Focus: how can we best support

1
Connecting Teachers A Becta Conference London,
11th June 2004

• Focus how can we best support
• the embedding of ICT use
• in subject teaching?

2
Enhancing Subject Teaching Using ICT (ESTUICT)

• Tony Fisher
• Learning Sciences Research Institute, University
  of Nottingham

3
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• The ESTUICT evaluation team
• Tim Denning (Lead evaluator)
• Department of Education, Keele University
• Tony Fisher
• Learning Sciences Research Institute, University
  of Nottingham
• Chris Higgins
• Research Centre for Able Pupils, Westminster
  Institute of Education, Oxford Brookes University
• Mike Johnson
• Centre for Successful Schools, Department of
  Education, Keele University
• Avril Loveless
• Educational Research Centre, School of
  Education, University of Brighton
• Rob Tweats
• Department of Education, Keele University
• Plus a number of subject consultants

4
(No Transcript)
5
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• The developers
• www.indigo-visions.co.uk
• www.mpowerteach.com
• www.new-media.co.uk/cpd/
• www.sfe.co.uk/ict_training

6
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• CPD Programmes on offer in
• KS1 and 2 literacy and numeracy (SFE)
• All subjects at KS3 (Indigo Visions mPowerTeach
  New Media)

7
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• The overall aim
• To change teachers pedagogical content
  knowledge
• i.e., teachers knowledge of how to teach what
  they teach

8
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• The challenge for teachers
• Its not the ICT thats difficult, we can go
  away and work at the software
• its the getting to grips with the ideas of
  learning and teaching with ICT which is new and
  needs concentration
• (Teacher comment, KS3 science pilot)

9
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT
A model of online CPD for classroom teaching
using ICT
10
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• The evaluation
• Does the use of ICT enhance the teaching of the
  subject?
• Is the use of ICT purposeful and appropriate?
• What is the impact on pupil learning and
  motivation?

11
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Data sources for the evaluation
• Desk analysis of materials
• Staged online questionnaires
• School visits

12
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• The pilot
• KS3 science
• Indigo Visions
• Science Consortium
• KS1 and KS2 literacy and numeracy
• Indigo Visions
• SFE

13
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Some results from the science pilot
• Greatest teacher self-rating as novice
  regarding ICT skills was in the use of
• presentation software
• databases
• datalogging

14
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Some results from the science pilot
• Perceptions of improvement after using the
  on-line materials
• presentation software, 80 (93 and 67)
• databases 30.5 (45 and 26)
• datalogging 61.5 (69 and 54)

15
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• The importance of face-to-face training
• Absolutely superb training on the initial day
  the best training day I have ever had, great to
  get training you need for once.

16
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• ICT provision / access in some schools presented
  difficulties
• Too few computers and poor access to the internet
  hindered teachers progress.
• Where teachers have to book computer rooms to use
  the materials they are prevented from making best
  use of the online materials.

17
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• The major improvement comes simply from having
  easy access to a laptop and data projector. This
  little change has caused a major teaching change.
  Had I realised this before I would have bought
  one a laptop earlier.
• but this provision of equipment was a carrot
  to facilitate participation in the pilot.

18
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• Time is an important consideration
• Forced me out of my comfort zone into new
  things, but I need more time to master them.
• Lesson preparation has taken longer but once the
  material is produced it will be simpler and
  quicker to use next time.

19
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• Input of resources was valued
• This on-line course has given such support and
  well resourced lessons that it cannot fail to
  have an impact on my teaching.
• I am just grateful that at last someone has had
  the imagination to provide proper resources

20
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• Impact on pedagogy
• in terms of improvements in pedagogy this
  approach can be absolutely revolutionary.
• but
• the most important skill is to be a good
  teacher and communicator. This is a fantastic
  tool, but it isnt the lesson. These materials
  do not replace traditional teaching strategies.

21
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• Beneficial impact on teachers confidence
• the on-line course raised my confidence in the
  internet and has left me very eager to learn more
  and use more.
• Marvellous. If nothing else it has been a great
  encouragement to me to dive in and use the
  equipmentThe action plans helped me to structure
  my lessons... the case studies and video examples
  of teachers using the technology were brilliant

22
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• Local collaboration benefited
• The whole department actually worked together
  enthusiastically to share and undertake the pilot
  project.
• a lot of my learning, although prompted by the
  course, has come from going to colleagues both in
  and out of the department and asking them to
  explain things.
• but participation rates in online discussion
  forums were low

23
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Issues emerging from the science pilot
• Not all teachers found the approach successful,
  and some said they simply did not like the
  courses provided and havent been inspired to
  pursue it further, but they were very few in
  number.

24
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• So, what will be the result of ESTUICT and
  similar activity?
• Will it be transformation

25
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• "ICT can do more than motivate and empower. It
  has the potential to transform the way that
  education is delivered and to provide new
  opportunities, enhancing scholarship and
  investigation."
• David Blunkett, NGfL Curriculum Online
  consultation paper, April 2001

26
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• or will it be assimilation?

27
Enhancing Subject Teaching using ICT

• Solutions to pedagogical problems have been
  sought by the use of various types of technology
  currently, computers, video-disks, lasers,
  multimedia presentations In due course some
  have been absorbed into the teachers
  armamentarium others gather dust in stock rooms.
  None has brought the prophesied pedagogical
  millennium.
• Edgar Stones, 1992, Quality Teaching

28
tony.fisher_at_nottingham.ac.uk t.j.denning_at_educ.keel
e.ac.uk