High School Blended Learning and Technology Lead - SPARK Schools Support - 2023
SPARK Schools, South Africa
Job Description
SPARK Schools is a social impact disruptor and is leading change in the education space through its network of affordable private schools. The SPARK Schools network provides transformational education innovation through Africa’s first blended learning model, which elevates student achievement and provides the tools teachers need to serve their students effectively.
The blended learning model, which combines classroom teaching and online instruction, allows teachers to anticipate student needs and equips schools to provide personalized education at an affordable cost. SPARK Schools is pioneering this transformative education model to ensure the accessibility of university and careers for all.
SPARK Schools is a high growth, mission and values-driven entrepreneurial organisation, operating 20 primary schools and 4 high schools and serving over 15,000 families in 2023. We are looking for dynamic people to join our team.
Requirements
Purpose of Role:
The Curriculum and Assessment Lead for Blended Learning and Technology drives student achievement in the SPARK High Schools network by being the custodian of the SPARK Schools’ blended learning education model and the curriculum custodian for Technology subjects (e.g. CAT/IT/EGD). The Blended Learning Lead supports SPARK Schools by designing and implementing instructional systems that are aligned and integrated into the classroom curriculum and online learning for efficient and consistent application across the network. The CAL: Blended Learning Lead and Technology will monitor and evaluate the functionality and effectiveness of the Blended Learning Models and improve on those identified gaps, where required.
Reports To: High School Curriculum and Assessment Manager
Responsibilities:
- Primary Subjects: Computer application studies, Information technology 8 to 12
- Secondary Subjects/Areas: Will be added as the product develops; the subject will be in the technology field of study.
Design
- Research, design, or supplement the academic curriculum for all subjects and grades based on successful models and approaches.
- Research new and innovative curriculum practices.
- Participate in the design and implementation of systems to assess student achievement.
- Lead the refinement and articulation of long-term sustainability, scalability, and operating principles of the SPARK Schools blended learning models.
- Select and evaluate blended learning programs and ensure that the schools have research-based programs that are likely to accelerate performance.
- Align the academic curriculum with government standards, SPARK’s best practice, and international expectations and benchmarks.
- Document and communicate scope and sequence for each grade level and subject, in conjunction with internal assessments.
- Actively seek innovative practices and new technologies to improve instructional systems and practices.
- Synthesize research around the effectiveness of blended learning models, internal best practices, and challenges to design and pilot a hybrid learning model that aligns with SPARK's instructional practices, beliefs and values, and delivers strong student achievement results.
- Spearhead future blended learning pilots to test and inform model for wide-scale implementation to provide a high quality, personalised education program for students.
- Develop content and assessments that meet local government standards, SPARK’s best practice, and international expectations and benchmarks.
- Responsible for the design and procurement of Learning Lab and Flex space collateral and/or input to any changes or requirements
- Responsible for identifying quality content providers.
- Responsible for actively engaging with content providers and releases.
- Responsible for budget planning and supplier payments and/or input to any changes or requirements
Implementation
- Lead the implementation of blended learning models that supports the integration of technology using research-based strategies.
- Provide regular input and updates to the School Achievement Manager’s on scholar accessibility to online resources
- Collaborate with the leadership team on professional development of Blended Learning Facilitators; develop and lead professional development as appropriate.
- Support system integrations
- Maintain tickets and requests through help portals
- Integrate curricular support with strategies for student social-emotional development.
- Manual update of staff designation in Clever
- Manual Policy update to override SSO for new users
- Contract status verification for Online suspensions
- Chromebook Organisational Unit updates
- Responsible for d