Technology in schools

Last week's English class was on ICT and we were shown how to use a basic word processor as a way of engaging a class interactively in language analysis. It showed that even with just word available on the projected screen (and no interactive whiteboard) we can still be interactive in teaching English.  We learnt some nifty shortcuts and ways of deconstructing language in a poem, analysing the structure etc through building a poetry wall.  A couple of nice starters in the bag with some very simple technology.  


At the other end of the spectrum are ipads. Islay Academy has given up on interactive whiteboards (which cost £1,000 each) in favour of ipads for every pupil. Its saving them loads on their photocopying budget every year, not to mention the savings on installing smartboards in every class (although I'd like to see their electricity bill with all these devices recharging their batteries off the mains). This opens up a world of possibility, as long as the teachers know how to use the technology.  Two examples: as a researching tool for persuasive essays, discursive essays- each person has what they need in front of them. Collaborative documents are a way of group discussion in a different way, much like instant messaging, meaning that more people can contribute to the discussion than a talk based discussion (where only one person can talk at a time).  The technology can really enable learning.


In my last school the teachers all had interactive whiteboards and only two teachers used them interactively - most were using them are data projectors and projecting word documents. They maintained that the problem was that teachers were not given any training on how to use the technology available.  The ones who were braver at trying out and more intuitively exploring the whiteboards worked out how to use them - but even these were mainly using them as glorified  flip chart with some extra rulers etc. Hope that I take the leap and try and utilise their potential a bit more.  I'll add it to the ever increasing to do list...