[Article]: Has the investment in ICT been worth it?

[elsiegee40]

This article is from "Independent Education Today", but is equally applicable to state schools... I found his points about IWBs interesting given recent discussions on edugeek.

 

IE Today: Has the investment in ICT by Independent Schools been worth it?

[mattx]

I can answer that without even having to look at the article.

 

NO.

 

Thirdly, teachers are beginning to harness the power of ICT in the classroom finding new and innovative ways to ply their craft to a generation of pupils who are wired very differently to their predecessors.

 

HA HA HA HA HA - that has to be the funniest comment of the year so far.

Edited February 8, 2011 by mattx

[Guest Guest]

Must say I totally agree on the IWBs. I can see how they would be good for primaries, but even after 6 years in a secondary I am yet to see one used properly.

[mattx]

BTW - some rep for the pointer to the article. [ Now forwarded to the powers at be where I am ]

[localzuk]

Going from the investment that went on at our school, I'd say yes, it has been worth it. Nearly all of our teachers make active use of their IWBs, our ICT suites get used at around 95% capacity now, and not just for 'research' any more, they actually do proper lessons.

 

We have invested in flip video cameras, sound recorders, laptops, wireless and a lot more and all of it is regularly used and included in non-ICT lessons.

 

The kids are more engaged in those lessons and our results from SATs have been progressively increasing, and our Ofsted inspectors have commented on the ICT use too and how the kids are really involved.

 

But then, not all schools actually follow through with their purchases. Many buy because they look shiny and then the stuff gets left to rot on a shelf. (Although, some of that happens here, as we're never going to be able to eliminate it).

[Soulfish]

Going from the investment that went on at our school, I'd say yes, it has been worth it. Nearly all of our teachers make active use of their IWBs, our ICT suites get used at around 95% capacity now, and not just for 'research' any more, they actually do proper lessons.

 

We have invested in flip video cameras, sound recorders, laptops, wireless and a lot more and all of it is regularly used and included in non-ICT lessons.

 

The kids are more engaged in those lessons and our results from SATs have been progressively increasing, and our Ofsted inspectors have commented on the ICT use too and how the kids are really involved.

 

But then, not all schools actually follow through with their purchases. Many buy because they look shiny and then the stuff gets left to rot on a shelf. (Although, some of that happens here, as we're never going to be able to eliminate it).

 

I'd say the same has happened here. The ICT investment that has been made over the last 2 years really has gone towards giving staff and students access to resources that they're now using every day. Our student netbooks/laptops are in use every day by the Science and English departments (only departments that have them), site wide wireless is used by a number of staff, IWBs do get used by a large percentage of staff (not everyone, but virtually everyone tries to use them!), and our most recent purchase a suite of Apple Macs for the music department is now being used before school, during lunch and after school by students actually wanting to do extra work outside of lessons.

 

Not everything is rosy, I'm sure we've wasted our own share of money on software and gadgets that aren't used but whenever we (as an IT department) are involved I do try and ensure that we're only buying software and equipment that is good value for money and is going to get used.

[CyberNerd]

Going from the investment that went on at our school, I'd say yes, it has been worth it. Nearly all of our teachers make active use of their IWBs.....

 

 

... they use them like giant mice?

[localzuk]

... they use them like giant mice?

 

Getting kids up to interact with them. And using them as giant mice is actually a good use too - it means the teacher can stay focussed on the class rather than having to go back to their computer to do things thereby splitting the kids' attention as some watch the teacher, and some look at the board...

[GrumbleDook]

I would say yes as well ... but would point out that the lack of training is usually the downside of it ... investment in tech is not enough ... and training isn't just about how to use the kit and software, but how to change how you work.

[Guest Guest]

I would say yes as well ... but would point out that the lack of training is usually the downside of it ... investment in tech is not enough ... and training isn't just about how to use the kit and software, but how to change how you work.

 

Most certainly agree. Take our low usage of IWBs. From what I can gather no one really knows what they are for, so they became a big mouse, then faded off from then to be used as nothing more than something to project onto.

 

I dont think this is a new thing or exclusive to education. What ever happened to the "paperless office"? Why oh why is everything typed up on computer and then printed off? Surerly that is only creating twice the work. From my experiances lack of training seems to be a major issue here as we still have "old school typists" working in the main office. Most things are typed up once and then deleted, or stored in the mess which is the office shared area. Next time someone wants that document it is typed up again. Type writters would be the way forward for them. Is this solely a training issue? TBH i think that is a major factor, but "changing the way they work" is equally important. They know how to organise a filing cabinet, so it stands to reason they know how to organise their computer files. If they understood why using a computer properly would help....

Edited February 8, 2011 by Guest

[CyberNerd]

Getting kids up to interact with them. And using them as giant mice is actually a good use too - it means the teacher can stay focussed on the class rather than having to go back to their computer to do things thereby splitting the kids' attention as some watch the teacher, and some look at the board...

 

better than giant white elephants then

[torledo]

I dont think this is a new thing or exclusive to education. What ever happened to the "paperless office"? Why oh why is everything typed up on computer and then could printed off? Surerly that is only creating twice the work. ..

 

for auditing purposes perhaps ?