ICT in learning and teaching
Perceptions data, and summary of perceptions/questionnaire data
In summary
What has changed?
The overall findings from the year two surveys of staff, student and parent attitudes are encouraging.
They record increased activity in teaching and learning with ICT and a widening of participation across institutions and phases, and suggest some indication of more varied teaching and learning styles. Pupils recorded a significant increase in the use of presentational software in all sectors and there is some evidence of a shift to greater use of email and the school's intranet.
Confidence and competence in ICT usage is growing steadily across all participants in our survey, including parents.
There was a significant increase in the number of FE students reporting the need to learn to use a computer.
Although these are early days, the establishment of home-school links is promising for future development. At Key Stage 2, more children reported that the school was supporting their use of ICT at home. This may represent the homes of younger children 'catching up' with the facilities already available to secondary pupils. The parent data showed a significant increase in access to computer facilities at home, from 79% in 2003 to 85% in 2004.
There is also a significant increase in the number of staff who have computers at home provided by their institution, but this shows a bias towards teaching staff rather than support staff. Staff, in particular support staff, reported that a large part of their ICT training had been in the form of informal help from a friend or a colleague rather than formal training.
What has stayed the same?
Use of basic tools such as word processors, databases and spreadsheets has generally remained static for all user groups except FE students, where there has been a slight increase in usage. All groups report frequent use of these tools with a majority of users reporting daily or at least weekly usage in years one and two of the project.
Children at Key Stage 2 (including those who answered this questionnaire at the special school) report no change in their attitudes towards attending school or enjoyment of using computers, with moderate to high levels of enjoyment being reported in both years.
There has been no significant shift in the locations where ICT is accessed. The main locations of use remain, perhaps unsurprisingly, at the institutions and at home. All groups are reporting very little use of computers or ICT in other locations such as public libraries.
The use of video-conferencing facilities by students at the three colleges also remained static this year, with low levels of reported use of this technology.
Schools are continuing to contact parents mainly through traditional methods such as sending letters home with pupils, despite the small but significant increase in electronic communication between schools and home.
All staff report very similar methods and types of training being delivered during years one and two of the project. Given that there have been increases in reported skill levels and satisfaction with the training staff have received, this is an encouraging finding which suggests that the training has been appropriately designed and delivered.