COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT 2024-2025

Clark Burt - PRESIDENT

Clark is a special education teacher and former lecturer and tutor at The University of Melbourne and RMIT. He is currently the Digital Technologies teacher at Ashwood School and is running intervention studies at schools around Victoria. He is also a committee member of the Australian Association of Special Education (AASE) Victorian Chapter and has worked with the Department of Education developing the Digital Technologies curriculum for levels A – D.

JACQUELINE MANSON - CO-VICE PRESIDENT

Catherine Newington - CO-VICE PRESIDENT

Catherine is the ICT Educator Specialist at Australian Computing Society. She leads the ACS national program to support schools to implement the Digital Technologies Curriculum. Working with schools she creates resources that target the curriculum and support content knowledge growth. Lessons promote skills such as authentic learning, global connections, critical and creative thinking, collaboration and student driven learning. These resources are available for free via the ACS ICT Educators Community of Practice.

Catherine is a registered teacher with over 12 years’ experience in the classroom including 5 years as learning and teaching leader. She holds a postgraduate degree specialising in Education Technologies. This has tightened her knowledge of how pedagogical practices influence the potential of technology in education

JANELLE DIXON - TREASURER

Janelle is a passionate educator and lifelong learner. She is currently the CEO of Robogals Global and a research student at the University of Melbourne investigating Augmented Reality and Game-Based Learning having completed a Bachelor of Science and graduate certificates in STEM Education. Her previous roles included developing and publishing iOS apps, leading various educational outreach programs for schools and serving on the boards of NFPs.

BEN GALLAGHER - SECRETARY

Ben has been a teacher at Meredith Primary School since 2003 and has a passion for integrating technology into the curriculum. In 2010, he developed the Digital Sandpit, a start to the day which sees the students completely immersed in the latest technology, such as iPads, iPods, Nintendo DSi, Xbox Kinect and the Wii. In 2011, Ben completed his Masters in Educational Leadership and has a real passion for Student Directed and Project Based Learning.

PAULA CHRISTOPHERSEN

Paula is a passionate supporter of subject associations, is a lifetime member of DLTV and its patron. Prior to retirement from full-time work, Paula was the Digital Technologies Curriculum Manager at the VCAA. She has been actively involved in the design of the original Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum, as well as the ICT (and now Digital Literacy) general capability, and their updates. Paula has worked on a range of local, state and national projects since retiring from full-time work, and is enthusiastic about providing digital technologies learning opportunities for all students and teachers.

Ian Fernee

Ian is a secondary school computing teacher at St. Patrick’s College Ballarat and has a zeal for teaching students to code and develop their computational thinking capabilities. In his role as the Head of Computing, Ian seeks to be innovative and creative in developing a rich Digital Technologies curriculum that encourages students to be resilient problem-solvers.

As the eLearning Coordinator at St. Patrick’s College, Ian wants to inspire and empower teachers to use technology in their curriculum areas to develop resonant learning experiences for their students. Ian is a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert and in 2018 was selected to go to the Microsoft E2 Conference in Singapore.

mark comas

Mark is an experienced F-12 teacher with over 30 years of expertise in teaching and leading Digital Technologies. With contemporary pedagogical skills and extensive curriculum knowledge, he designs dynamic and highly effective learning experiences. Currently, he serves as the Head of Technologies at an independent school in bayside Melbourne.  Passionate about supporting teachers of Digital Technologies and Digital Literacy, he focuses on enhancing their self-efficacy by building curriculum knowledge and improving their capability in effective pedagogies. He has presented at various professional learning events, ranging from VCE Applied Computing to Digital Technologies. His recent completed studies include a Master of Education (Digital Technologies). 

COBY REYNOLDS

Coby is an international educator with over 10 years teaching and leadership experience in Australia, Dubai and Hong Kong. His most recent position was the Head of Primary Technology at The Independent Schools Foundation Academy in Hong Kong. With a passion for all things learning and digital technology, Coby has implemented 1-to-1 iPad programs in Dubai and Hong Kong and has presented and held workshops on all aspects of digital learning in the U.A.E, Netherlands, Germany, Hong Kong and China. Coby is an Apple Distinguished Educator (Class of 2015) and holds a Master’s Degree in Education, specializing in Information Technology and Leadership (2016).

LAURA BARKER

With over 18 years in education across Australian and international contexts, Laura specialises in innovative curriculum design and leadership. Her expertise includes integrating technology in education, developing strategic plans for education institutions, and guiding digital transformation. With experience from organisations like the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership and the worldwide TeachAI Advisory Committee, Laura has been a driver of educational initiatives and policy development. Laura’s business acumen complements her in-depth knowledge and skills, enabling effective strategic planning, partnership building, and financial management. Furthermore, she is committed to fostering collaborative learning environments and addressing diverse educational needs through cutting-edge practices.