I have been interested in the concept of Digital Leaders for a while now having spoken to Sheli Blackburn (@SheliBB) a lot about the different things they do and what advice she had for setting them up. If you are not familiar with them here is a basic explanation:

Digital leaders are children within school who are usually chosen through some sort of application process to help with ICT-related projects. Exactly what you want them to help with is entirely up to you but examples could be anything from ensuring equipment is correctly stored/charged, to maintaining blogs/website, to running clubs and staff meetings.

I have recently spoken to my own Headteacher and she has agreed to let me have a pilot group of Digital Leaders. My group of Digital Leaders is going to be from years 5 and 6 to begin with and as of yet I am unsure as to how many I will have. The children are going to be offered the opportunity to apply using an online form after an introductory assembly, interviews will then follow where children are given a piece of software they’re not familiar with and they must create something with it. At the moment I am considering using Prezi for this. One of the early activities I would like to do with my Digital Leaders is give them the components of a computer e.g. base unit, speakers, keyboard, mouse, monitor and see if they can get it up and running as I’m sure this is not an opportunity given to most children.

I am expecting the role of Digital Leaders to evolve as we get into the project and they begin to have their own preferences. At the moment I am planning some projects where they’ll all be involved and others where groups of them will specialise. For now I have some ideas where I would like them to start and we will see what that leads and what it becomes. Here is what I am planning for them to do to begin with:

Projects

Software exploration

Exploring software in ICT suite – listing what there is
Discussing what software they have/haven’t used in school
Reviewing software pros and cons, alternatives and when could we use it

Software specialism

Focus on a specific piece of software and get really good at it
Make examples of what you can do with that software
Think about how you could teach/show others that software

Hardware exploration

Going through the cupboards in the ICT suite – what’s in there?
Looking to see if there is any hardware elsewhere in school – cameras, voice recorders, probots, headphones etc.
Can we devise a system to keep track of ICT equipment

Day-to-day jobs

Blogging

Maintaining a Digital Leader blog
Uploading video for teacher’s to the year group blogs
Commenting on the year group blog, noting when there haven’t been many posts
Connecting with Digital Leaders in other schools around the country

Supporting Staff

Offering another pair of hands in a teacher’s ICT lesson
Training teachers how to use a piece of software
Creating tutorial videos that people can watch to teach them how to use something
Offering suggestions of places where ICT could be used effectively e.g. can I do this piece of work using a voice recorder?

Whole School Responsibilities

Setting up the projector in the hall when it is needed
Sorting through photographs to include on the TV in reception
Organising competitions using ICT
Running parent workshops

Potential future projects

Attend events and other schools to share ICT learning
Visit the first schools and see what ICT is like there
Visit the feeder secondary school and see what ICT is like there
Running an lunchtime/after school club
Helping to review the current ICT curriculum
Helping to plan for assessment in ICT

Now, as I said before, I am expecting the role to change as we begin exploring the possibilities of what these groups of children can and want to do so I may find that after the first term their role looks nothing like this! I am hoping that this range of activities will provide the Leaders with a range of experiences to allow them to clarify where they want to go next.