Transcript Slide 1

Vanessa Pittard
Technology Policy Lead
Department for Education
Educational Technology:
New opportunities, new challenges
Vanessa Pittard
School Standards Group
1
Something on focus
Definitions and terminology can be tricky…
Educational technology
Improving pupil learning and outcomes
through the use of technology
Study of digital technology/computing (and
related concepts)
Rigorous teaching and curricula which
supports progression into further study and
employment
(Pupils) learning to use and apply ICT
Building pupil capabilities and enriching and
modernising other curriculum areas
…and there are grey areas
Technology matters
For example:
 The IT industry is predicted to grow at 2.19% per annum to 2019, nearly five
times faster than the average employment growth of the UK (Experian).

Over 500,000 new entrants over the next five years are required to fill IT &
Telecoms professional job roles in the UK (European Commission)

Overall, US businesses are 8.5% more productive than those in the UK,
almost all of which is due to gains from the application of IT (LSE).
And it matters to learning
Toolkit of Strategies to Improve Learning
Summary for Schools Spending the Pupil Premium, 2011
+ 4 months progress from the use of ICT (effect size 0.35),
based on relatively secure evidence.
“it is certainly the case that it is more important to think about the
way the technology is used … rather than the technology itself.
Evidence also suggests that technology should be used to
supplement other teaching, rather than replace more traditional
approaches. There is some evidence it is more effective with
younger learners.” (p. 17)
Tama et al (2011): What Forty Years of Research
Says about the Impact of Technology on Learning
Review of Educational Research
“The average effect size … ranged between 0.30 and 0.35
for both the fixed effects and the random effects models,
which is low to moderate…
In other words, the average student in a classroom
where technology is used will perform 12 percentile
points higher than the average student in the
traditional setting that does not use technology to
enhance the learning process.”
“Where technology does have a positive impact
is when it actively engages students, when it's
used as a communication tool, when it's used
for things like simulations or games that enable
students to actively manipulate the
environment…
"And that's where it has a really positive impact.“
Richard Schmid, Concordia University
The ambition
“It’s clear that technology is going to bring profound changes to
how and what we teach. But it’s equally clear that we have not
yet managed to make the most of it.
“We want a modern education system which exploits the best
that technology can offer to schools, teachers and pupils
…where schools use technology in imaginative and
effective ways to build the knowledge, understanding and
skills that young people need for the future; and
…where we can adapt to and welcome every new
technological advance that comes along to change
everything, all over again, in ways we never expected.”
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education
BETT Show, 11 January 2012
Here and now
Games and interactive software
Assessment and feedback
“It has enabled me to differentiate my
teaching to meet the needs of different
groups. …the process of assessment for
learning and assessment of learning is made
simpler and quicker leaving more time for
planning and teaching.”
Deborah Smith, Brailes Primary School
"The kids love it! …They love the fact
that they can compete with pupils all over
the world as well as each other... a few
have already said they will compete from
home. They really like the feedback.
One pupil remarked at the end of the
lesson...'Ah Miss, I want to do more
maths...!“
Nozi Dewa, The Warwick School, Surrey
The very best lessons online
“Sharmila’s video was quite simply a great
lesson. You could not watch it without getting
excited and she did that in a really creative,
engaging way, providing a clarity which is so
important for young people. …The video’s
success just goes to show that science can
be accessible and interesting to anyone
when taught in the right way.”
Camila Batmanghelidjh
on Sharmila Hanson’s O2 Learn video
Bishop Wand Church of England School
There will be new opportunities
Opportunities on the near, medium
and longer-term horizons:
Electronic books
Mobile devices
Augmented reality
Game-based learning
Gesture-based computing
Learning analytics
Government’s role
“I believe that we need to take a step back…Government must
not wade in from the centre to prescribe to schools exactly what
they should be doing and how they should be doing it.”
“We must work with these developments as they arise:
supporting, facilitating and encouraging change, rather than
dictating it.”
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education
BETT Show, 11 January 2012
Challenges
ICT development needs reported by teachers 2010 :
Becta/ORC-Infogroup HT Schools Survey 2010
Government focus on teachers
 TDA/Teaching Agency will help ensure every new teacher has
received the best possible initial training in the use of educational
technology.
 Dedicated funding to Teaching Schools to support their role in
building a network to share successful practice in both the use of
educational technology and computer science teaching.
 VITAL, OU’s professional development programme which supports
practitioners in sharing their ICT expertise.
 Work with NESTA on its £2m “Education in a digital environment” to
explore how technology can be used inside and outside the
classroom to facilitate learning, and ensure young people can take
full advantage of the opportunities a digital world offers.
Curriculum challenges
"Your IT curriculum focuses on teaching how to use
software, but gives no insight into how it's made. That
is just throwing away your great computing heritage".
Eric Schmidt, Google
ICT in schools
2008–11
Changing the ICT Curriculum

Consultation on a major change to the ICT curriculum running to 11 April
2012

Proposal: Across all four key stages (ages 5-16), ICT would remain
compulsory in the national curriculum, but from September 2012 there will
be no obligation to follow statutory programmes of study, attainment
targets or statutory assessment arrangements

This is to encourage greater innovation, and take-up of more rigorous
computer science in the curriculum.

We are encouraging the ICT industry, relevant subject associations,
awarding organisations and other learned bodies to consider how they
can play a greater role in supporting schools to develop creative
approaches to ICT teaching with curricula, qualifications and resources.

Possibility of inclusion of Computer Science GCSE in the EBacc
Rising to the challenge
… and others!
Meeting further challenges
How well do teachers understand innovation and new curricula?
Meeting the challenge of CPD and getting the right teachers.
Confidence to experiment and ‘give it a go’.
How teachers learn from the best? Networks?
Adaptability to new approaches as they develop?
Technology change - flexible technology infrastructure.
Exciting times ahead…
Educational Technology:
New opportunities, new challenges
Vanessa Pittard
School Standards Group
1