Over the past five years the numbers of girls involved in Tech Angels has grown steadily and in 2005, 40 students from Years 9 to 13 have signed up to become a Tech Angel.
While only Year 12 and 13 students tutor teachers, younger angels are mentored to take over from leaving senior angels, guaranteeing a continual flow of competent and confident Tech Angels to continue the work.
Meeting weekly, Tech Angels have ongoing training, provided by either Natcoll Design Technology or the senior angels. The meeting also provides a forum for angels to discuss ICT problems, ideas and solutions.
Demand for Tech Angels’ skill is mainly in multimedia programmes such as Dream Weaver, Flash, Photoshop, Movie Maker, Pinnacle and Free Hand. But Tech Angels also mentor in file management, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, First Class, the use of data projectors, the creation of subject specific websites and the manipulation of images using Photoshop.
Tech Angels also receive training and advice on how to mentor and coach staff members and the responsibility that goes with being a Tech Angel. Confidentiality is an important component and Tech Angels are discouraged from discussing their teacher’s technical weaknesses or shortcomings with non-Tech Angel students.
Each Angel has two teachers to mentor once a week for 30 minutes at a time, and to ensure a harmonious and productive Tech Angel and staff member relationship, considerable time is spent is matching teacher and angel personalities.
The focus of Digital Opportunities input to the project is the refinement of the concept within the school, and the development of a model and associated resource materials and case studies that could support similar initiatives in other schools. Project Milestones will produce data which will be published on the Digital Opportunities website and through other channels.
