In the latest edition of The Digital Downe-load, Mrs Basnett takes us through a day in her life as the Director of Digital Learning at Downe House. 

Welcome to a snapshot of a typical day in my role as Director of Digital Learning at Downe House. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities to innovate, support colleagues, and enhance our students’ learning experiences through digital tools. Here’s a glimpse into today’s journey…

I get to school early, at about 7.40am and as I walk down to my office at the bottom of the hill, it’s not unusual for colleagues to catch me for impromptu tech help. Today, someone needs assistance with extracting text from a picture. A quick demonstration using Microsoft’s OCR capabilities sets them on their way, showcasing the practical application of technology in our daily tasks. I head on down to my office, past the local wildlife, reminding myself of the things I really need to crack on with when I finally get to my desk.   

Once sat down, with a coffee in my hands, I cast my eyes over my whiteboard adorned with this term’s myriad tasks. There are over twenty additional tasks to fulfil this term. From organising Digital Webinars to preparing for our Microsoft Showcase School application and an upcoming AI talk for new Lower Sixth (Year 12) students, the list is comprehensive. These are all important tasks but are over and above the jobs I do on a daily basis: staff training, mapping our online safety curriculum, keeping abreast of Artificial Intelligence updates and how that impacts us, liaising with the E-Champions to ensure that pupil needs are also met. Each item represents a commitment to advancing digital learning across our school community.  

By 9am, I have managed to review the work I did yesterday on the school’s Microsoft Showcase application – the task that is the most important at this stage of the year and the one that is taking up most of my time. I have to rush off at 9am for my duty in the staff room, Reserve Duty. This job gives me a great chance to catch up with colleagues and find out what is working (or not) for them in their digital worlds. I love to share good ideas with colleagues and learn from them too and this duty often gives me that chance. The next hour is spent with my tutees, finding out about their week, providing guidance where necessary and generally having a good chat. 

It’s now 10.20am and I grab a quick coffee before the next item on my agenda which is a meeting with the Music department. We discuss leveraging Microsoft Teams and SharePoint to streamline communication and resource sharing within their staff team and their pupil teams. We explore a variety of ideas and options. Tailoring the tools we have to meet their specific needs ensures that the Music department can focus more on teaching and less on administrative tasks. 

Next, I meet with another Head of Department to delve into the nuances between OneNote and OneNote for Windows 10. They recognise that they need to make the switch to OneNote and are slightly anxious about this. I demonstrate how to open up OneNote and it becomes clear to my colleague that there is really nothing to worry about. They leave my office understanding what they need to do and feeling rather relieved.  

After a quick lunch break, it’s time for the new Lower Sixth (Year 12) student induction session. Guiding them through the digital tools they will be using, I am heartened by the seamless leadership displayed by our Upper Fifth (Year 11) E-Champions. Their enthusiasm and expertise set a high standard for digital engagement among our student body. In fact, the E-Champions have been a definite highlight of my year. They have so much enthusiasm, so many ideas and such good will to help out.  

In the afternoon, I drop by the French department for a meeting where, amongst other things, we brainstorm ideas for next year’s Upper Fourth (Year 9) curriculum. It is good to catch up with my language colleagues and take my mind off the Showcase application.  

By 2.30pm I’m back in the office, I prepare for Friday’s AI talk for new Lower Sixth (Year 12) students. I reckon that by the Friday of their Induction week the Upper Fifth (Year 11) will be quite tired. I choose to add in a section about how machine learning works and decide on Quick, Draw! as a fun activity that will definitely suit the bill. Reviewing key points and ensuring interactive elements are seamlessly integrated into my presentation like this ensure that it will be both informative and engaging.

Before I start work on the big task – the Showcase Application – I tackle my inbox, responding to urgent emails and gathering examples from colleagues on how they use audio feedback, collaborate digitally, and utilize assessments. These insights will bolster the school’s Showcase application, highlighting our innovative approach to education. 

Finally, I fire up Microsoft Sway, the presentation tool we have to use for this application, to continue adding content and visual elements to our portfolio. Embedding videos and showcasing our achievements visually helps to ensure our application stands out. However, progress is slow going because Microsoft Sway is having an off day. I am frustrated because time is running out to submit the application. I know that I am nearly there and seeing how much has been achieved over the year across the School is very satisfying.  

Finally, as the day draws to a close, I reflect on the varied tasks accomplished and conversations had. Each interaction and decision made today contributes to our ongoing journey towards digital excellence in education. Tomorrow promises new challenges and opportunities, not least, with Microsoft Sway, and I look forward to continuing to lead and innovate in our digital learning environment. 

Click here to discover more about Digital Excellence at Downe House.