Reading+Two+-+B

 __**Group 'B'**__

**Discussed by: Therese, Colette, Jessica, Bernadette, Stephen and Benjamin. **
 By Mark Brown. ** 
 * Reading: 'The growth of enterprise pedagogy: How ICT policy is infected by Neo-liberalism'

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Questions: How can schools imporve ICT being taught in NSW? Brown believes that the teaching profession need to develop a culture that questions ICT by asking: 1. Who is telling the story? 2. How it is being told? 3. What is it they are saying about ICT? ======

As mentioned in the previous article by Peggy Ertmer, the teachers' acceptance of ICT will allow it to be used more effectively as an educational tool. Demonstrations of the new technology and continuous technical support should aid in making ICT a more seemless and integrated part of any curriculum. **(Ben 15/05/2009)**. ICT in schools, therefore, can be improved by allotting adequate funding that will help build resources including computers and software. It is also important to ensure that teachers are trained and become up to date on the latest technology such as Smartboards. **(Therese, 13/05/2009).** This includes continual training and the need for collegues to help each other to learn on a weekely/monthly basis **(Colette, 1/6/09).** It must be noted, nonetheless, that ICT integration goes beyond the use of computer hardware and software. **(Bernadette, 19/05/09)**

However, Dr Mark Brown also believes that the rush to incorporate ICT technology into the classroom needs to be done with some reflective caution. Should we not pause and evaluate if such a wide scale change is truly effective? The article asks the important WHY  question. As identified in this article, growth of ICT in schools can be problematic, with complex forces behind the drive to reform schools through ICT rather than be lured by the political and economical spin of new digital technology, the teaching profession needs to create a culture of activism and reconceptualism **(Colette, 1/6/09).** Although it seems obvious that we should incorporate technology into a curriculum for teach savvy students, any approach requires a constant check, evaluation and reflection to remain effective **(Ben 16/05/2009).** Still  and all, schools and parents should welcome ICT in the classroom and see its positive impact on student learning. There should also be a collaboration between teachers and students so that both can use technology in a way they deem possible and advantageous. **(Bernadette, 30/06/2009).**  I agree with the reading and believe that it is too easy to say how great technology is an to see how it could be implemented, but in reality it is not this easy and it does take time and effort to make the most of any technology available. As well as this technology needing to be reliable and appropriate. I can understand when researching for example the possibilities that technology has brought into play are enormous and the advantages over what we had previously are evident. But when it comes to participating in class activities, being creative, or answering questions then the use of a pen and paper are jsut as important as a laptop and the internet. I believe also that the fact that all examinations (HSC and SC) are completed by hand is a further testomony to the fact that pen and paper should be used in a lot of classroom situations. With teachers accessing technology when they feel it is appropriate. **(Stephen 3/6/09)**

I think in relation to the article that there is a great need to push funding into the idea of technology and ICT. As quoted in the article is not scandalous and as teachers we have a responsibility to teach children skills that are relevent to modern day society as well as skills they can use throghout their educational lives. Promoting the use of ICT in schools is a good idea as these skills will be essential for the future. The world is and continuing to go digitial. If we dont teach our children the tools to exist in a environment that focuses on ICT then how are they going to have access to the best opportunites. This being the reason why we teach our children to provide them with these opportunities. **(Jessica Ware 05/06/2009)**

As well as this children need a variety of different learning activities. The idea of pen and paper based methods may not be effective for other children. Where as this idea gives provision to children who maybe have special needs, children who can't see and who use ICT to hear, children who can't hear and use ICT to watch. The use of ICT in school provides a huge opportunity for children to bridge the gap in learning and appraoch their learning a different way. The use of ICT motivates children and encourages then to think and learn new skills which will be relevant for the rest of their lives. The idea of ICT is interactive and helpful in helping children engage in their work without it seeming like a meaningless chore. These skillls will help them later in life as we are living in a digitial world now and most jobs that you comes across today absolutely require the use of ICT skills! **(Jessica Ware 05/06/2009)**

Apply this reading to what you have seen or might see occurring in schools currently.

Teachers recognise the push for the use of technology in the classroom through the installation of SmartBoards, other hardware and software devices, however there are teachers who may question this push due to their extensive experience and being witness to many pedagogical changes through the years.

The school I am completing my prac at has recently fitted a block of the school with wireless internet to make it accessible to Year 10 students who have received a MacBook. These classrooms have also been fitted with Smartboards. However, since my time there I have not seen any teachers utilise these facilities during the lesson. While the school has accommodated for these forms of technologies the teachers it seems are reluctant to make the most of them in their class. This can be due to lack of knowledge about the technology or the teachers may not feel it can be helpful in the learning process. I think as teachers it is important to educate ourselves about ICT and how they can be effectively used in the classroom. **(Therese, 13/05/2009)**

I've observed the same thing in my practicum as well. The Smartboards are readily available in class but very few teachers are actually using them. It does seem like a waste to invest in such technology for it not to be utilized. Perhaps Brown is correct in questoning the rush to place such technology in the classroom since many teachers do not seem interested in using the new technology yet. I suppose that they will be using the Smartboards after some time. But again, Brown's question remains, How effective is the addition of such technology in the classroom? **(Ben, 16/05/2009).**

In my classroom immersion prac I have noticed that all the Science labs (except one) are fitted out with Smartboards and believe it or not but i have seen them being used!! From observation the class responded SO WELL to the use of a Smartborad in the lesson. The Year's 7 watched an interactice video on the animal cell then completed a quiz at the end by passing the portable mouse around the room to answer the questions through the Smartboard, it was wonderful. However one lesson i went into (Teachers have their own assigned labs) the teacher had choosen not to have a Smartboard included in his room as he believed he "had been educating successfully for 15 years without one, way change now". So i do think it is important to question how effective the addition of technology to the clssroom really is! **(Colette, 1/6/09).**

Running under observations and several assumptions, I believe that the use of ICT can be improved by having a few changes in the architecture of the curriculum. In order for ICT to become successful, the new and reinvented curriculum should be able to accommodate technology and teach students on how to use technology to study content. **(Bernadette, 30/06/2009)**

From my own experience and from observing others the smartboards do receive limited use in classrooms. From a mathematics perspective they are too small. I and many colleagues like to have a number of examples up on the board that are left there for the lesson and can be referred back too easily. Whereas with the smartboard you have to scroll up and down to get the point you want. Also I don't mind writing on the board and feel that if I just put notes up the kids won't be an inclined to write them out. I also disagree with a colleague who posts the lessons he does on the intranet for students to print off, this means they are even less inclined to write in class. **(Stephen 3/6/09)**

On my prac teachnology was widely aceesible to all of the children. The first idea of technology was smartboards in the classroom which, were in every single classroom. Then came the access to the computer lab or the computers in the library which was always scheduled into the teaching plan for the week. then when teachers were doing certain reseacrch projects or work, the school had a number of wirless latops which could be used within the classroom, this allowing for felxibility within programming. I did not see one child that did not enjoy being imerrsed in technology and i think the idea of having technology in schools is important especially if the children are willin to use it! **(Jessica Ware 05/05/2009)**

Colous introduced by Colette 25/5/09