Children, on-line learning and authentic teaching skills in primary education

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ICT is often done in groups (or batches) but the quality of the learning experience tends to decline as the batches progress. Contributing factors include...
  • Time between introduction and undertaking the task increases for later groups
  • Most competent students are also more likely to seek to be first (confident, keen…)
  • First groups are likely to get the best deal, eg, more support, attention and supervision
  • Increased likelihood of subsequent tasks overtaking or distracting from the original task for later groups
  • This makes it difficult for all groups to complete an ICT task to a good level
 

There is a need to separate the technical support from the professional leadership roles (separate ICT coordinator and technician roles)

 

Deliver PD in manageable amounts and then ‘go back to go forward’ - revise, re-enforce before adding

 

Don’t compromise the educational program just to tie in something that is spectacular or new in terms of ICT.

 

But be flexible enough to take genuine opportunities when they emerge

 

Children are less likely to be impressed by ICT than adults (we adults may have a distorted and hence unreliable view)

 

ICT is a set of tools - don’t be distracted by the bells and whistles.

 

Make time to do it. It can be difficult to comprehensively train children in specific ICT skills that the staff may lack

 

Home follow-up is as important for ICT skills as it is for literacy, numeracy or music skills (similar learning)

 

ICT skills need practice and repetition building towards confidence and competence in order to make them useful

 

A Parent Advisory Group in ICT can be a great help with access to parent skills at all levels 

  • Parents can help make cabling, maintenance, purchasing new equipment very effective and cheap. 
  • The challenge can be achieving the right balance between the necessary educational focus and dealing with the business issues 
 

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