After more than two years of cross-SCEA conversations, consultations and product demonstrations, the communications to SCEA communities this week reflected the news that we have all been waiting for – the Apple devices will be coming to our SCEA schools in 2026 as part of the ‘Managed Device’ strategy.
The purpose of this new strategy, which will see Apple iPads and MacBooks being used constructively in SCEA classrooms, is to
- Enhance learning for our students
- Equip our students for the future, and
- Ensure that our students are not compromising their health and well-being.
How did we get to this point?
And, what is the way forward for our students as we seek to satisfy these three important outcomes through our teachers for our young people?
September 2023
September 2023 – The second of two ‘ICT Strategy Days’ brought us closer to a system-wide solution, with teachers and leaders from across SCEA coming together to discuss the aims, outcomes and learning benefits of using different forms of technology in our classrooms.
This team presented recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). It provided advice from classroom practitioners on the needs of today’s students and the optimal teaching practices that would need to be implemented through this process.
November 2023
November 2023 – A similar exercise, involving school representatives and ICT experts, brought together a group of schools dedicated to ‘unity’ in education to discuss a SCEA-wide Learning Management System (LMS) solution that could enable teachers to share and create resources for students. Recommendations from this group ultimately played a part in the final decision for the selection of a digital platform for our staff.
September 2024
September 2024 – Dr Graeme Cross (Chief Executive Officer – SCEA) provides clarity around the path forward, following these consultation sessions and numerous meetings with key stakeholders.
He details the history of numerous device platforms, an inability to service the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program and recommendations from an external report (from industry experts at RTG Consulting) which indicated that a common platform and a ‘managed device’ strategy through a single vendor is the key to controlling the digital educational environment for SCEA students now and into the future.
He even presented one of the matrix charts that the SCEA-wide team had used to determine the best platform for teachers and school leaders moving forward.
Finally, he announced that Apple products would be the preferred platform for SCEA schools and the Central Office moving forward.
The question then became – which Apple vendor could handle the 5,200 students across SCEA schools?
How could we negotiate such a complicated deal for all of our schools?
October 2024
October 2024 – An infographic is released, detailing the types of Apple products that will be used in SCEA schools moving forward.
The ‘Pathway to ICT Success’ became a downloadable chart that ensured all staff were aware of each step in the process.
Today
Today – ‘Winthrop Australia’ is named as the preferred vendor for Apple products across SCEA schools moving forward.
The group, which has been in consultation with SCEA for over six months, worked diligently with SCEA representatives to provide suitable pricing and the appropriate levels of support for our schools.
Winthrop has created ICT solutions for Christ Church Grammar School, Mercedes College and more than 100 other schools across Australia – establishing their credibility in both the government and independent sectors of education.
Parents across SCEA schools are now receiving communications about this new initiative for 2026, with dedicated SCEA school web pages devoted to answering common questions about the changes.
Where to from here?
During Term 4, more information will be available about the ‘Managed Device’ project, with teacher training forthcoming from the new Manager of Digital Learning, Mr Stephen Drew.