ICT Training for Teachers
Secondary Core - developments
in ICT in the classroom
- Introduction
- ICT includes the rapidly changing fields
of communications, computer software and hardware and the increasingly
eclectic nature of users and uses. There are many opportunities
in education to enhance learning through increased appropriate
and considered use of ICT and the developments in ICT are likely
to have ever-increasing effects on learners and learning, and
teachers and teaching.
- ICT is notorious for the speed of change.
It is generally agreed that of an individual's sum of ICT knowledge
now held only half will be of any use in between three and five
years. Extending this only about one tenth of generally available
ICT knowledge will be of any use after 12 years, a child’s
formal school career.
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Activity
To explore possible futures for ICT in
schools
- OBJECTIVES
- To research popular and ‘expert’
predictions for the development of ICT
- To research predictions for ICT in schools
- To discuss the opportunities and challenges
that might develop in ICT in schools over the next five years
- To determine the role teachers might have
in directing the future of ICT in schools
- QUESTIONS
- How might ICT education develop over the
next five years?
- Discuss with colleagues and others,
and read a range of articles on the state ICT in education both
currently and in the future. These might be in professional or
popular journals and books.
- Explore to what extent and in what
directions ICT might develop. Consider how these might impact
on the work of teachers and learners and how might they be accommodated
in the curriculum.
- Speculate how access to ICT might change
in ease and extent of use, and how the roles of teachers and
learners might change. These will include both desirable and
undesirable changes.
- Extend your speculations to consider
how developments in ICT might lead to major changes in peoples
lives in general. Use recent due to technological developments
as a guide.
- SELF EVALUATION
- Where do you see ICT education going?
- It is useful to look at the developments
in technology and application but it is important to see this
in a professional light, to look for new opportunities in learning
and teaching experiences to enhance what already takes place.
Equally developments that do not support learning should be scrutinised
as to their worth to learners.
How do you feel about this?
- Professional judgement is very important
in the successful adoption of ICT developments, as well as becoming
excited about possibilities their pedagogic value must be proven
before full scale use and the investment of valuable resources,
not least time. A healthy, critical but not prejudicial consideration
is vital.
Where do you see yourself in this?
- With developments in educational ICT
a view of professional and personal development priorities and
aspirations is important so that the development might be seen
in a context. It allows us to modify a tacit personal development
plan if necessary and consider exploiting developments in a meaningful
way.
