tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post4481776698132154814..comments2024-03-29T11:07:44.869+00:00Comments on EdCompBlog: ICT in Education - A Rant! :-)Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614417017549146281noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-81378661893493850042009-02-24T23:42:00.000+00:002009-02-24T23:42:00.000+00:00I agree. I think we need to challenge our students...I agree. I think we need to challenge our students more instead of aiming for the lowest common denominator.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614417017549146281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-24632267087849871942009-02-20T17:14:00.000+00:002009-02-20T17:14:00.000+00:00Hi DavidAs a current student on the BEd 3 programm...Hi David<BR/>As a current student on the BEd 3 programme (taking the computers option module you are teaching) I found your rant very interesting and felt it raised valid points.<BR/>From a student perspective there is just no teaching during the BEd course on ICT, except the patronising (I feel) module in 1st year which, if you were that computer illiterate you could not have applied for Uni in the first place! What I have learnt about computers has been either self taught or from my children!! <BR/>This problem needs to be addressed at Uni level and made an integrated part of the course over the four years. This may help to alleviate the complete waste of computers (in some cases) and (especially) IWB's in schools. I would love to be able to make proper use of a whiteboard in class but as I have has no teaching in this area (except for on the current module)I,as has previously been mentioned, can only use whiteboards to show pp presentations.It is so frustrating when some of the BEd modules appear not to have a great deal of relevance to primary teaching but this area would have a huge impact on the way we could teach children and possibly other teachers who have little experience in this area.<BR/>Sorry, this has also turned into a rant - very cathartic though!<BR/>Have a good weekend and see you on Tuesday.Lauraxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11932528657349066712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-19210652626383706272009-02-20T12:50:00.000+00:002009-02-20T12:50:00.000+00:00I think part of it is that ICT is not seen as a pr...I think part of it is that ICT is not seen as a priority for many teachers. With all the conflicting demands on their time, why should they spend some of it getting to grips with ICT? As you point out - often something very simple to do can have a big positive effect on learning and teaching.<BR/><BR/>I would argue that it is worth investing the time but people have been saying that for years now... Which brings me back to the original rant. WHy has ICT not become more embeded after all these years of development?Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614417017549146281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-71553600398476068432009-02-19T19:10:00.000+00:002009-02-19T19:10:00.000+00:00Sadly, almost by definition, the people who are mo...Sadly, almost by definition, the people who are most reluctant to use ICT will not be reading these pages. So there is perhaps a third option to add to "top down" and "bottom up" - "sideways and across". One small example: I'm a student on placement, within three days of being in school I was demonstrating to three experienced teachers from two different departments how to do something very easy *which they simply did not know was possible.* So it wasn't reluctance to take part, it was something else... I'm not sure what.... lack of awareness of the possible? So maybe thise who can do this stuff should be evangelising more to those who don't? Of course, all that good Curriculum for Excellence cross-curricular stuff will sort this out in Scotland at least (runs for cover).Colhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05129552211823759483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-26819412319657567542009-02-17T10:43:00.000+00:002009-02-17T10:43:00.000+00:00I thought that's what you meant. It echoes what I ...I thought that's what you meant. It echoes what I was saying about putting in the hardware being the easy bit.<BR/><BR/>I like Douglas Adam's comment on this theme: We don't want technology - we just want stuff that works. His working definition was - if it comes with a manual, it's technology.<BR/><BR/>The technology should be transparent - if you see the technology, it's getting in the way of the teaching.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614417017549146281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-77717233619233310762009-02-17T00:16:00.000+00:002009-02-17T00:16:00.000+00:00Pick one concept or use of ICT in the classroom an...Pick one concept or use of ICT in the classroom and dump the rest! One single function that will radically change pupil's learning. I see so many people on the blogosphere identifying another great web 2.0 app that I've lost count.<BR/><BR/>Take the IWB as an example: without the software the hardware's useless. The software in the form of learning objects can be very impressive but each topic need a different learning object. The level of COMPLEXITY for using an IWB is an order of magnitude greater than a textbook, jotter and pencil.<BR/><BR/>ICT will only be successful within the classroom when the level of complexity is reduced either by simplifying the technology or discovering a single unifying theme which can be used to focus effort to use ICT effectively in the class.<BR/><BR/>I think this might turn into a blog or a paper...Kenneth...https://www.blogger.com/profile/08085977493501373065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-20553973911887294222009-02-14T11:58:00.000+00:002009-02-14T11:58:00.000+00:00I also got a couple of comments on Twitter. First ...I also got a couple of comments on Twitter. <BR/><BR/>First <A HREF="http://twitter.com/islayian" REL="nofollow">islayian</A> said (over three messages!):<BR/><BR/><I>Remember me telling you about a classroom asst who is doing teacher training? <BR/><BR/>She is positively shocked at the attitude her fellow students are having to technology in the classroom. Generally negative.<BR/><BR/>Just another point for your rant.</I><BR/><BR/>I <A HREF="http://twitter.com/DavidDMuir" REL="nofollow">replied</A>:<BR/><BR/><I>Not entirely the students fault as they pick this up from both my fellow lecturers & from school staff... more's the pity! :-(</I><BR/><BR/>And <A HREF="http://twitter.com/islayian" REL="nofollow">islayian</A> responded:<BR/><BR/><I>Absolutely but also their own ideas. 2 years ago she won ed award for ICT now she is discouraged from using them by peers/staff</I><BR/><BR/><BR/>There was also a comment from <A HREF="http://twitter.com/don_iain" REL="nofollow">don_iain</A>:<BR/><BR/>Have to agree with your blog 'rant' - remember the eg of pupils not having access to the authority's own pupil page? Madness.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614417017549146281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-30205447773338917532009-02-13T07:18:00.000+00:002009-02-13T07:18:00.000+00:00Hello KennethSo far so good... but would you care ...Hello Kenneth<BR/><BR/>So far so good... but would you care to expand your comment?Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614417017549146281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-80676490189410108702009-02-13T00:00:00.000+00:002009-02-13T00:00:00.000+00:00SIMPLICITY vs COMPLEXITYSIMPLICITY vs COMPLEXITYKenneth...https://www.blogger.com/profile/08085977493501373065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-64389586893528807152009-02-12T22:14:00.000+00:002009-02-12T22:14:00.000+00:00Hello CraigInteractive Whiteboard Button - I like ...Hello Craig<BR/><BR/>Interactive Whiteboard Button - I like it. :-)<BR/><BR/>Any tool that makes it easy to develop material would be welcomed. However, as I said, I think lack of time to play is more of a problem than lack of tools.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614417017549146281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407965.post-64675193978136471262009-02-12T00:16:00.000+00:002009-02-12T00:16:00.000+00:00I've been going into schools as part of my "Comput...I've been going into schools as part of my "Computing Science in the Classroom" module at Glasgow Uni.<BR/><BR/>I have to say, the "I.T. Lockdown" approach to Internet access you describe I found highly annoying. I lost access to some great resources due to this (including YouTube, Twitter, and more).<BR/><BR/>I also agree with your point about the development of the interactive Whiteboard technology. Right now it just seems like a big button to click onto the next Powerpoint slide.<BR/><BR/>I'm creating some software that would allow teachers to easily create appropriate interactive whiteboard material.<BR/><BR/>I also think a great way to distribute this would be through the online medium (think iTunes store for teaching resources). But until the Internet is freed from the clutches of the filter, my project is only in development ;-)Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13527264081061450825noreply@blogger.com