A comparison between ‘Does ICT contribute to powerful learning environments in primary education.’ (E Smeets. 2005) and ‘The ambiguous Embrace; twenty years of IT in schools.’ ( J Robertson. 2002)
SMEETS – SUMMARY
Smeets undertook a study in the Netherlands to establish whether ICT contributes to powerful learning environments on primary education. His report, Does ICT contribute to powerful learning environments in primary education, 2005, details his results and conclusion.
Smeets’ research was done through the use of a questionnaire on teachers’ views.
Smeets identifies a powerful learning environment to be where the curriculum is adapted to the needs and capabilities of the individual pupils within it. This study examines the contribution of ICT to PLE’s. Four main characteristics of a powerful learning environment are identified by Smeets:
1. Rich context and tasks that are as authentic as possible to present links to the world outside school.
2. Active and independent learning being stimulated.
3. Co-operative learning being stimulated.
4. The curriculum being adapted to the needs and capabilities of the individual pupils (differentiation.)
Smeets identified that ICT can contribute to PLE’s in a number of ways;
ICT…
1. Can make complex processes easier.
2. Provides an abundance of information at the fingertips from a multitude of perspectives (much like in the outside world.) i.e. internet
3. Can be used to foster cooperative learning and reflection.
4. Can serve as a tool to differentiate the curriculum.
His study also revealed that:
1. There are two main types of software available – skill based and open ended. Both are useful, but open ended software may help learners build their knowledge, whereas drill and practice ones will simply enhance skills.
2. Number of computers, access to, and placement of them can all have an impact on learning.
3. The teachers skills in ICT may play a role also.
4. Teaching views on pedagogy may influence type of ICT used.
Smeets concluded that most teachers in his study valued the potential contribution of ICT to PLE’s. However, the overall use of ICT in general was disappointing. The study revealed that the emphasis of its use was still predominantly skill based.
Smeets further concluded that only a minority of teachers were using open-ended applications in schools and that most of the emphasis on ICT, with respect to differentiation, was on remediation tasks.
In addition, it revealed that, most teachers did not make use of the potential of ICT to contribute to PLE’s, rather it was used as a complement to existing pedagogic practice.
ROBERTSON – SUMMARY
Robertson's article outlines the state of ICT in primary schools at the end of the twentieth century from an analysis of research studies conducted through the 1980s and 90s.
He states that inspection reports clearly identify the use of ICT in such schools as the weakest aspect of professional practice, therefore he identifies that ICT still remains a marginal force in the education of 5-12 year olds in Britain. Robertson argues, that despite research having identified the conditions that make effective transfer of ICT into primary schools, this is still not happening and teachers within the primary education sector have failed to embraced ICT within the core of their practice.
In his article, Roberston suggests reasons as to why this is. Robertson found that past research showed the effective transfer of ICT into schools had been problematic due to the adoption of rational approaches for its transfer – He stated that schools are not a rational environment, where change can be predicted, had they been, we would see ICT being used in all lessons to create a PLE. However, Robertson identifies that this is not the case and states that educational change is irrational; therefore one simply cannot just identify the conditions that make effective ICT transfer, rather that this needs to be adapted to each individual school and teacher.
There are a number of similarities and differences to these two articles that discuss ICT and the primary school.
Differences:
There are slight differences in the articles that each of these researchers has conducted. It may be worthwhile to note that Smeets article was written three years after than Robertsons; and although these are only a few years difference, a change in the technologies seen in schools may have been evident during this brief period. However, I think it is more important to note that Smeets also conducted his research in the Netherlands rather than in England and Scotland as Robertson did. The education systems are two very different ones, and I think that there may be cultural differences within the different schools that may mean the results of the studies can not be compared directly.
Similarities:
Both Robertson and Smeets agree that ICT is not being used to its full potential within the primary school. Both of the researchers also believe that interaction with ICT and ICT being taught through active learning/in a constructivist environment is a beneficial and positive move towards improving it in the classroom and curriculum.
The views and pedagogical principles of teachers appear to be a crucial element in the improvement of ICT in the primary classroom in both articles. The passive, drill and practice exercises used throughout the schools are not effective ICT tools to create PLE’s. For ICT to be effective, it needs to be used in lively, engaging, interactive way. In Smeets’ article, he found that the use of ICT generally followed this old fashioned traditional approach, and Robertsons’ research found that ICT in the twentieth century was generally in line with behaviourist learning theories.
Lastly, it is clear from both of these articles that the training of teachers in the effective use of ICT is paramount when it comes to ensuring ICT is used to its maximum potential within primary schools. Both articles give rise to the idea that without a positive outlook on ICT in school, the relevant skills and a constructivist approach, teachers are unlikely to put ICT into practice in the classroom in a way that will ensure a PLE is achieved. My experience in schools on placement has shown me, that a school can have ICT resources in abundance, but without the right teacher to use them, they are wasted. In my first school, I was amazed at the facilities that simply weren’t being used. Perhaps, the change will only occur, and ICT will only become utilised to its full potential when the next generation of teachers emerges into primary school; those that have been brought up in a world of ICT and approach it in a constructivist way. If this is the case, then perhaps the training of these new teachers should incorporate more ICT to accommodate the changes.
References
Robertson, J., (2002) The ambiguous embrace; Twenty years of IT (ICT) in schools. BJET, 33(4) 411-421.
Smeets, E., (2005) Does ICT contribute to powerful learning environments in primary education? Computers and Education, 44, 342-355
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Farewell PGCE blog...
I have come to the end of my first school's placement and with it, the end of my blog. This is my final entry and in it I shall be discussing some of the pros and cons of using blogs and their place within schools to evaluate the exercise.
Firstly, I think I must congratualate myself... at the beginning of this course I had no idea what a blog was, how to set one up, what to do with one or even how to find one!!! Now, I know all of these things, can evidence first hand how easy they are to do (okay, with the exception of putting on my first picture!) and would even be able to set one up in a school and show my class how to work it!
I really love the format of this piece of ICT. I think in a classroom it has huge potential especially in terms of keeping the parents of children informed of their children's work or class successes. I think it would be a fabulous idea to set up a class blog where children could celebrate their successes. I also think that school trips, either day or residential would greatly benefit from a blog and I would consider using one in the future to keep worried children and mums and dads in touch.
Safety and Child Protection issues were in the forefront of my mind at the beginning of this blog. But, I can see how secure a filter system can be and am much more aware of the procedures that can be put in place to protect the identity of children on the posts.
All, in all, blogs get a thumbs up from me and I am looking forward to using them with my future class!!
Thanks for reading,
Rosie.
Firstly, I think I must congratualate myself... at the beginning of this course I had no idea what a blog was, how to set one up, what to do with one or even how to find one!!! Now, I know all of these things, can evidence first hand how easy they are to do (okay, with the exception of putting on my first picture!) and would even be able to set one up in a school and show my class how to work it!
I really love the format of this piece of ICT. I think in a classroom it has huge potential especially in terms of keeping the parents of children informed of their children's work or class successes. I think it would be a fabulous idea to set up a class blog where children could celebrate their successes. I also think that school trips, either day or residential would greatly benefit from a blog and I would consider using one in the future to keep worried children and mums and dads in touch.
Safety and Child Protection issues were in the forefront of my mind at the beginning of this blog. But, I can see how secure a filter system can be and am much more aware of the procedures that can be put in place to protect the identity of children on the posts.
All, in all, blogs get a thumbs up from me and I am looking forward to using them with my future class!!
Thanks for reading,
Rosie.
Sunday, 27 January 2008
ICT - a tool for teachers?
With the school I am on placment on, ICT is very much a tool for teachers. I ve have found that it helps them with their planning, all of which is done on computer and emailed to the head teacher and any LSA's on a weekly basis. I also provides a wealth of resources for teachers in the form of internet sites, online games/programmes, software that the school owns and additionally that found on the IWB's. I have also found that the majority of staff at my school keep online records using a traffic lighting system with assessment for learning in mind. This I have found very useful and is something I will certainly be using in my future teaching.
Nevertheless, I have also discovered that using the ICT at my school can be quite time consuming and have its constraints. In terms of preparation, the length of time it takes to organise a resource very much depends on the experience of the user - in my case, it took me three times as long to sort something than my CTM simply because I am unfamiliar with the software and resources available. Additionally, I observed that when using a class of PC's with the children, you had to shave off a good 15 minutes of the lesson just to set them up and log them off because the children took so long to get organised - this left a 50 minute lesson a bit short in some cases! I also became aware that the ICT could also become a distraction for teachers too. In an entirely wireless school, it is possibe for members of staff to log on to the internet anywhere, and this means teachers need to be really disciplined during PPA time, before and after school, to get productive planning done... it is so easy to search for something relevant to a lesson and get completely sidetracked on the internet!!!!
One further point that I feel necessary to mention is regarding the benefits of having a filtered internet/intranet system in school. Yes, it is superb for the children when they have free internet access, but sometimes it can be so frustrating when researching/planning lessons. I taught a series of lessons on adverts in english and had soooo much trouble accessinf them online in school due to the filter, that eventually I gave up and downloaded them at home.
Nevertheless, I have also discovered that using the ICT at my school can be quite time consuming and have its constraints. In terms of preparation, the length of time it takes to organise a resource very much depends on the experience of the user - in my case, it took me three times as long to sort something than my CTM simply because I am unfamiliar with the software and resources available. Additionally, I observed that when using a class of PC's with the children, you had to shave off a good 15 minutes of the lesson just to set them up and log them off because the children took so long to get organised - this left a 50 minute lesson a bit short in some cases! I also became aware that the ICT could also become a distraction for teachers too. In an entirely wireless school, it is possibe for members of staff to log on to the internet anywhere, and this means teachers need to be really disciplined during PPA time, before and after school, to get productive planning done... it is so easy to search for something relevant to a lesson and get completely sidetracked on the internet!!!!
One further point that I feel necessary to mention is regarding the benefits of having a filtered internet/intranet system in school. Yes, it is superb for the children when they have free internet access, but sometimes it can be so frustrating when researching/planning lessons. I taught a series of lessons on adverts in english and had soooo much trouble accessinf them online in school due to the filter, that eventually I gave up and downloaded them at home.
Sharing Best Practice
Every few week in my SBT school the teachers have an after school meeting following their staff meeting to ‘share best practice’ amongst the staff. (Bear in mind that it is a really big school, with so many teachers, I still don’t know all of their names 4 weeks on!)
This weeks meeting was ICT centred and really useful for me as a Trainee Teacher, but also for the other staff in the school. The staff were shown how to set up and use promethean whiteboard interactive handsets and a demonstration was given on how they could be used in lessons and also to assist with assessment (in particular AFL.)
I was very impressed with the handsets themselves. They connect up to the whiteboard so that the children can provide answers to questions posed, quizzes set, or exams even. (In a similar vein to the ‘fastest finger first’ set up on ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire.’) The key thing about the handsets is that they can be assigned to a specific child in the lesson – provided the children’s names get programmed into the software first. This allows the teacher to keep a record of who gets which questions right and wrong, ultimately allowing a marking system to be generated as the tests are done. I think this is a fantastic device. From the experience I have gained, I think I will keep computerised mark records once teaching fulltime and I think this would be really good way to do so.
In addition, the children love it! I am really keen to use this with my future classes and can see much scope for its use – mental maths tests, pop quizzes, end of subject assessments; the list is pretty much endless.
I have considered a number of flaws that may well be present with them. These handsets are expensive, so not all schools with be in a position to have them. There is a set of thirty in this school, and I only know of the one teacher that does use them, so in order to make them cost effective, I think they need to be more widely used. In addition, the set this school has, only allows for multiple choice answers, so there is always the possibility that a ‘good guess’ or even a ‘bad guess’ can result in the right answer!! Furthermore, although the software seems to cut out marking and some elements of record keeping, I think the planning and preparation that goes into their use beforehand will probably counteract this time!
Nevertheless, my personal viewpoint is that these are great, mostly because of the innovation that can be brought into lessons with their use and the fun that can be brought into children’s learning!
This weeks meeting was ICT centred and really useful for me as a Trainee Teacher, but also for the other staff in the school. The staff were shown how to set up and use promethean whiteboard interactive handsets and a demonstration was given on how they could be used in lessons and also to assist with assessment (in particular AFL.)
I was very impressed with the handsets themselves. They connect up to the whiteboard so that the children can provide answers to questions posed, quizzes set, or exams even. (In a similar vein to the ‘fastest finger first’ set up on ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire.’) The key thing about the handsets is that they can be assigned to a specific child in the lesson – provided the children’s names get programmed into the software first. This allows the teacher to keep a record of who gets which questions right and wrong, ultimately allowing a marking system to be generated as the tests are done. I think this is a fantastic device. From the experience I have gained, I think I will keep computerised mark records once teaching fulltime and I think this would be really good way to do so.
In addition, the children love it! I am really keen to use this with my future classes and can see much scope for its use – mental maths tests, pop quizzes, end of subject assessments; the list is pretty much endless.
I have considered a number of flaws that may well be present with them. These handsets are expensive, so not all schools with be in a position to have them. There is a set of thirty in this school, and I only know of the one teacher that does use them, so in order to make them cost effective, I think they need to be more widely used. In addition, the set this school has, only allows for multiple choice answers, so there is always the possibility that a ‘good guess’ or even a ‘bad guess’ can result in the right answer!! Furthermore, although the software seems to cut out marking and some elements of record keeping, I think the planning and preparation that goes into their use beforehand will probably counteract this time!
Nevertheless, my personal viewpoint is that these are great, mostly because of the innovation that can be brought into lessons with their use and the fun that can be brought into children’s learning!
Interactive Whiteboards... A godsend or the devil incarnate?
I am yet to decide on this one.
I have used the one in my classroom with some success. I have also had a number of traumatic failures and cannot decide whether it has added benefit to the lessons I have taught.
To explain... I shall start at the beginning...
The IWB in my classroom is a first generation one and is not as 'interactive' as the new ones... My classroom is also downstairs in an old building. The whiteboard has been fixed to a windowed wall in the classroom - by this I mean a large plank of wood has been bracketed over the windows and the whiteboard is hung from the plank of wood. The positioning of the board is not hugely convenient for the children to see... they all have to be gathered on the carpet and this cannot be done for long periods of time as it is a somewhat uncomfortable place for a large class of 10 year olds. Everytime the class upstairs change (every 50 minutes) the movement of 30 children exiting a classroom vibrates down this wall, making the IWB move considerable and knocking it out of allignment... It has to be alligned everytime you want to use it, and even then, there's no guarantee that the pen will write where you press on the board!!
So, the equipment is there, but logistical factors like these have an impact on how often it is used....
I began a maths lesson with my class with Maths Karate... I carefully set up the IWB to show the powerpoint that accompanied this 'brain gym' style activity... I set the timer on the powerpoint to steadily increase to test the children... I then set them off and the first Karate move flashed up on screen asking them to display the sign for addition... They all did... I then waited expectantly for the next one.... which did not come... A click on the mouse did nothing... a couple of clicks... still nothing... The screen has frozen... great... I start getting frustrated, the children get distracted and noisy!! Then by rapid fire 6 or so Karate moves flash past the children... they cant keep up... they think it's hilarious... I give up and simply resort back to good old speech... "Right class, show me subtraction!!" I quickly learnt that ICT can be used to enhance lessons, but it has to work in order to do do... and if it doesn't work for whatever reason... you need to have a back up!!! In a classroom of 30 children the last thing you want to here is "we've got a bit of a technical hitch..."
However, motivation wise - the children really do love to use the IWB when it works. Times tables have been a real target for some of my children... Back in October when I went initially, there were lots of children that really didn't know them... and showed no interest in learning them until a simple times table 'game' was introduced in the lesson... so much so that it was repeatedly requested as an activity for wet break time!! In addition, I made a mental note to my self about how many more hands went up when I asked for a volunteer to show the rest of the class the answer on the IWB...
I really try to make the most out of the IWB.. but so far, it has caused problems as well as being an aid to my teaching, so the jury's still out on this one as far as I'm concern... I think I need a little bit more practise with it!
I have used the one in my classroom with some success. I have also had a number of traumatic failures and cannot decide whether it has added benefit to the lessons I have taught.
To explain... I shall start at the beginning...
The IWB in my classroom is a first generation one and is not as 'interactive' as the new ones... My classroom is also downstairs in an old building. The whiteboard has been fixed to a windowed wall in the classroom - by this I mean a large plank of wood has been bracketed over the windows and the whiteboard is hung from the plank of wood. The positioning of the board is not hugely convenient for the children to see... they all have to be gathered on the carpet and this cannot be done for long periods of time as it is a somewhat uncomfortable place for a large class of 10 year olds. Everytime the class upstairs change (every 50 minutes) the movement of 30 children exiting a classroom vibrates down this wall, making the IWB move considerable and knocking it out of allignment... It has to be alligned everytime you want to use it, and even then, there's no guarantee that the pen will write where you press on the board!!
So, the equipment is there, but logistical factors like these have an impact on how often it is used....
I began a maths lesson with my class with Maths Karate... I carefully set up the IWB to show the powerpoint that accompanied this 'brain gym' style activity... I set the timer on the powerpoint to steadily increase to test the children... I then set them off and the first Karate move flashed up on screen asking them to display the sign for addition... They all did... I then waited expectantly for the next one.... which did not come... A click on the mouse did nothing... a couple of clicks... still nothing... The screen has frozen... great... I start getting frustrated, the children get distracted and noisy!! Then by rapid fire 6 or so Karate moves flash past the children... they cant keep up... they think it's hilarious... I give up and simply resort back to good old speech... "Right class, show me subtraction!!" I quickly learnt that ICT can be used to enhance lessons, but it has to work in order to do do... and if it doesn't work for whatever reason... you need to have a back up!!! In a classroom of 30 children the last thing you want to here is "we've got a bit of a technical hitch..."
However, motivation wise - the children really do love to use the IWB when it works. Times tables have been a real target for some of my children... Back in October when I went initially, there were lots of children that really didn't know them... and showed no interest in learning them until a simple times table 'game' was introduced in the lesson... so much so that it was repeatedly requested as an activity for wet break time!! In addition, I made a mental note to my self about how many more hands went up when I asked for a volunteer to show the rest of the class the answer on the IWB...
I really try to make the most out of the IWB.. but so far, it has caused problems as well as being an aid to my teaching, so the jury's still out on this one as far as I'm concern... I think I need a little bit more practise with it!
SBT 1
I am pleased to see that the children in my SBT school do have a wonderful ICT system set up. I am in a really big school which has numerous ICT suites, PC stations in corridors, IWB's in all classrooms and a number of other ICT facilities. How much use the children get of ICT in this school really does depend on how their teacher regards it as a learning tool. My class have 50 minutes of ICT timetabled into their week and during this time they are taught ICT skills, i.e: how to use a spreadsheet, database, word, paint programme... I have observed a couple of these sessions and find them quite prescriptive, however. There are many opportunities for the children to use ICT at this school - although, some of it is up to them to instigate, for example by joining the ICT club or commenting on the school blog. They also have an intranet facility, whereby parents can access information about the school regarding trips, upcoming events and even review the homework tasks that their children have been set.
Children get taught 'subjects' in this school. There are over 600 pupils on the roll and in my year (yr 5) group there are 6 classes divided up into 8 sets based on attainment level. As a result of this, the children get a 50 minute subject on maths, english, geography, history... and the list goes on. There are occasional double lessons for art, science and PE. In addition, each subject is taught by a different teacher and as a result of this, I have found that the focus of the lesson is more often than not, the subject itself, rather than ICT. So, whether ICT is used during the subject depends very much on what resources the teacher has with them and how confident they are using them with the children.
In this style school, ICT seems to take a back seat during some lessons and I have not seen it incorporated into lessons in the cross curricula way that I expected to if teaching were topic based, rather than subject based. But, then I can understand why... moving the children around the school to ICT suites is time consuming and then giving them the instruction and setting them on task takes up most of the lesson. It is also a big school, which means there is always competition for the ICT suites!
Children get taught 'subjects' in this school. There are over 600 pupils on the roll and in my year (yr 5) group there are 6 classes divided up into 8 sets based on attainment level. As a result of this, the children get a 50 minute subject on maths, english, geography, history... and the list goes on. There are occasional double lessons for art, science and PE. In addition, each subject is taught by a different teacher and as a result of this, I have found that the focus of the lesson is more often than not, the subject itself, rather than ICT. So, whether ICT is used during the subject depends very much on what resources the teacher has with them and how confident they are using them with the children.
In this style school, ICT seems to take a back seat during some lessons and I have not seen it incorporated into lessons in the cross curricula way that I expected to if teaching were topic based, rather than subject based. But, then I can understand why... moving the children around the school to ICT suites is time consuming and then giving them the instruction and setting them on task takes up most of the lesson. It is also a big school, which means there is always competition for the ICT suites!
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