ICT
Embedding effective ICT
Earlier this year, Michael Gove said that ICT in schools was a mess. Brenda Bigland discusses how her school embedded ICT across its classrooms and curriculum and offers an insight into developing an effective ICT strategy
S
peaking at this year’s BETT technology in education show, education minister Michael Gove said: ”Just at the time when technology is bursting with potential; teachers, professionals,
employers,
universities, parents and pupils are all telling us the same thing – ICT in schools is a mess.” With technology changing almost minute by minute, nothing has a shorter shelf-life than the “cutting edge”, so it is imperative that we keep our eyes on the future. What are we doing in our schools that is innovative and effective? What has had maximum impact? And how can we share these ideas or help other educators who may have issues with funding or support for technological change – or who may just be in search of a fresh idea? When I began my journey into 21st century learning 17 years ago, we had
three BBC computers and no internet connectivity. A parent survey at that time showed that fewer than 20 per cent of our children had internet access at home. In our most recent survey, 95 per cent now have connectivity in the home. I am confi dent that this year every child in the school will be able to access e-learning whenever and wherever they want to. We have embraced technology because we have understood – and loved – its power. It has allowed us to add pace and challenge to lessons, assess our pupils more rigorously and therefore intervene more effectively, increase our research fi eld and gain global learning partners, to name just a few benefi ts. Elsewhere, it has helped us to bring experts into our classes while also supporting and enhancing communication with parents.
Where did we start? We began with basic training for all staff and a leap of faith on the part of the headteacher and leadership team. We still had to set yearly targets over a three-year period and analyse what we wanted to accomplish, both in terms of training and resources, but we also took no prisoners in our bid to make
learning come alive through the use of technology. We moved at a pace, but we moved together. Training was brought in for all, which meant there was mutual support and each shared their learning journey regularly in “show and tell” sessions. We began by begging, borrowing and making deals in order to create a computer suite with connectivity. It was however a beginning from which we grew rapidly. We brought in interactive boards for all classes. We saw that when used properly they gave us an increase in pace and challenge. We gradually added internet connectivity throughout the school and later wireless connectivity allowed us to reach out beyond the gates. Video-conferencing helped to bring expertise into the classroom. This takes nothing away from the outstanding teacher; it merely enhances the offer. I have seen amazing lessons where children have become enthralled when studying the Egyptians; however, an Egyptologist using conferencing can conduct the children around artefacts in a museum and deliver a tailor- made lesson, with her expert responses taking learning to another level. We continued to add resources which created an anywhere/anytime approach to the use of technology, such as visualisers, voting systems, cameras, microscope webcams, video cameras, green screens, MP3 players, laptops, and now iPads. Progress and diversifi cation is essential if technology is to be embedded
and fi t-for-purpose. It does not happen overnight but it can be planned for and then offered to all staff and pupils as resources which can be used to enhance learning. The only rule was that these resources should not be used simply for the sake of using them. Here are just a few examples we discovered of technological creativity across the curriculum. Interactive whiteboards: Give pace and challenge across the curriculum when used well. They allow teachers to extend and reinforce appropriately. Use of the correct methodology, such as split-screen techniques, can support a child’s learning very effectively. Hyperlinks to an internet site or the use of a fi lm clip can excite learning still further. Microscope webcam: Has helped to make science more dynamic and will also allow webcam conferencing to take place in the classroom. Business enterprise: A range of IT programmes can support mind- mapping exercises, fi nancial planning, marketing (advert/poster campaigns, animation in fi lmed adverts), research, presentation skills (a Dragons’ Den). Photography and film: Cameras can create good home-school links (picture diaries are non-threatening for parents with poor literacy skills).
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