One thing that I took from Martha Lane Fox’s speech at this year’s NAACE conference was the statistic that 40% of those people not online were from the most disadvantaged groups in society. Well actually, the statistic that struck me, was that this means that 60% of those not online are from groups other than the most disadvantaged.

My guess would be that these are people who could afford computers and internet access but, for some reason, have chosen not to have it. Maybe they live in a ‘notspot’ – an area where there is still not internet access for some reason. Maybe they do live in an area where there is internet access but for some reason have chosen not to have it; this could because they have not appreciated the value of internet access for learning,. perhaps they feel that no one in their family requires learning, perhaps they have religious or political reasons against internet or technology.

Whatever the reasons, if we are to close the digital divide  the question remains, how can we reach these people?

Related articles by Zemanta

• Internet access ‘a human right’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
• US plans high-speed net for all (news.bbc.co.uk)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Can playing Tetris really alter your brain?
• Is this … the Worst iPhone App Ever?
• Retro Teaching
• Do we really need a New OS?
• Can Anyone tell me How they have Learned from Failure

This article, although describing the situation in Wales, was of great interest to me. It says that the quality of ICT teaching in Wales was improving, though it was still variable. What interested me most was the finding by the inspectors that Primary Schools did better in teaching ICT skills to their pupils than did Secondary Schools.

This backs up a feeling I had a few years ago that we may be heading for a bit of a crisis in Secondary Schools. At this level ICT teaching and practices have been in place for some time, almost certainly longer than in primary schools. However, input in terms of money and training had been most noticeable in recent years at the primary level and certainly an improvement in ICT teaching at primary level could be witnessed. This was brining newer practices and teaching techniques into ICT at the primary level whereas the secondary level was still using its established approaches.

So it comes as no surprise to me that the report should find that ICT teaching in primary schools has improved. Let us hope that we can now start to see some improvement at the secondary level.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Advice for New Primary ICT Subject Leaders (redbridgeprimaryit.blogspot.com)
• Learning Platforms, Insets and lessons (digital-teacher.co.uk)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Good Teachers Don’t Need Technology
• Pupils and new Technology
• Using Interactive Whiteboards to Improve Achievement
• Learning Score
• 6 Ways ICT Can Improve Education

Someone tweeted “Good teachers don’t need technology”. Like so many on Twitter, the tweet was sent and then quickly disappeared down the timeline and yet the phrase stuck in my mind.

It stuck in my mind because basically I don’t agree with it. The sentiment may have been well meant and witty but I do not think it is correct. All teachers need technology, whether they are good teachers or not. If I were asked to define what makes a good teacher, I very much doubt that I would include in my definition the fact that they do not use technology.

For me a good teacher will know that ‘learning’ is more important than ‘teaching’. A teacher can stand in front of the class and be as animated, as enthusiastic, as engaging etc. as they like but if the learners are not learning then the teacher is wasting their time.  Technology is a resource to support learning and a good teacher will welcome all such resources. A good teacher will select and match resources to fit the ability and levels of the learners. A good teacher will not reject a resource simply because it is a technology resource (though sadly a teacher may have to reject a resource if they do not have the correct technology to run the resource).

Technology is very much part of our society and, I think, of most societies in the 21st century. The levels and types of technology may vary from society to society but technology is still a part in present or future provision. A teacher who eschews all use of technology in their teaching is probably placing their teaching outside of its societal context; I’m not sure that that is a sign of a good teacher.

A corollary of ‘good teachers don’t need technology’ might be to say that only poor teachers use technology to support their teaching. That is a statement which I would find completely unsupportable and without any evidence.

For me a good teacher will make effective and extensive use of technology to support learning. A good teacher will be constantly evaluating the technology and will be seeking new ways of using technology in their teaching. A good teacher will observe how the learners use technology and will seek to harness such uses to support learning. A good teacher will recognise the uses of technology and will be prepared to make use of such technology.

A teacher in the 21st century who doesn’t feel that technology can help them in their teaching is probably not a good teacher.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Two reasons for “teaching Facebook” in school (edu.blogs.com)
• The Global Virtual Classroom (slideshare.net)
• National Educational Technology Standards[1] (slideshare.net)
• As a teacher, I’ve realised Twitter has real potential (guardian.co.uk)
• Supporting Expertise and Integration of Tech. Skills into Teacher Evaluation (isteconnects.org)
• The Tyranny Of Relevance (ictineducation.org)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Primary Schools better than Secondary at teaching ICT?
• Pupils and new Technology
• Using Interactive Whiteboards to Improve Achievement
• Learning Score
• 6 Ways ICT Can Improve Education