ICT skills learning strategies and histories of trainee teachers

Abstract As yet, there is only a small volume of research on how trainee teachers develop their personal ICT skills. This paper reports the findings of a one-year action research study which explored in detail the processes by which a cohort of postgraduate teacher trainees learned these skills. Learning histories before the course were found to be complex and varied. Trainees reported that they consciously drew on a repertoire of learning strategies whilst developing their skills, and a set of factors including previous experience, match of learning opportunities with preferences and software attributes affected a successful learning outcome. An initial model of the learning process was completely revised to reflect the findings. Implications of this research for those working with trainees or other adults who are developing their ICT skills are suggested     

Students' perceptions of ICT-related support in teaching placements

Abstract Recent research has shown that students' use of information and communications technology (ICT) on teaching practice is necessary for effective future use of ICT in the classroom. However, this paper reports that there are a number of factors affecting the use of ICT by student-teachers in their school placements. All 110 student-teachers attending one university's eight Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses completed a questionnaire on their attitudes to ICT in learning and teaching and their initial experiences of the application of ICT in schools. In-depth interviews with the student-teachers, as well as univer-sity tutors and teachers, revealed a range of issues that reflected how student-teachers perceive their school-based ICT training and what they think could improve their experiences. Recommendations are offered for the improvement of the ICT school experiences for student-teachers until teacher training is completed and improved ICT infrastructure is in place in schools. The overriding conclusion is that schools must be supported and resourced properly, and teachers must have effective ICT training, before improvements in school-based ICT development for student-teachers can be achieved.     

Pioneering the electronic school by using focus groups for planning

Abstract Focus groups are a useful way to determine the needs and input of stakeholders involved in formulating a technology policy for an educational setting. Drawing upon the results of four focus groups and several individual interviews ( n  = 40), with administrators, students, teachers, parents, and teachers in training, this paper assesses the ability of focus groups to highlight both the potential and limitations of technology in the classroom. Consideration is also given to the steps necessary for creating an 'inclusive' technology planning process for students aged 5–18 years.     

Common needs and different agendas: How trainee teachers make progress in their ability to use ICT in subject teaching. Some lessons from the UK

The paper reports on the outcomes of a British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTa) funded study which explored the views of teacher trainees and their mentors in two different school subjects on what strategies, interventions and resources had a positive impact on their ability to use ICT effectively in their subject teaching.The research aimed to explore both commonalities in trainees’ views of which strategies and interventions had a positive influence on their ability to use ICT effectively in subject teaching, and subject discipline dimensions of ICT use, i.e. the ways in which training needs might vary between trainees in different school subjects.The study focused on the views of two successive cohorts of science and history trainees (133 trainees in all), and 21 of their supervising mentors. The outcomes showed that some important determinants of progression in the ability to deploy ICT confidently and effectively in subject teaching were common to both subject groups, but that there were differing views on which ICT applications offered most potential for enhancing teaching and learning in their subject and differences in their preferred priorities for investment in ICT. The study also revealed that trainees felt that many of the experiences and resources which they had encountered in the course of their training had not been helpful.A follow up survey was undertaken of 114 trainees across six subject areas to further explore some of the findings from the initial survey. The concluding section of the paper suggests ways in which trainee teachers might be prepared more effectively for using ICT in their subject teaching.     

Improving continuing professional development in the use of ICT

Abstract Common shortcomings in educational design in Higher Education have not been fully addressed during the rapid shift towards online, resource-based learning. A contributing factor to poor course design is the adherence of academic staff towards passive and didactic forms of online teaching and learning. This problem could potentially be reduced by offering Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities which enable staff to gain efficiently the skills and knowledge required to incorporate new teaching methods within their course design. This paper aims to offer practical recommendations for the design and provision of CPD programmes. These recommendations are constructed by integrating key issues arising from current literature with proposals from academics who have practical experience in the use of ICT in their teaching. The overall effectiveness of these recommendations is evaluated during implementation within an existing CPD programme.     

The role of visually rich technology in facilitating children's writing

Abstract A significant sample of children in any class may be categorised as having a preferred visual learning style. The writing outcomes of a case study group of five upper primary children with a strongly preferred visual learning style were examined when the children were encouraged to write with the aid of a computer and a visually rich software medium. A constructionist classroom environment was established in which children were exhorted to dare to experiment, play and problem set, especially when using microworlds and laptop computers. The writing outcomes of this group grew in volume and linguistic complexity when the students were offered the opportunity to use the visual and animation features of the software at the same time as engaging in narrative writing tasks. These outcomes are situated in recent neuro-psychological theory of the role of the right brain hemisphere as a platform for language development and comprehension, and suggest the possible vital place of computers in the full realisation of their potential by children with a visually preferred learning style.