How to Enhance the Classroom Through Positive ICT Integration

ICT Innovation Transforming the Heart of the Classroom


Harris, S. ICT Innovation Transforming the Heart of the Classroom. in Readings in Education and Technology: Proceedings of ICICTE (2008). pp. 49-60
http://www.icicte.org/ICICTE%202008%20Proceedings/harris029.pdf


This journal article explores the case study of the Northern Beaches Christian School's research and development unit called the Sydney Centre for Innovation in Learning Australia (or SCIL). It is an interesting and progressive program founded on two principles;

1) ICT can improve the "educational landscape and raise academic standards."
2) The biggest challenge for ICT "lies with transforming their greatest resource in the process - their teachers." (Harris, p49)

These reappear throughout the article and offer perspective for its innovative attitude. The greatest strength of  the program appears to be its emphasis on lifelong learning in conjunction with ICT(Harris, p53). Teachers need to be empowered with the tools to feel comfortable conversing and applying technological practice in their classroom.

Whist the structure of the program appears to be very supportive with an emphasis on assisted learning for teachers, I do question the ability to run programmes like this on a much larger scale. As a small case study it is excellent but the people behind this program need to be realistic as to how they can maintain the intimacy and reliability of the program if it was to be dispersed Australia wide.

Overall this article is suggesting that their needs to be a widespread pedagogical shift throughout the teaching world in order for ICT to become commonplace and effective in an education context.