A placeholder for thoughts, ideas and discussion about this session.
UPDATE:
Alex has kindly made his presentation available on his naace blog. A direct link can be found here:
Using Becta’s FITS Material to Structure Technical Support
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerAlex Jones
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerAlex Jones, who is presenting the session entitled ‘Using Becta’s FITS Material to Structure Technical Support’ has created a Naace Blog.
Just a week before having to present to conference I feel nervous. Nerves come from wanting to get across to as many people as possible the great strengths of this approach to technical support whilst being very aware of how dry and uninteresting the material can be. All my experience in ICT in schools is that the technical support stuff is absolutely vital for all of the glamorous, exciting, cutting edge stuff with students to work. If technical support works well nobody notices it. If it fails to do its job then ICT just takes up desk space. So I feel like this presentation might well be one of the most important for the future success of ICT in UK schools.
Future Schools: The Northern Ireland Experience
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerThis session will chart the journey of one school aiming to fully utilise ICT to support Teaching and Learning. It will describe the context in which this development took place: a new build, a proposed managed system. The impact of the implementation of this managed system and its advantages and challenges will be outlined.
Clear Vision – Leading Schools Forward
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerWith an increased commitment to support leaders in our schools in their capability and capacity to lead ICT strategically, we are seeing better deployment of ICT, more discerning decision making and a more embedded approach to ICT within your schools. However, are we doing enough to assist our Headteachers and give them the right support, advice and framework to lead their schools forward with ICT? Mike will discuss the experiences and lessons from the successful SLICT and related programmes, and focus on the subsequent self review framework developed with a range of stakeholders that will be launched at the end of the spring term 2006
The Power of Practice-based Research
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerThe Power of Practice-based Research: Teacher Informing Policy
A space for thought, ideas and questions about this session.
Early ICT
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerThis is a placeholder for ideas, thoughts and discussion about this session.
Small Scale Computing - and the Future
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerDavid Perry has been involved in the development of small-scale computers in schools for many years, primarily as a ‘critical friend’ to a series of innovatory projects. He has previously presented on this topic at several conferences. In this session he will draw on current projects showing some stunning developments, particularly from the Wolverhampton PDA scheme. He will then consider where learning will go when every pupil has their own personal computing device. This latter thinking comes from recent involvement with vision creation in the Building Schools of the Future (BSF) venture.
What David said:
David Perry Small Scale Computing
One no-brainer - “I want everyone to have their own device.”
In BSF, this concept is having momentum.
Try and use the term “Hand held computer” rather than PDA.
Lambeth 2000
Lots of technical problems, but lots of enthusiam. “Awe and wonder, so powerful”.
The core concern:
Computers in curriculum time
Pupil:compter ratio
Does not really make a difference - its pedagogy that is important. One one thing we need, when pupils need to use them, they must be available.
Term I use: Ubiquitious computing see, www.ubiq.com
A versatile computer when they need to.
Issue of mobile phone, but parents are paying for their children to have phones - a paradox.
The advantages:
- small size, always with you - Ubiquitious
- instantly on, no waiting for boot-up
- long battery life
- quantity of data they can hold
- easy sychronisation with PC/LAN
- peer-to-peer sharing of data
- wireless networking - internet and everything
Woverhampton shows they can do a huge amount. But there are obvious limitiations for some tasks - CAD etc.
Testing ubiquity:
“exploring potential must not mean half-hearted commitment”
Ubiquitous computing is difficult to test
Wolverhampton is doing so & learning lessons - now got over 1000 in use, with focued projects etc. Y6 yo Y7 transition
Lesson 1:
PDAs are not ready for implementation in schools out of the box.
Thorough preparation is needed.
- prepare systems integration package, must have management software - configuration restore ‘image’, content ‘image’
- clarify licfencing arrangements - home access to conent/ apps
- technical induction for teachers & technitians
- training programme for teachers (pedagogic) and resource preparation
- stock spare devices for immediate replacement of faults (not optional)
- clarify warranty and insurance commitmentsSchool level
- Training “There is no point giving thiese out cold. We started with ICT staff training, then subject staff and only then the pupils.” Secondary Headteacher
- Parental subscription important for buy-in (in Wolverhampton typically £1.50 a week)
- Acceptable use scheme - agreed with pupils (storage, access, carrying, internet, limitations of use etc)
- robust wireless networking (adequate coverage and access point ratio)Children’s skills
“The children have gone far beyond what they’ve been shown” Yr 5 teacher after 5 weeks
- Connecting to home wireless network
- animated growth cycle in Sketchy
- videoing ‘changing states’ water and ice for Science homework
ICT capability:
- internet eg. using gridclub
- storing work in e-portfolios
- using landscape view
- using Expresso and other content services
Lots of collaboration going on - both incidental and planned as part of the pedagogy. - “Ducks to water” is the phrase that comes to mind.
Teacher skills:
- converted from instructor to facilitator
- transferring power & responsibility to the pupils
One teachers response is to tell children:
“Make sure you tell four others how to do that before the end of the day” - ‘viral learning’Learning method are re-defined.
“It’s mine! I love it.”
- personal ownership
- emotional attachment
- small child friendly, game-machine-likeDo you feel a sense on belonging with your computer?
Is it a device of the future?
- cheap enough
- versatile
- enough applications
- genuiely supports learning
- portable enough to be useable
- personalising learning
So what shall we do with it - Ubiquitous, veratile computing
IT from push to pull
push in school
- assembilies
- lessons
textbooks
courses
qualificzations
pull in schools
- a purpose
- a desire to know
- an ability to find out - human, technical
- the abiltiy to use effectively / apply purposefully
All this is real learning
Questions:
“How young are thew children?”
Year 5 and 6.
“How do they cope in transfer?
The secondary schools are struggling to be honest. Some teachers are not comfortable when some have the device and others don’t.
“how important is that it goes in your pocket?”
Instant on, on boot up is very important
Project URL for Woverhampton:
Obtaining Best Value through the use of Becta Procurement
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerThis session will bring delegates up to date on the benefits of using Becta’s procurement frameworks, provide details of existing frameworks (including the Consultancy Framework Agreement for ICT in Education launched in January 2006) and on plans for future procurement activity to support the roll out of the National Digital Infrastructure .
Primary Strategy: Adopt, Adapt and Innovate
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerMany schools have invested in whole-class teaching technology over the last few years. Ofsted report that this technology is increasingly being well used to support teaching, but not being followed through into pupils’ independent work in lessons. This session will explore how teachers and children can adopt existing approaches and resources, adapt them to meet children’s needs, and think innovatively to ensure the maximum benefit for children’s learning. It will also give an insight into the increased role of ICT in the renewed frameworks for mathematics and literacy.
Transforming Special Schools
March 2nd, 2006 by Naace BloggerTransforming Special Schools - the Northampton Special Schools ICT Strategy
This session will look at the impact that a local authority can have on a group of schools when they devote both personnel and resources to a vision. Using examples from the work carried out with the 13 special schools in the Local Authority we shall examine the impact on teaching and learning, strategic leadership and workforce remodelling. A major focus of the session will be to demonstrate what pupils with special needs can accomplish when ICT is used as a teaching and learning tool.
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