DISCUSSION TOPIC 2

T

echnology has undoubtedly changed all of our lives. But how can we measure its impact on raising standards,

attainment and achievement? That was the question posed by the

symposium’s chairperson, Nina Woodcock, during the second part of the symposium discussion. Right from the outset, most participants

agreed that even though it is difficult to provide hard evidence of its impact, ICT in the classroom is making a difference to pupil outcomes. Chris Mackintosh, head of information,

communications and e-learning at Bristol Brunel Academy, admitted that the evidence is elusive, but added: “I think we can justify it on the grounds that technology allows students to be more creative, allows them more opportunities and makes learning richer.” Kester Brewin, deputy head of mathematics

at Sydenham High School in London, said that one of the key differences the use of technology has made to teaching is the “immediacy of access” it offers. Whether teachers are turning to a YouTube video to illustrate something or downloading past papers for students preparing for exams, questions can be explored straight away, rather than putting them to one side and waiting until the next lesson. But others in the room cited examples of

high-achieving schools where teachers make little use of ICT. Dave Ford, acting deputy headteacher at Castle View School in Canvey Island, Essex, said one of the best-performing mathematics teachers he knows does not turn on the interactive whiteboard. Mark Creasy, headteacher of Arrow

Vale High, a National Challenge school in Worcestershire, warned that in some instances technology could form a barrier. He related how one year 11 parent had said to him: “It is stopping my child asking me for help.” Many of the delegates concurred with this,

although others were concerned that schools where technology is not used extensively may not be preparing their students sufficiently for higher education, the workplace or future life. Allie Hack, who is responsible for ICT

across the curriculum at The Mountbatten School in Hampshire, made a pertinent point about teachers’ own confidence in their ICT skills. “Using technology enlivens my teaching but

for others it isn’t necessarily the answer,” she said. “There is no point in saying to teachers that they have to use it if it is going to cramp their style.” This clearly struck a chord with year 13

student Katie Leeper from Sydenham High, who observed that while some of her teachers preferred to use board markers, others used technology “too much”. She added: “But I don’t know how the right balance can be achieved. How much is too much and how little is too little?” The connections between pedagogy and

technology can be tightened in ways that provide a clearer link between investments in ICT and learning and teaching outcomes such as scores on achievement tests. Certain instructional practices – feedback about performance, differentiated instruction – have

SecEd

Impact to outcomes

been shown to positively affect learning and it is these practices that Mark Weston, an education strategist for Dell, said can be embedded in technology. He explained: “With technology, we have

the ability to have very tight feedback loops that lead to real-time adaptation of instruction in ways that enhance learning and foster continuous improvement of instruction and schooling. When pedagogy and ICT are linked in this manner, measuring the impact of ICT on student learning is possible.” Mr Weston’s comments prompted several

delegates to discuss the ways in which they are using ICT to measure their pupils’ attainment and achievement. Mr Creasy flagged up “the importance

of technology in tracking, monitoring and setting targets”, while Chris Foreman, vice principal, learning systems at Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre in Kent, said it is particularly useful in both Assessment for Learning (AfL) and Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP), the approach which enables teachers to use diagnostic information about pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. Their comments led to a fascinating debate

on the ways in which individual schools are using technology to assess pupils’ progress.

At The Mountbatten School, students

are given feedback on their work via their learning portal. Parents also have access to this, enabling a “three-way discussion” between staff, students and parents. “Sharing information with students has an incredible impact,” said Ms Hack. “One of the best things is that they can see where they are and where they need to get to.” Chris Baker, leader of e-learning at Bristol’s

John Cabot Academy, uses a high-tech approach to gauge his students’ progress. “At the end of a task, I say ‘colour your

screens’ – red, amber or green – to show whether they have got it,” he explained. “It is very quick and effective. If students finish their tasks early and their screens are green, they walk round the class and help others. We have bought glitzy bowler hats and they wear them as they walk round.” This idea clearly captured some people’s

imagination but Mr Creasy reminded everyone that at the end of the day the impact of technology still depended on the quality of teaching. “Whatever the technology, whether it is ‘hands-up’ or red, amber and green cards, it is down to the teaching,” he said. “Give a duff teacher the most interactive classroom and they will still get duff results.”

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