the internet are quickly changing education.

A common theme of the report is that the Government should provide more IT help and resources to schools, rather than leaving them to do their own thing.

The report says the Government should consider bulk supply arrangements to help families or schools buy digital devices.

It also suggests the Government should pay centrally for schools' high-speed internet and core IT services; and it proposes requiring the Education Review Office to report on schools' digital capability.