Technology in Education January February 2012

NEWS

FREEDOMBUT NOMORE

MONEY FOR IT PROGRAMME STUDY FOR

EXISTINGNATIONAL CURRICULUMFOR

ICTTOBE SCRAPPEDTHIS SEPTEMBER

EDUCATIONSECRETARY MichaelGove opened the BETT Showthis January by reassuring his audience that ICTwill remain compulsory at all key stages andwill continue to be taught at every stage of the curriculum. However, he said that the

Department of Education is opening a consultation on withdrawing the existing National Curriculum Programme of Study for ICT fromthis September. He said: “Technology in

schoolswill no longer be micromanaged byWhitehall. Bywithdrawing the Programme of Study,we’re giving schools and teachers freedomoverwhat and how to teach; revolutionising ICT aswe knowit.

‘Amazing’ “The existing Programme

of Studywill remain on the web for references. But no English schoolwill be forced to followit anymore. From this September all schools will be free to use the amazing resources that

already exist on theweb. “Universities, businesses

and otherswill have the opportunity to devise new courses and exams. In particularwewant to see universities and businesses create newhigh quality computer science GCSEs and develop curricula encouraging schools tomake use of the brilliant computer science content available on theweb. “Disapplying the ICT

programme of study is about freedom. Itwillmean for the first time teacherswill be allowed to cover truly innovative, specialist and challenging topics. “Andwhether they choose

a premade curriculum, or whether they design their own programme of study specifically for their school, theywill have the freedom and flexibility to decidewhat is best for their pupils. “Technology can be

integrated and embedded across the whole of the curriculum. In geography lessons, for example, pupils could access the specialised

Technology & Science in EducationNo.188 January/February 2012 0

Education secretaryMichael Gove gives a speech about

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

technology at the opening of BETT

software and tools used by professional geographers, allowing themto tackle more challenging and interesting work. “The use of technology in

schools is a subject thatwill keep growing and changing, just as technology is changing. “Butwe can be confident

GOVE GIVES TEACHERS MORE

about one thing – demand for high-level skillswill only grow in the years ahead. Inwork, academia and their personal lives, young peoplewill depend on their technological literacy and knowledge.” Earlier he stated howhe

loved technology and congratulated British companies for beingworld leaders in the field of educational technology. “Members of BESA, for

example, increased exports by 12%,” he commented and cited two examples – Clicker 5 literacy software fromCrick Softwarewho had secured secured its biggest single order ever, supplying half of all schools inMoscowfor the product, and Promethean who last June signed a memorandumof collaborationwith the MexicanMinistry of Education towork in primary and secondary education throughout Mexico.

CircleNo.E5

UK hosts Education World Forum

THE LARGESTGATHERING of education and skills ministers in theworld took place again this January in this country. The EducationWorld

Forum(EWF) is the internationally recognised annualministerial forumfor debating future practice in education. The EWFwas hosted by

BESA, the British Education Suppliers’ Association,with the support fromthe Foreign and CommonwealthOffice theDepartment of Education, and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Continued on page 46

Ministers of education and top educationalists and industry partners take time out for a photocall at the EWF at

LancasterGate,London, including British foreign secretaryWilliamHague.

1 Check out ourwebsite:www.technology-in-education.co.uk

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 27 | Page 28 | Page 29 | Page 30 | Page 31 | Page 32 | Page 33 | Page 34 | Page 35 | Page 36 | Page 37 | Page 38 | Page 39 | Page 40 | Page 41 | Page 42 | Page 43 | Page 44 | Page 45 | Page 46 | Page 47 | Page 48