Welcome to Module 2. Your tutors are Temika Christian and Bernard E. Richardson.
The Blog page is http://modules1-2-3-4and9.blogspot.com/p/module-2.html and your blog address for posting of activities is http://antiguaandbarbudamodule2ictinschools.blogspot.com/
The Activities and Assignments will be placed here for you to follow.
Feel free to email us if you have any concerns/queries. Here are our personal email addresses:
Temika Christian: temika40@hotmail.com and Bernard E. Richardson: bnardson@gmail.com
Looking forward to working with you on this journey as we are here to support you.
Your Tutors.
Activity 1: ICT in Schools - Rationale for ICT in schools
The purpose of this activity is to introduce you to the rationale (an underlying reason) for ICT in schools. You will read viewpoints that could be regarded as global, but you also need to view this rationale critically and realistically in your own country's framework. This will help you to identify the challenges that lie ahead, but also to identify globally successful practices that you could easily implement in your classrooms, enhanced by your own local context.
Rationale for computers in schools
In Applying new technologies and cost-effective delivery systems in basic education, Hilary Perraton and Charlotte Creed outlines a rationale for computers in schools.
Click here to read their rationale for computers in schools. This rationale was derived in part from the World Economic Forum but recognises the relatively more recent influence of the Internet on learning. They succeed in providing an overview of the major points of view of how computers can be used in schools, while at the same time summing up the limitations and challenges of some approaches. The justification for computers in less advantaged communities is often driven largely by the first and second rationales and courses focusing on learning about ICT prevail. This is largely false economy, because common, low-end ICT qualifications have flooded the market and employers generally look for more diverse information management skills in school leavers. This requires a focus on the 4th and 5th rationales, which refer to "change in education" and "learner-initiated opportunities".
Common ICT use in schools
ICT integration focuses on teaching and learning with ICT. A review of ICT in schools highlights the major types of ICT use. As you read this next extract, consider which of the five rationales each described activity falls into. Click here to read Use of ICT in schools.
What conclusions do you reach when you consider these uses and the five rationales?
Self-activity
Identify categories of ICT use from the above two readings and take stock of how ICT is used in your school.Place this audit of your school's ICT use in your blog. It will give your tutor a good insight into your current situation.
After that somewhat bland description of ICT uses you may wonder what impact ICT is making and how convincing that picture is. You will no doubt develop a growing impression of this as you proceed with this module. The following reading provides an overview of some research findings and local initiatives that suggest some reasons why ICT cannot be ignored in school education in this country.
In ICT and Educational Reform in Developed and Developing Countries, Dr Robert Kozma outlines how ICT is leading educational reform in both developed and developing countries of the world. Before you read this paper prepare yourself for an e-mail discussion with your group. Provided with all this evidence, but also with the realities of your schools and classroom, do you think that what you read about is achievable in your school?
Click here to read ICT and Educational Reform in Developed and Developing Countries (you will need Acrobat Reader* to read this document - if you do not have it installed, click here to install it).
Group Activity 1
Reflect on the readings that you have done. Discuss the following statement by writing a message to your group (using the subject heading "Activity1_Discussion"):"It is impossible for a developing nation to compete with developed nations in the field of ICT integration in schools"Write your personal conclusion from this discussion in your blog. Click here to open the blank blog prompts template , then save it in your personal folder for future use.
completion date: Sunday 2nd March
Activity 2: Attitudes and perceptions of ICT
So where do you fit into all of this? By doing this course you are obviously one of those teachers at your school who has seen the value of ICT integration and is making the effort to grow in this field, but what about your colleagues? How did you reach your conclusions about ICT (some of which may only have been reached in the previous activity)? What is it about ICT integration that has changed your attitudes, and what have you experienced that has changed your perceptions of ICT?
We often over-simplify these questions and conclude that older teachers are technophobic and set in their ways. Let us examine this issue of attitudes and perceptions a little more closely. First read some comments in Silvia Ferrero's Two generations of teachers Differences in attitudes towards ICT. As you read this, make a note of the conclusions that either you or Ferrero come to. You will test these by surveying your own colleagues and teachers in an other school as part of your first assignment for this module.
Click here to read Two generations of teachers: Differences in attitudes towards ICTcompletion date: Tuesday 4th March
Assignment 1
This assignment is to be completed once you have completed Activity 2.
Use this template to insert your survey and your analysis of the results following the outline below.
To complete the assignment follow these steps. First read the entire assignment brief.
1. Record two conclusions that you reached when reading Two generations of teachers: Differences in attitudes towards ICT.
2. State one hypotheses as a causal relationship, for example:
<something happens> because <the reason why it happens>e.g.
teachers smoke because they find teaching stressful(except that your example should be about attitudes towards ICT, based on the reading) (10)
It may be advisable to check these statements with your tutor once you have formulated them.
3. Design a paper-based survey that will test the validity of the hypothesis (whether it holds to be true or not).
Click here to read more about designing surveys.
Click here to read more about good survey questions.
Click here to see an example survey. (30)
Click here to read more about designing surveys.
Click here to read more about good survey questions.
Click here to see an example survey. (30)
4. Administer this survey to a range of teachers; some who use computers some who do not. You should try to receive at least 20 responses. This means that you should probably hand out more than 20 survey forms.
5. Process your survey results. Create at least one spreadsheet chart of the most illuminating survey data and include this in your report. (10)
6. Analyse the responses. How do the results support your conditional statement? (30)
7. Write conclusions that cite specific data and the data analysis. Declare whether the statement had been supported by your survey or not. Identify further work that could be done to clarify the results. (20)
Assessment:
| You have developed a hypothesis statement (stated as a causal statement) based on the conclusions from your reading. | Maximum of 10 |
You have drawn up and administered a survey form. The questions are of such a nature that they will provide data with which you can test your hypothesis.
|
Maximum of 30
|
You have graphed the responses using at least one chart and the appropriate chart type to show a significant set of data from the survey results.
|
Maximum of 10
|
You have analysed the responses to the survey and interview. In your analysis you study the data, interpret the data, giving reasons for what you observe and finding connection with the hypothesis statement that you are testing.
|
Maximum of 30
|
You have recorded your findings and drawn a conclusion. In recording your findings you refer to specific data in the survey results and as you do so you logically come to a conclusion. If you spot weaknesses in your approach, you record these and indicate how you can improve the process.
|
Maximum of 20
|
Total
|
100
|
What to submit:
Save the template as follow: Surname_Name_ANTBAR_Module#_A#
Submit this saved document as a file attachment in email to assessment@schoolnet.org.za with the subject heading "Assignment1".
Date due: Tuesday 11th March
Activity 3 - Roles of learners learning with ICT
In examining how ICT can change and enhance teaching and learning we have to analyse the roles of both the learners and the teachers. In analysing the roles of learners we should focus on what kinds of learning activities are taking place and how active the learners are in that process. In a later activity, when we analyse the role of the teacher, we will focus on the actions of the teachers, how they plan ICT integration and the kinds of opportunities that they create for learning with ICT.
In Changing How and What Children Learn in School with Computer-Based Technologies the authors examine the four fundamental characteristics that make learning most effective.
- Learning through active engagement
- Learning through participation in groups
- Learning through frequent interaction and feedback
- Learning through connections to real-world contexts
Notice how the role of the learner focuses on a) how involved they are in leanring, b) how well-supported they are and c) how meaningful their learning is to them. You would be quite correct to observe that these are just elements of plain good teaching practice (and wonder why more teachers do not do this). Is ICT therefore really necessary? You be the judge. Read the paper and consider how ICT can enhance these processes.
In The Teacher as Learning Guide Bonnie Bracey reflects on her changing role as a teacher, but notice how almost inseparable it is from the roles that the learners are expected to assume. How do these roles relate to the definition of e-learning in the White Paper and the fundamental characteristics for effective learning?
Click here to read The Teacher as Learning Guide
Margaret Riel's Learning Circles online collaborative learning model has been very successfully implemented worldwide. As you read about Learning Circles, identify all the effective learning factors that are present in the model, with special emphasis on the roles of the learner.
Click here to read Learning Circles: Virtual Communities for Elementary and Secondary Schools
Group Activity 3 - Learners' Charter - a collaborative exercise
In this activity you will experience the power of collaboration by developing a Learners' Charter with your group. You will produce one collaborative online document. Follow these guidelines to complete this activity.
- Your brief is, through the use of an online collaborative document, to develop a Learners' Charter. Imagine that this Charter is developed by learners who wish to assert their rights to learn effectively with ICT integration.
- First brainstorm the issues that should be raised in the Charter i.e. what are learners' rights to effective teaching and learning with ICT? Using the brainstorm tool that your tutor has set up for you, identify the rights that you think learners should have to effective teaching with ICT.
- After about 2 days of receiving brainstorm updates, evaluate the contributions and identify one item that you would like to add to the charter - one sentence that makes a statement in support of how learners should be able to learn with ICT.
- Now go to the online collaborative document that your tutor has set up. Write your Learners' Charter sentence. This happens on a "first-come-first-served basis". For instance, if someone else in your group has written a sentence about access to ICT, you should choose a different issue to add to the charter or you could decide to comment on a sentence.
- As the process unfolds reflect on the process and, if necessary, discuss with the group how the process can be improved. You are a collaborative group, so you have to solve problems collaboratively as well.
- Provide input to each sponsored sentence and try to improve it and make it more effective and correct as a sentence that describes the rights of learners who learn with ICT. Be critical and positive in your comment. Make sure that everyone understands the issues the way that you do.
- Your tutor will facilitate this process as necessary and provide a time frame for this activity.
- Complete this activity by making reflective comments in your blog about the online collaborative exercise as well as the Learners' Charter.
completion date: Thursday 13th March
Activity 4: Is there a need for teachers?
There is often the initial perception, by those who do not know much about computers in schools, that computers will replace teachers. This is probably based on the experiences in industrial training, where computer-based training programmes and simulators have replaced trainers with varying degrees of success. If a teacher can be replaced by a computer, they should be, because that would be a very inadequate teacher. You may argue that teachers are necessary to maintain discipline and organise learning. Outcomes-based education does place the teacher in new roles and it does place more responsibility on the learner to become involved. As we saw in the previous activity, computers can play a role to support learners in new roles.
Date due: Saturday 29th March
In focusing on the teacher, we are faced with two issues:
- the role of the teacher teaching about ICT (which we will discuss in Activity 4 and 5)
- the role of the teacher teaching with ICT (which we will discuss in Activity 5 and 6)
Do teachers over teach?
At face value two pieces of research have shown that people (and especially young people) have the potential to learn a lot more informally than teachers are prepared to acknowledge. We say "at face value" because it would be an error to conclude that learners do not need teachers. However teachers do need to re-assess what they do in the act of "teaching". Teaching is often described by teachers themselves as 'transferring knowledge to the learner'. If this is all that teaching is about computers could probably do a fairly good job of replacing the teacher. In this activity you will consider this research about informal learning and re-assess your roles as a teacher of ICT skills.
Before you read about Vygotsky's spontaneous learning, prepare to reflect on its most important message to you. What does he suggest should be the role of schooled learning? How could we make schooled learning more effective? What are the key roles of the teacher?
Click here to read about Vygotsky's spontaneous learningGroup Activity 4a - Discussion of spontaneous learning
1. Write a message to your group (using the subject heading "Spontaneous learning") and discuss these questions:
- What does Vygotsky suggest should be the role of schooled learning?
- How could we make schooled learning more effective?
- What are the key roles of the teacher in schooled learning?
- How can we apply this to the integration of ICT?
You may be breathing a sigh of relief now that Vygotsky has shown that schools and teachers could be important in the development of learners. However, it must be concerning that most teachers do not teach very differently from their own teachers and teachers in generations before that. Yet teachers have increasing access to new learning theory, resources and technology.
With the introduction of computers (and later the Internet) into schools a new kind of teacher and teaching activity emerged - computer teachers (or similarly named) who teach "computer literacy". This person is often one of the few on the staff who has some computer knowledge and is assigned computer or computer literacy classes. Since teachers often teach by transferring information these teachers naturally proceeded to teach about the computer, focussing on what they know and what they assume the learners do not know. School management then realised that even non-teachers could do this, so there are many cases where non-teachers are teaching about ICT in schools. Is this acceptable, given your understanding of ICT Integration? We will focus on this practice in Activity 5.
What we would like to explore now is to what extent it is necessary for learners to know about ICT before they can work with ICT? Dr Sugata Mitra, Director of NIIT’s Centre for Research in Cognitive Systems in New Delhi, India has been conducting thought-provoking research on what he now refers to as Minimally Invasive Education. Consider this question critically while reading extracts from Dr Mitra's keynote address at the Innovation in Education Conference in Cape Town in April 2004.
Related videos that you may like to watch:
Sugata Mitra: If the World Belongs to Our Children Then Why Don't We Just Give It to Them [online]
in which he outlines the background and some of the experiements of the Hoel in the Wall project.
Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud Onstage at TED 2013 [on DVD]Sugata Mitra's inspiring vision for Self Organized Learning Environments (SOLE) that earned him the TED prize. Learn more at tedprize.orgSource [online]in which he outlines the background and some of the experiements of the Hoel in the Wall project.
Group Activity 4b - Do we need to teach ICT skills?
1. Write a message to your group (using the subject heading "Minimally invasive education") and discuss the following questions:
- What conclusions do you draw from reading about Dr Mitra's work?
- Are there parallels between these conclusions and those you drew about Vygotsky's spontaneous learning?
- What are the practical shortcomings of Dr Mitra's experiments for ICT in schools?
- Reflecting on both readings in Activity 4, what lessons can we learn regarding our own practice in teaching ICT skills, and how can we adapt this practice to make it more effective?
2. Make reflective comments in your blog.
completion date: Saturday 15th March
Activity 5: Myth of Computer literacy
We use "Myth" in the context of the Mirriam -Webster definition:
a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someoneMerriam-Webster Dictinary: http://www.m-w.com
What are the popular beliefs that have grown up around "computer literacy"? There are many conflicting views on this. Let's allow ourselves a brief diversion in an attempt to understand some of the debate going on about computer literacy.
Remember to be critical about your reading and do not accept opinions as fact. The VirtualBill website offers a technocentric view of computer literacy. It could be suggested that the authors of this view are computer engineers. They certainly represent a school of thought that insists on teaching about ICT. It is interesting that they use the analogy of driving a car. One could note that most people can drive motor cars without really understanding how the engine works.
You will often notice how the debate about the definition of computer literacy is influenced by technocentric backgrounds.
Computer literacy is certainly a very widely interpreted concept - it would seem to be most often defined with some kind of technical competency in mind. It has also been abused by employers who seek employees with computer skills, despite (or possibly because of) its being vague to define. The need for proof of IT skills has therefore spawned an industry of certificate-generating IT training, the ICDL being a well-known example. The problem is that many of these courses are worthless in what they actually teach you, given our understanding of what makes effective learning and teaching. They do not teach you how to apply ICT as a resource for your learning and teaching. They assume that you will work that out on your own - is that what you want from an ICT course?
In terms of the value of computer literacy, much of the rhetoric about jobs and skills just doesn't hold up under close examination. The vast numbers of jobs that computers are supposed to create for the "post-industrial" society simply do not exist. If anything, computers eliminated many jobs and degraded the required intelligence needed to perform many others (Shaiken 1986). As for those people who expect to see more jobs in the future, based on the introduction of computers in new fields, Noble notes that they are guilty of falsely equating the superficial kinds of skills gained in computer literacy programs with the highly technical kinds of knowledge necessary for taking what jobs there will be in computerized industries.
Although teacher development frameworks may suggest certain basic ICT competencies it is probably best to limit these to no more than just a few very basic skills. These do not make teachers computer literate, but do give teachers the confidence to explore appropriate uses for their personal and professional needs. The outcome of teacher ICT training should be to develop a user's confidence to use the computer in appropriate ways to achieve objectives that could not be better achieved without the computer.
What computer literacy really means for those people who do need it, is going to be determined by the specifics of the situations where they find themselves. People can learn whatever they need or want to about computers [as the need arises and without] having to be prepared or "literate" beforehand. The idea of computer literacy as preparation for later application, seen, for example, in comparisons between computer literacy and music appreciation, fits nicely within a "basic-skill" mentality that refuses to allow that fundamental knowledge is best acquired in the process of useful activity, not beforehand in useless introduction" (Noble 1984a:603).
To what extent do we offer meaningless courses at schools in the name of Computer Literacy?
Given what we have read and reflected on in the last two activities, and accepting the limitations of the term, how do we conduct a "computer literacy" programme in a school? Do we have to teach about ICT before we can learn with ICT?
Do the following background reading with this question in mind, before tackling Activity 5:
Group Activity 5
- Participate in online discussions with your group and discuss each of these three questions separately.
- Using the subject heading "Integrated Approach": Is the integrated approach an alternative (different form of) computer literacy or is it not the same thing at all?
- Using the subject heading "Integrated Approach Challenges": What are the challenges of an integrated approach?
- Using the subject heading "Who's Responsibility?": In a school whose responsibility is it to "teach computer literacy"? What are the most important requirements for such a person?
- Complete the activity by writing reflective comments in your blog.
completion date: Monday 17th March
Activity 6: Role of the teacher
In this activity we will examine the roles of the teacher that make the introduction of ICT into learning most likely to succeed. In case you think that there is no reward in this new pathway of learning for teachers, let us start by reading a testimony from Betsy Norris. Note her role in the school.
Steve Wheeler gave a somewhat futuristic and technology-centred view of ICT in schools in his keynote address to a teachers conference in the Czech Republic in 2000. Read this with a critical view to evaluating whether Steve is describing a school in which ICT is really enhancing learning. Consider what changes are possible and likely to take place in schools and identify the roles that teachers would need to assume in order to best manage the learning processes in those classrooms.
Group Activity 6 - Discussion
- Participate in an online discussion with your group (using the subject heading "Role of teacher in ICT") in which you discuss Wheeler's view of the role of the teacher in ICT. In this discussion give your opinion on:
- whether ICT is used effectively in all cases that Wheeler describes - comment on cases that concern you most
- the roles that teachers would need to assume in order for teachers to best manage the learning processes in those classrooms.
Think about all the reading and ideas that you have been exposed to so far in the first two core modules. On many occasions reference has been made to the kind of teaching that is regarded as most effective to enhance learning (with or without ICT). Let us avoid falling into the trap of having technology dictate what teachers can or cannot do. On the other hand, we must acknowledge that technology can change the nature of learning. However, we have to move beyond asking what ICT can do to support our existing practice (not all of which may be ideal, we might admit). We should be assessing how best we can adapt our teaching practice to make best use of the strengths of ICT, while at the same time improving our teaching practice. Wheeler did refer to some of these practices. Lynn Schrum identifies the need for teachers to be able to identify the opportunities when technology can be most appropriately used, and then to act in appropriate ways to allow learning to take place most effectively. While reading Schrum's article, consider the following perspectives:
- what teacher roles will best tap into the strengths of technology?
- what are the strengths of technology in the classroom?
- how do you know when technology use will be appropriate?
“Effectiveness is not a function of the technology, but rather of the learning environment and the capability to do things one could not do otherwise.”
In choosing appropriate moments for ICT use the teacher's role is strategic as a curriculum interpreter. This depends as much on a knowledge of how ICT could be used as it does on the kind of teaching method that is used in that situation. While reading the following article on appropriate use consider the following question:
- what knowledge and skills does the teacher require to be able to decide on appropriate use of ICT?
You may like to see examples of lessons integrated with ICT. Click on these examples of ICT integration activities (these are developed in Queensland, Australia) in various learning areas and phase levels. Browse through these lessons and consider two things as you do so:
- Do these lessons focus on pedagogy or technology?
- Is ICT appropriately used?
completion date: Tuesday 18th March
ASSIGNMENT 2
In this assignment you will use the knowledge and understanding that you have gained in all activities up to and including Activity 6.
You will be required to write a critical review of one of the lessons that you accessed during Activity 6. To complete this assignment follow these steps:
- Open this template and use it to complete the assignment
- Select one lesson from this list to evaluate.
- Write a critical review of the lesson in between 1200-2000 words. In the essay be sure to justify your view of the lesson with regard to:
- the way in which students/learners are gaining rightful access to ICT;
- the way in which ICT is integrated according to good principles;
- the role of the teacher in tapping the strengths of the technology.
- Conclude with an evaluative summary of the lesson
Assessment:
| You have identified the ways in which learners are using the ICT. |
Maximum of 5
|
| You have evaluated the learners' use with reference to the potential for ICT use in the lesson. | Maximum of 25 |
| You have described the way in which ICT is integrated. |
Maximum of 5
|
| You have evaluated the way in which the integrated approach is being implemented. | Maximum of 25 |
| You have described how the teacher uses the technology during the lesson. |
Maximum of 5
|
| You have evaluated the extent to which the teacher is tapping the strengths of the technology. | Maximum of 25 |
| You have made a final evaluate statement based on the preceding paragraphs of your essay. |
Maximum of 10
|
Total
|
100
|
What to submit:
Save the template as follows: Surname_Name_ANTBAR_Module2_Assignment2.
Submit this saved document as a file attachment in email to assessment@schoolnet.org.za with the subject heading "Assignment2".
Date due: Saturday 22nd March
Activity 7: Models of technology adoption
Your experience with staff development for ICT Integration, your expectations of change and your understanding of what you observe will be greatly enhanced by an understanding of the experiences of many teachers that have passed this route before you.
One of the best-recorded processes of teacher ICT development took place a long time ago when computers were first being introduced into schools. The Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow was started in the mid-1980's, but we have learnt many valuable lessons from that project. The models of evolution in the classroom that ACOT developed are based on their observations over several years. Although the model bears considerable resemblance to what was often seen to happen in practice, one should bear in mind that individuals do not act exactly according to models. Bearing in mind that limitation to models, read the fourth year findings on Patterns of Change. Reflect on your own personal experiences of ICT development and those of your colleagues. Do you find any parallels?
Click here to read the Fourth Year Findings: Patterns of Change (skip to The Findings on Page 4)
Reflecting on the 5 stages of evolution of classroom practice, the following should be noted:
- Step 1-3 normally takes the best part of two years, especially where the educators are the first from that school to be introduced to technology. Once there is a core of existing technology users in the school, these same steps could take less than a year for an individual educator to work through, because of the support that colleagues provide.
- Progress in the Adoption stage was often hampered by bureaucratic demands that entrenched old paradigms, and educators' perceptions of what is expected of them as classroom managers e.g. good grades, silent classes, covering the prescribed content. The same constraints exist in this country.
- Success in the Appropriation stage is dependent on regular access to the computer, so that it becomes a natural tool. This cannot be realistically expected in one-computer schools or schools where lab use has to be scheduled well in advance.
- Very little was reported on the Invention stage. Significantly this was four years after the project was launched. Clearly, there is no general fast-tracking possible for the acceptance of technology and the accompanying change in individuals. It takes time - a fact that cannot be ignored by evaluators of the impact of technology on education. A minimum time scale for recording change should be 2-3 years.
- It was interesting to note the student initiation of peer support at very early stages in the project. Teachers took time to adapt to this “new order” and, when they did, harnessed this to the advantage of both themselves and their learners.
Considered in the light of the complexities of change, the challenge to implement a successful staff ICT development program is immense.
“If there is one truism in the vast research literature on change, it is that the magnitude of change persons are asked to make is inversely proportional to their likelihood of making it." (Guskey)
Consider the change that we expect teachers to make when introducing ICT to the classroom along the lines of the competencies we discussed in Activity 6. We are expecting the teachers to change both classroom practice and to acquire and apply new ICT skills. This is a multiple expectation and, viewed in the light of Guskey’s conclusion about the likelihood of success, one should be especially cautious about expecting too much in too short a space of time. It is easy to implement short staff development programs to large numbers of teachers, but meaningful change will only be evident if a long-term strategy of meaningful support and development is planned.
ACOT did some research on support and interaction and it is interesting to note the evolution in interaction that takes place. This helps us to understand the different kinds of support that is required for teachers learning with ICT, and when we can expect teachers to start supporting and interacting with each other. Support will be an important part of a staff development programme. When you do the following reading, make a table and plot the nature of support required at different stages of evolution as teachers learn to teach with ICT.
Subsequently, there has been more research and other models have been developed, but the underlying evolution remains quite similar. These models that represent stages through which teachers typically go, are useful to increase our understanding and ability to observe and analyse our colleagues' progress.
Group Activity 7 - School staff development
- Produce a presentation (using a programme such as MS Powerpoint* or similar) in which you outline recommendations for your school's staff development programme. Follow these guidelines:
- you should use no fewer than 8 and no more than 15 slides
- do not use any images
- write only key ideas on the slides
- include separate notes in point form which outline what you will say (you could use the notes panel below the slide in Powerpoint's normal view)
- click here to use this template (first save the file, then open it in Powerpoint)
- you may add slides, change layouts and change text
- Share this presentation with some of your school's management. Record their comments.
- Share this document with your group online. Include comments about the feedback that you received from your school's management.
- Give feedback to at least three of your group's presentations as they share them online. Provide constructive advice on how they could improve the presentation's contents.
- Write reflective comments in your blog.
completion date: Monday 24th March
Activity 8: Impact of ICT on schools
The purpose of this activity is to give you a glimpse of the more advanced levels of impact that ICT could have on schools. With this in mind, you will be able to assess what is possible in your own specific school and classroom environment. Being exposed to innovative and seemingly revolutionary ideas could give you ideas about smaller and more achievable changes that you could introduce to make the most of ICT within the ability of your resources.
"Two major influences have impacted upon education for students in primary and secondary schools in New Zealand and world-wide. Firstly, the rapid development of information and communication technologies and secondly, the deep questioning taking place regarding what a student will be required to know and be able to do to succeed in the twenty-first century. School responses to each of these influences have inevitably brought about changes: changes in the curriculum, in the way teachers redesign and present the curriculum, in the uses made of resources and the way current classrooms and buildings are being reconfigured."
The Churchill Report is the outcome of a study of schools in England, Austalia, USA and Hong Kong. Gillian Eadie, the author, is a principal of a school in New Zealand. We will examine this report from two perspectives:
- teaching spaces
- curriculum delivery
Teaching spaces
Eadie's first research question was "How is the availability and use of ICT changing the use of existing classroom spaces?" Her observations would be based on a broad experience, but confined to relatively resource-rich schools. When you read her comments, think of your own classroom and those of your colleagues. Note the distinction between using computers in a computer room and using computers in the classroom. If placing computers in classrooms is not a reality in your schoool, focus your attention on the computer room. Think beyond the casual observation and try to ascertain what the educational objectives are that lead to changes in teaching spaces. Do not always accept that all changes are for the better. Evaluate the changed spaces that you read about and decide whether this is achievable or even advisable in your situation. What ideas can you use and adapt for your needs?
Group Activity 8a - Teaching spaces
- Reflect on your reading of the first part of the Churchill Report, considering the advantages and disadvantages of different classroom spaces as they can be influenced by ICT.
- Participate in an online discussion with your group (using the subject heading "Teaching spaces") in which you discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different classroom spaces as described in the report. What ideas have you already implemented and what ideas do you think most worthwhile attempting? What are the most serious constraints that you face in re-orgainsing your classroom space for ICT?
The reasons behind new teaching spaces will almost always be to enhance the curriculum in some way. The use of ICT is changing the ways in which learners learn and in which schools operate. This impact should be ascribed to the fact that teachers have changed the ways in which they teach.
In the second part of Eadies report she examines the question "How is ICT use changing the way teachers and administrators approach curriculum delivery?" As you read the report you will be faced with many specific observations, some more achievable than others. Think beyond this and ask yourself what role ICT is playing in this impact. Is it a direct impact (involving the use of ICT in each case) or indirect impact (where the mere presence of ICT in the school has caused teachers to re-assess the way in which they teach even without the support of ICT). What are the most significant changes that you note and how do these changes rely on ICT. Is ICT necessary before such changes can occur?
Activity 8b - Curriculum delivery
- Particpate in an online discussion with your group (using the subject heading "Curriculum delivery") in which you discuss this question: "Why wait for ICT before examining our teaching methods?"
- Complete this activity as a whole by making reflective comments in your blog.
completion date: Tuesday 25th March
Activity 9 - School Readiness Framework
"[The reliance on] standardized tests is ludicrous... Technology works in a school not because test scores increase, but because technology empowers new solutions."
In this module we have contemplated the many roles of ICT in teaching and learning and the inevitable aspect of change. In Activity 7 we looked at change from an individual perspective - how teachers changed as they became more famliar and confident about ICT integration. In this activity we introduce you to a framework for school ICT effectiveness. It is quite likely that your school already has ICT, and may have had ICT for some years. You will use the NCREL Learning and Technology Framework to help you analyse your school's level of technology effectiveness. This should help you understand the nature of development at your school and to identify the areas of weakness in your school's ICT strategy for teaching and learning.
CEO Forum is well-known for its analytical reports on ICT in schools and its school readiness charts. The CEO Forum Year 4 Report: Key Building Blocks for Student Achievement in the 21st Century focused on the roles of learners. The Year 4 STaR Chart represents the most complete school readiness framework yet produced by CEO Forum, but how relevant is it really to your country's schools? In your first activity you will be required to provide critical comments about the STaR chart, amongst others. When viewing this STaR chart try to identify the weaknesses that it may have as a technology readiness measurement in your situation.
Many organisations have produced tools for measuring technology readiness. One of the well known tools is the Mankato Scale, originally developed by the Mankato School District in Minnesota to measure the staff levels of ICT skills. How relevant is this tool?
Group Activity 9 - School readiness
- Refer to your assessment of the STaR Chart and the Mankato Scale and highlight the shortcomings that such models may have for you in measuring your school's technology readiness. Base this on the understanding that you have developed throughout this module.
- Write a message to your group (using the subject heading "School_readiness") and give them your view on your assessment of these tools. Discuss the views of your group as you read messages from them. What conclusion do you reach as an individual and as a group?
- Make summative comments in your blog.
The overarching outcome of ICT integration must be measured by what the learners are able to achieve as learners, with or without ICT. The Learning and Technology Framework developed by NCREL focuses the attention of the school effectiveness analysis on the extent to which enagaged learning takes place in the classroom.
To help you use the following framework, we recommend that you print out the following extract from New Times Demand New Ways of Learning, a document produced by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.
Self-activity - analysis of school technology effectiveness
This self-activity will prepare you for an analysis and report on your insight and understanding of your schools technology readiness and effectiveness.
- Complete the Learning and Technology Framework for your school.
- If you have difficulty understanding how to complete the framework, consult your group by writing a message to your group.
completion date: Wednesday 26th March
ASSIGNMENT 3
ICT in your school - do you have a dream?
Use this template to write an evaluation report of no less than 800 words on the effectiveness of your school's use of ICT in which you
- analyse the current state of ICT integration,
- identify key principles for ICT integration and
- make recommendations on what the priorities for development should be.
In order to complete this assignment we recommend that you consider the following steps:
- Current state: First provide a description of the school's ICT resources and facilities. Include a summary of the staff ICT development levels. Use the framework as the basis for analysing the current state of learning. (5)
- Key principles: Based on your understanding of this module, identify between 5 and 10 key principles that should influence all activity regarding the use of ICT for learning in the school, including staff development. Provide a clear explanation for each principle that you include. (35)
- Recommendations: Use the above-mentioned principles and your analysis of the framework as a foundation for identifying the most important activities that should take place regarding ICT Integration. (40)
- State these as specific outcomes. Place each outcome in order of priority and enter them on a timeline in which you set target dates for achieving each outcome. (20)
Assessment:
Assessment criteria for Assignment 3
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You have described your school's ICT resources - the current state
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Maximum of 5
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You have identified key principles for the use of ICT in your school
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Maximum of 35
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You have made recommendations based on these principles.
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Maximum of 40
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You have included outcomes and a timeline in your recommendations
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Maximum of 20
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Total
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100
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What to submit:
Save the template as follows: Surname_Name_ANTBAR_Module2_Assignment3.
Submit this saved document as a file attachment in email to assessment@schoolnet.org.za with the subject heading "Assignment3".
Date due: Saturday 29th March
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