Technologies for Learning: Unpacking the Objectives – Introduction
Last week I announced some significant changes to the future of Glow, our National Schools Intranet. As I mentioned in a recent interview, Glow is less about a technology and more about providing a mechanism to change culture, behaviour and classroom practice.
That is why as part of our Technologies for Learning Strategy we have developed five main objectives that we would like to achieve over this term of Government.
These objectives are:
1. To change the culture of the use of ICT
2. To improve confidence in the use of ICT for learners, teachers, school leaders and parents
3. To promote new behaviours for teaching
4. To deepen parental engagement
5. To strengthen position on hardware and associated infrastructure
The further development of Glow is central to delivering these objectives. We will however be aiming to develop the next evolution of Glow by using readily available and Open Source digital tools.
Over the next series of posts on Engage for Education I will be unpacking these five objectives in more detail and inviting comments, starting with
Objective One: Change the culture of the use of ICT
Culture change is one of the most widely written about but difficult to implement aspects of any education reform.
In some cases schools have almost become ‘technology free zones’. Outside of school many children have access to rich and exciting technologies that help them learn, play, communicate, collaborate and socialise. Yet these tools are sometimes blocked and not always used in the school environment. Many children have a powerful computer in their pocket or school bag, but the use of such a device remains frowned upon by some of our more traditional institutions.
Quite simply this has to change. We need to work together to help bridge the gap between home, school and community by helping spread existing online behaviours. We need to engage all learners (including teachers) by promoting activity that is seen to be valuable, using systems that are easy to use, cutting edge and cost efficient. Everyone must be encouraged to share more and this should include professionally developed and user-generated content.
All of the above must be underpinned by making sure that young people (and adults) adopt responsible approaches to using technology. Our aim is to develop improved learner outcomes and at the same time put Scotland back on the map as leaders in the field of education technology.
By doing so, I hope that we can more closely align the use of ICT in schools with technology use outside of schools; reduce the cost of centrally procured and managed services and deliver efficiencies at a local level by greater use of technology solutions.
What do you think? Why don’t you have your say and contribute to the on-line discussions taking place between the 12th September – 10th October. You can find out more information and join in at http://glo.li/eduscotict.
Michael Russell
Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning
Related information
Technologies for Learning: Unpacking the Objectives – Confidence
Technologies for Learning: Unpacking the Objectives – New Behaviours
Technologies for Learning: Unpacking the Objectives – Parental Engagement
Technologies for Learning: Unpacking the Objectives – Hardware and Infrastructure
Watch the video - Cabinet Secretary for Education Michael Russell discusses the future of Glow – the schools website
5 comments
May I suggest that if we are talking about changing the culture in the use of ICTs (embedded in all curricular areas when and where appropriate) then we must all be looking at what we can do to raise the bar of expectation and aspiration of ourselves and our pupils. The resources that we all have at our disposal allow us opportunities way beyond the creation of a bullet listed PPT presentation that has a sound effect when you click the mouse. (PPT an excellent tool if used well!)
Our children are incredibly talented and when that bar is raised just you see them reach it and go further.
I would argue that a focus on the creation and not just consumption of digital material would be central to any cultural change in the use of technologies in schools. This would mean that from the earliest stages children would be managing and manipulating image, movie, audio, text etc and in so doing we would be watering that seeded mindset of “I can build with technologies’. Here we see P.2 kids already in that culture:
http://glo.li/q19QZA
Moving through the school the continuity and progression could then get us to the stage where we see informed and skilled use of tech to demonstrate creativity and growth as a learner:
http://glo.li/gUV3xS
All the while children’s awareness of and skills in coding in purposeful and relevant contexts could lead to a culture of game/app design- one that that we have already planted the seeds of:
http://glo.li/dRU9aY
Our children are hugely talented. They will reach that raised bar of expectation and aspiration…and go beyond it, they already are in many of our schools.
I couldn’t agree more with you Derek. I would take it a step further and look at how we meet the needs of our learners in an early years setting.
Our youngest children are also entitled to;
• Access to high quality technologies that are well maintained and refreshed at appropriate intervals.
• Daily access to a wide range of technologies which are age and stage appropriate.
• Be kept safe while using technologies.
• Access to a safe and appropriate online environment.
• Access to technologies which meet individual, specific needs
• Learn with knowledgeable, responsible and enthusiastic practitioners.
• Access to technologies which support learning across the curriculum.
You only have to look a work which your team were involved in at with e.g. Cathkin Community Nursery to see how raising the expectations of what our youngest children are capable of achieving, alongside creative use of technologies to enhance learning experiences, can make a real difference to learning experiences and outcomes for our children.
Too often when looking at ICT in the past we have accepted second best for early years. Here more than anywhere we can begin to build the foundations for responsible use whilst working very closely in partnership with parents.
Of course GLOW is “less about a technology”; it’s appalling technology! It’s just another example of ’shiny things’ dazzling politicians to get them to part with money in the shape of iffy technology, consultants and ‘make jobs’ who spout and write phrases that sound important but mean little.
Effective technology that creates life-long skills, making young people fit for the world of work, is vital. This is not happening in schools where local authorities are slashing budgets on IT and signing up for hardware and software that is unreliable, outdated and even hampers learning and teaching (GLOW, a certain register/ data software that that jams computers up for hours at a time as it ‘updates’ on a virtually daily basis (clue – sounds a bit like ’sea mist’!) etc).
Luckily, more and more Parent Councils are getting wise to what is going on as a result of local and national government fumbling, Fingers crossed for some direct action in making politicians of all stripes accountable.
Also good to see a QIO from South Lanarkshire bigging up a Community Nursery the local authority were planning to close!
Derek / Andrea – I couldn’t agree with you more. One of the challenges we face is raising the bar of expectation and aspiration for all learners. This, of course, needs to start in the early years an area that has often been overlooked in terms of ICT provision and training in the past. Please make sure that you communicate you points over on the #EduScotICT Wiki http://glo.li/eduscotict
Michael Russell
Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning