With constantly increasing integration of ICT in the everyday curriculum teachers are being called upon to fill the void between student skill and practical application. With this demand many have begun to question what are the right tools for the job and how can ICT enhance student learning? After conducting research into these questions it is apparent that the teacher is the most important tool when integrating ICT for enhanced student learning. This critique will examine the role of the teacher in promoting ICT in the general classroom, the implications for professional development and how student needs are affected by the changing nature of education.
This is an extremely important issue when examined in light of the new National Curriculum documents. The “top-down” approach of the National Curriculum has significant implications for classroom teachers when it comes to the application of ICT in the everyday classroom. It is no longer at the discretion of the teacher to decide if ICT is applicable to their classroom. Instead policy documents dictate the application of ICT across all curriculum areas (Zwanveled et al., 2010, p2-4). This aligns with the current belief that ICT can improve the "educational landscape and raise academic standards."(Harris, 2008, p49) Although true to a point, it can only raise academic standards if it is used to engage and enhance student learning. If ICT is used by teachers because of demand from school leadership, educational requirements and policy documents, the effectiveness would be somewhat questionable. Teachers need to be empowered with skills and knowledge to initiate integration at their own will.
When examining ICT integration in the general classroom it is apparent that there are numerous tools that can be utilised. These range from individual computers, interactive whiteboards to e-portfolio’s and blogs. All of these applications rely on a certain level of technological “knowhow”. For many teachers this is a daunting task as gone are the days of notes on the board and textbooks. Students are demanding more from teachers and often have certain technological expectations of their teachers. It is a realization that must be accepted and embraced as "the new information and computer technologies are simply the social and educational context in which we now find ourselves. "(Nettleback, 2004, p68) This context is shaping the educational future for general classroom teachers and it is something that cannot be avoided or considered a ‘fad’ that will pass. Teachers are at the centre of this and need to find ways to integrate ICT into the general classroom to fit with the social context of the students they teach. As the "centrality of the teacher's role in providing for engaged and effective learning with and through information and computer technology"(Nettleback, 2004, p69) must be recognized by teachers and the education system in general.
Of major concern is the complex nature of ICT and how the concept of accountability and risk management impact on the teacher. Teachers are ultimately responsible for anything that they expose their students to during their classes and this is an overarching concern when using ICT. The diagram Context for Learning and ICT, produced by Ashdale Secondary College, suggests five main issues teachers must be aware of when using ICT. This includes communication, operating, inquiring, creating, ethics and issues (Ashdale Secondary College, 2011).
This has major implications for professional development programs and support frameworks within schools. No only do teachers need general help in accessing and using programs but also training in risk management and accountability. Many teachers would not consider themselves ‘tech savvy’ graduating and entering teaching well before ICT was ever considered in schools. Many teachers need support and training to understand the basics of computer usage before they can become effective practitioners. As Zwaneveld suggests "ICT is meant to support learning processes, not only of the students but also of the teachers themselves as part of their professional development." (Zwaneveld et al., 2010, p2) Therefore policy and reform needs to be careful to understand the symbiotic relationship between the teacher and the student when using ICT. Much of the literature on ICT usage does not acknowledge the importance of the teachers understanding of how to use ICT, instead focusing on the importance of the students application. Teachers need to be shown how to use ICT in the classroom, as they need to know how to use "technological tools to access, use, develop, create and communicate information"(Hogg, p1) Units within the Graduate Diploma courses and teacher training degrees aid graduates but teachers already working need to be provided with training programs and innovative ways to use ICT.
With the increasing focus of effective ICT in trainee teacher courses it would be beneficial to see how this changes the climate of integration within schools and if this training is being applied once teachers enter the classroom. This would have large implications for schools and professional development, as teachers will be entering the profession with far more ICT knowledge than previous cohorts. This advancement in professional understanding would allow teachers to use more challenging ICT that they feel capable of using and risk managing, which would in turn challenge students to use it for productive purposes. As Bijal Damani argues ICT should be used to “allow students to do six Cs: create, collect, connect, collaborate, conserve, and control."(Damani,2010, p5) This is what all teachers should be aiming for instead of basic word processing and power point.
Ultimately this all links back to how student needs are continually changing and how nowadays students expect to learn through the integration of ICT. Although this may be an over-generalisation, it is nonetheless the expectation of many students. Teachers must consider student needs when assessing the usefulness of using ICT in a lesson. As Barker and Franklin suggest in Information and Communication Technology – the victim of the literacy hour, ICT should only be used when the teacher can “ensure that the learning outcomes can be achieved, enables the learner, eases and supports the task and it enhances the task’s quality and value.” (Barker et al., 1998, p13) It should never be used just because it is there and students “expect” it. Instead teachers must way up the pros and cons of the situation and assess the relevance of ICT integration for the task.
Therefore it is apparent that the main theme of successful ICT integration is the effectiveness of the teacher in the process. The effectiveness of ICT integration for student learning in the general classroom begins and ends with the teacher. They construct the classroom and plan the lesson sequences, if the teacher does not feel competent in using ICT then it is likely that if it is even attempted the effectiveness may be limited. Therefore research and policy needs to work to create structures of support for teacher, which is already happening in many schools, so that they do not feel intimidated by the challenge of ICT.
References:
Barker, R. and Franklin, G. (1998) ‘Information and communication technology – the victim of the literacy hour’. MAPE)
Damani, Bijal. Electronic Portfolios: Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning. Education Update. July2010, Vol.52 Issue 7, p5-5
Harris, S. ICT Innovation Transforming the Heart of the Classroom. in Readings in Education and Technology: Proceedings of ICICTE (2008). pp. 49-60
Hogg, F. Using ICT to Enhance Learning. (publication date unknown) Found at http://www.fionahogg.com/Unit%2015%20Using%20ICT%20to%20enhance%20learning.pdf (date accessed 2/4/2011)
Nettleback, David. ICT and the Re-shaping of Literacy. A Secondary Classroom Perspective. Literacy Learning: the Middle Years/ English in Australia. [2004] pp. 68-77.
Zwaneveld,B. Bastiaens, T. ICT Competencies of the Teacher: About Supporting Learning and Teaching Processes with the use of ICT. (2010) pp.1-9 accessed http://cs.anu.edu.au/iojs/index.php/ifip/article/viewFile/13547/475 (date accessed 14/3/11
Author Unknown. Context for Learning and ICT. (©Copyright 2011, Ashdale Secondary College) located at http://ashdalesc.det.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/context-for-learning-and-ict.jpg (accessed 3/4/2011)
