Using IT to support pupil learning

‘I used IT to support the children’s learning because it is fun’

The above example demonstrates what not to write when including the use of IT to support pupil learning within an academic essay. Statements like this are not academic, they are spurious claims that lack supporting evidence. Your ideas, beliefs and/or experiences regarding the use of IT to support teaching and learning will need to be backed up by evidence-based research in your essay.   

An academic essay, which requires the investigation of the use of IT to support pupil learning, should start with a general statement on an area of the curriculum you want to discuss, rather than the whole of school learning, and should show evidence of knowledge and understanding of the following points:

Relating theories of learning to the use of IT in the classroom

As technology becomes an embedded medium throughout our daily lives, research into its use for teaching and learning has shifted its focus from the technology itself to how it can support learning theories and approaches. There have been many studies into the ways people learn. Definitions of learning refer to gaining knowledge through experience that leads to a permanent change in behaviour. However, the ways in which people learn most effectively differ from individual to individual. This has implications in terms of the mediums used to provide learning.

Key discussion points relating to the use of IT and learning theory

• What are the assumptions made about different forms of learning when using IT?
• What kinds of learning have designers of IT resources got in mind?   

The ability to critically review generic and subject-specific software and evaluate the effectiveness of IT against teaching and learning objectives

The new opportunities provided by IT enable the curriculum to be enhanced and teaching and learning (pedagogy) improved.  IT provides additional pedagogical tools to those already available to schools but it does not replace them. The role of the teacher will continue to be of paramount importance. The use of computers in schools should not be an end in itself. As a consequence, it is within the framework of the daily interactions between teacher and pupil that a decision can be made on how best to use IT to assist the process of learning.

Key discussion points relating to the use of IT and learning objectives

• Does the use of IT help a child to understand the learning objective?
• Has the use of IT been justified to meet the learning objectives, i.e. is it the most effective resource to use?
• Is the chosen use of IT: Visually appealing? Imaginative? Interactive? Informative and stimulating? An effective use of the program/resource?
• Does it enable access to the curriculum?
• Does it meet the IT capability for all pupils?   

Key discussion points relating to the use of IT and inclusion

“ICT has a clear role in enabling access for all learners to information and resources, and none more so than those learners for whom assistive technology is their only means of access.”  (Becta 2006, Becta’s View: ICT and Inclusion)

For students with special educational needs, the computer can provide access to learning in new ways, which for many were previously inaccessible. Does the IT resource:

• use appropriate language for the age range stated?
• provide for differentiation including needs of children for whom English is an additional language?
• address the needs of all children?   

Using the knowledge of the curriculum guidance for foundation stage and national curriculum to plan high quality lessons and assess objectives

The most recent revision of the national curriculum (DfES, 2000b) requires that children experience aspects of each subject by means of appropriate IT experiences.

Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their IT capability through the use of IT tools to support their learning in all subjects (at key stage 1, there are no statutory requirements to teach the use of IT in the programmes of study for the non-core foundation subjects. Teachers should use their judgement to decide where it is appropriate to teach the use of IT across these subjects at key stage 1. At other key stages, there are statutory requirements to use IT in all subjects, except physical education). The National Curriculum Handbook for Primary Teachers in England (DfES 2000)

The Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage allows provision for the computer in the six learning areas with a specific Early Learning Goal within the Knowledge and Understanding of the World area of learning, “Find out about and identify the use of everyday technology and use information and communication technology and programmable toys to support their learning” (DfES, 2000b).

Key discussion points relating to the use of IT and subject knowledge:

Does the use of IT:

• add something to the learning?
• demonstrate knowledge and skills of IT linked to Foundation Stage Curriculum and/or the national curriculum? 
• provide evidence of subject knowledge in the chosen curriculum area?
• make connections between schemes and plans in IT and other subjects?
• address how the children’s knowledge from the activity will be assessed?
• appear relevant to the rest of the lesson?   

In all cases, answers/discussion should be substantiated by evidence from reading. 

Suggested further reading

Becta 2006, Becta’s View: ICT and Inclusion.
http://www.becta.org.uk/corporate/publications/publications_detail.cfm?show=2&orderby=id_desc&letter=ALL&pubid=304&cart

Cuthell John P. Learning theory and e-pedagogy http://www.virtuallearning.org.uk/changemanage/pedagogy_practice/Learning%20theory%20and%20e%2339137.pdf  (Accessed 19/07/06)

Dawes, L. Thinking about Effective Computer Software, On-line Content and Games for Teaching and Learning. http://www.mape.org.uk/curriculum/thinking/pdf2.htm 

Farren, Margaret (1999) Teaching /Learning / ICT http://www.iol.ie/~aidancbs/tech/course/learning/sld001.htm

Leask, M. & Meadows, J. 2000 (Eds) Teaching and Learning with ICT in the Primary School  Routledge.

Loveless, A. & V. Ellis (Eds). (2001) ICT, pedagogy and the curriculum: subject to change. London, Routledge.

Sharp, J., Potter, J., Allen, J. and Loveless, A. (2000) Primary ICT: Knowledge, 
Understanding and Practice. Exeter: Learning Matters.

Siraj-Blatchford, J and Whitebread, D. (2003) Supporting ICT in the Early Years. Milton Keynes:Open University Press.

Resources

• Into the classroom, Pdf document, 511 KB