successful case studies of technology integration...

93Successful Case Studies of

Technology Integration in Schools

Successful Case Studies ofTechnology Integration inSchools

TypeOnline report

AbstractThis report targets senior school managers andsubject leaders for ICTs and aims to addressthe question: Can similar characteristics befound that account for the improvements someschools have made in their effective use ofICTs? The study comprises 20 schools: fourspecial schools, one secondary and the restprimary schools. All the schools initiallyscored very low upon inspection of their ICTuse in 1996-98, but achieved very good gradeswhen re-inspected in 1998-2000.

Broadly speaking, three characteristics wereidentified as being present in all the improvedschools: good leadership; good teaching andgood resources. These and related questions,including recommendations, are described inthe report.

Good leadership: Essentially, this entails thehead or governor having a clear vision for howICTs will help move the school forward,which is shared with the teachers. Manysuccessful schools start small, focusing onphased, specific projects, and the vision shouldinclude how ICTs will shape the classroom,

1. British Educational Communications and Technology Agency.

(2002) “Analysis of the Ofsted reports of schools that improved

their ICT 1996-2000.” Becta.http://buildingthegrid.becta.org.uk/docs/Improved_schools.PDF (2 March 2005)

and what the ‘delivered and received’curriculum will be for the students. Teacherconfidence must be raised alongside studentperformance, and a gradual approach has beenfound to work best to this end.• What is your school’s vision for student

learning and the classroom of the future inyour school for 2004, 2007...?

• What implications does this have for yourICT policy and ICT developmentplanning?

Strategic planning is then vital for turningvision into action. The report lists a series ofimportant questions that can help with thisstage, divided into the following areas: Visionand policy; pupil outcomes; curriculumimplementation; resource deployment andmanagement; information managementstrategy; finance; staff’s continuingprofessional development; and parental andcommunity involvement.

Curriculum planning: Plans should includean overview, as well as, medium-term plannedactivities. Plans should answer questions suchas what will be assessed and how; and howICT will be used to enhance and extend othersubjects.• How ‘good’ is strategic and curriculum

planning at the moment?SECT

ION

6

94Integrating ICTs into the Curriculum:

Catalogue of Selected Titles

• How do we monitor our practice so weknow what pupils actually ‘receive’ andhow well pupils are doing?

Staff professional development: Use of aselected software toolkit for staff training isoften most appropriate for primary andsubject-specific classes. Choose carefully thetype of training model, and include supportstaff.• How are teachers’ and support staff’s needs

analyzed?• What range of training is offered, and is it

fit-for-purpose? Is teacher confidence andcompetence being raised? Is this reflectedin classroom practice?

Resource management: Total costs ofpurchasing and maintaining ICT equipmentare far greater than just the initial outlay. Thereare many hidden costs, such as training,cabling, Internet access, users’ time, andtechnical support, that need to considered. Thereport recommends dividing an ICT budgetinto three areas: support, training andmaintenance; hardware and networks;software and learning resources.• How do you currently organize resources

within the school? (Use of ICT suites,computers in classrooms or departmentalareas?)

• Is there a better way to meet the vision, andwhat implications will this have on budget,use of rooms, infrastructure, timetable,technical support, staff training, etc?

• How do you acquire resources, and doesthis reflect real value for money when thetotal costs of ownership are included?

• What are your technical support needs, andhow can they be solved?

Excerpt[p. 4]The table below highlights some questions tohelp with the review of planning:

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Keywordscase studies; leadership; ICT and curriculum;evaluation; policy/strategy; staff development;pedagogy




(undated) “Remodelling with ICT.” Becta.

TypeCD-ROM (For orders, see: http://www.becta.org.uk/corporate/publications/publications_detail.cfm?currentbrand=2&pubid=59&cart=75)

AbstractThis CD-ROM contains case studiesdemonstrating how ICTs have helped reformteaching and learning practices in six schoolsin the UK. (The multimedia files requireQuickTime 5 or above, which can bedownloaded from the CD.)

Teachers, principals and ICT co-ordinatorsdescribe the effects that ICTs have had on theirstudents and administration, and themultimedia format allows the viewer to see

with greater clarity just how technology-richclassrooms can make a difference. Interactivewhiteboards and Web cams are seen to offerreal-time communication activities,administration staff describe the benefits ofdirect links to local education authorities, andthe advantages to students with specialeducational needs (SEN) are described by oneparticular SEN-specialist school.

Illustrative examples include a school with agroup of Year-5 students in a class with olderstudents. They are now able to be teamed upwith a larger class of their own age at a nearbyschool, and enjoy the range of lessonsprepared by teachers there. At the same time,the older students at the first school canreceive closer attention from their teacher.

It is hoped that the tips and recommendationscontained in these studies can offer food forthought, and be adapted to individual schools’needs.

Highlights include:• The need for technical support - teachers

don’t have time - nor often the expertise -to repair computers, and many schools nowhave ICT co-ordinators or managers whosespecific task it is to maintain hardware

• ICTs do not reduce the teacher’s workload,it changes the nature of the workload, andgives teachers more choices about howthey work

• teachers can plan online, which allowsthem to access resources from home

• they can contact one another and parentsmuch more easily by using databaseinformation

• ICTs allow for mix-and-match learningenvironments, useful for a ‘plan B’ whenthere is a serious shortage of teachersapplying for vacant posts

• teachers can project onto large screens theteaching and learning objectives for a givenlesson, so students know what they shouldhave achieved by the end of the class

• students’ data can be kept in a studentachievement database, on which facultydirectors can draw for monitoring

• ICTs can help with individual learning,especially important for students withspecial education needs.

Excerpt[case study 3] “The children are so engrossedand motivated by IT and the resources coverso many curriculum areas. A wonderfulexample is World War II for Year 6: theteacher can lead with a video...and then thechildren can choose a club, a breakfast club orafter-school club or Saturday club...to gorevisit [the lesson], so they’re continuallylearning independently.”

Keywordscase studies; ICT in the classroom; educationalsoftware; special educational needs;independent learning




(2003) “What the research says about strategic leadership and

management of ICT in schools.” Becta.http://www.becta.org.uk/page_documents/research/wtrs_stratleaders.pdf

(2 March 2005)

TypeOnline report

AbstractThis report, aimed at senior school managersand principals, summarises research into goodleadership and management in schools throughICTs. It explains strategic ICT leadership asthe need for school heads of the future to haveknowledge and understanding in: how ICTscan support and enhance learning andteaching; how staff can be motivated todevelop skills towards effective teachingthrough ICTs; how ICT resources can bedeveloped and sustained; and howmanagement information systems can be usedto boost overall school performance.

The report describes the case of an award-winning head teacher-cum-ICT co-ordinator ofa primary school in the UK. He has spentconsiderable time and money re-orienting hisschool and staff to focus on raising standardsthrough the use of ICTs, and has introduced anumber of innovative projects to that end. Forexample, with a strong emphasis on research,he has developed a project examining theimpact of ICTs on the writing skills of boys athis school. He has also set up a link with a

partner school in Hong Kong using e-mail, andloaded planning templates onto all stafflaptops so that teachers can submit themelectronically. In addition, all admissions,transfer and attendance data are gathered andstored electronically.

Having analyzed the research, this paperidentifies five main common characteristicsshared by leaders who, themselves, use andpromote the effective use of ICTs for teachingand other tasks.1. Vision: Senior leaders need to share with

all levels of staff a constantly developingvision of the ICT role in education.

2. Personal Use: It is important that seniorleaders are seen to be using technology intheir daily working lives. In this way, theycan become learners alongside studentsand teachers, and effect change in thewhole school culture.

3. Continuing Professional Development:Senior leaders should be trained in moreadvanced used of management informationsystems; access to online support and theprofessional community can reduce theirisolation and help them learn from theexperience of others.

4. Management of Change: Innovativemanagers are using ICTs to create a whole

new learning environment and experiencefor students. They need to be able to applyappropriate methods to the management ofchange.

5. Management Information Systems: Schoolleaders require further training in MIS tofully benefit from the potential of thesetools to help with the planning andevaluating of their schools’ performance.Beyond the basic data-entry use of MIS,senior leaders can learn to use them forpupil assessment tracking and the creationof in-house reporting and recordingsoftware.

ExcerptFactors for effective use

• A clear vision of ICT should becommunicated to all levels of staff and thewider school community.

• Head teachers should personally use ICT toraise the profile of ICT in school.

• Educators should participate in onlinecommunities to help reduce professionalisolation.

• Access development is needed toprofessional for strategic leadership of ICT.

• Effective use of management informationsystems is important to reduce the timespent on administrative tasks and provideuseful data.

Key questions for senior leaders

• Do you and your senior management teamlead by example in the use of ICT?

• Is ICT central to curriculum developmentsin your whole-school improvement plan?



• How well are teachers in your schoolsupported in their use of ICT throughcontinuing professional development,ready access to ICT resources andtechnical support?

How head teachers can embed ICT within

teaching, learning, management and

planning

• Develop a vision for the development andintegration of ICT across the curriculum,and promote this vision within and beyondthe school

• Provide appropriate, sustained ICTprofessional development for all levels ofstaff

• Become an ICT learner along with staffand students

• Use management information for schoolimprovement

• Provide staff with personal access to ICT

Keywordscase studies; leadership; ICT and theclassroom; staff development; ICT integration

4. Carr, J. (August 2002) “Project Pillars: Foundations for success

in online curriculum projects.” Education Network Australia.http://production.edna.edu.au/sibling/pillars/default.htm (2 March 2005)

TypeOnline report

AbstractThis is a paper describing findings from anAustralian national project that aimed toestablish factors for successful implementationof online projects in classrooms. Sixty teacherstook part in the study, and data received fromthem forms the basis of the conclusions and goodpractice outlined here.

The three pillars for such projects areidentified as: preparation, participation, andpedagogy, and are seen to provide thefoundation for effective online projects. Thereare then a number of factors under the headingof each pillar that teachers who successfully

implemented their project were seen to havetaken into account:

Preparation

• Select: when selecting a project, teachersbear in mind a range of criteria:� Student needs� Student skills� Student interests� Learning outcomes� Technology requirements� Available support� Commitment needed

• Plan: teachers plan lessons with the projectgoals in mind

• Organize: materials and resources• Support: for technology, participation and

pedagogy• Reflect: on planning before and during the

life of the project

Participation

• Network: with other project participants• Activity• Manage: student learning experiences• Extend ideas: develop project goals to meet

student learning needs• Evaluate

Pedagogy

• Traits• Approach: many teachers in successful

online projects exhibit strong constructivistleanings in teaching approach



• Mentor: teachers’ reports often emphasizevalue of mentoring students

• Review: evaluation is critical for learningahead of the next online experience

Excerpt[http://production.edna.edu.au/sibling/pillars/

html/conclusion.htm]A way of looking at [successful teachers’]commitment is to do a comparison betweensporting teams and conducting online projects.Players and coaches of sporting teams have anenthusiasm and zest for success. It is apowerful analogy that has value in onlineprojects.

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Keywordscase studies; planning; evaluation; pedagogy;ICT in the classroom



5. Department for Education and Skills, UK. (undated) “ICT and

Learning: ImpaCT 2 Study.”

TypeCD-ROM (For orders, see: http://www.dfespublications.gov.uk/cgi-bin/dfes)

AbstractThis CD-ROM contains case studies from theImpaCT 2 study conducted by the Departmentof Education and Skills and managed by Bectain the UK, which attempted to assess theprogress of the ICT in Schools Programme.The study was designed to a) identify theimpact of networked technologies on bothschool- and home-based learning; and b)ascertain the effects of these technologies onpupils’ achievements at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4.

This report makes up one of three relatedstrands to the study, and explores the nature ofteaching and learning with technology invarious in-school and home-based settings.This strand, thus, worked in 15 of the 60schools involved in the larger research study,looking at learning and teaching environments,learning and teaching styles, and how theviews of teachers, parents and students hadbeen affected by ICTs.

Various research methods were used in a seriesof connected case studies, such as observations,interviews, video diaries and group activities, todetermine the perceptions and understandingsof the different people using ICTs in terms oftheir relation to teaching and learning.

The research was conducted under five mainthemes: ICTs in Schools: Practice andPerceptions; Management and Organization ofICTs; Technology and Infrastructure; Trainingand Professional Development; and Home andSchool Use of ICTs. The report describes thefollowing key findings:• Strategies for the effective use of ICTs for

student learning are still developing.• Sustainability and improvement of ICT

provision are key. Many students havehigher-quality hardware and software intheir homes, and schools are often unableto afford the technologies they require.

• Many schools now have ICT suites, as well asstand-alone machines in various parts of thebuilding. Teachers need access to computersfor staff development and preparation.

• As students increasingly have access to bettertechnologies at home, it is important thatschools acknowledge pupils’ innovative usesof ICTs and develop their own practices.

ExcerptSummary of key recommendations

from this strand

Training, guidance and support

• Whilst training to date has undoubtedlybenefited teachers, there is a continuing needfor training which can move beyond technicalcompetence and concentrate on the appropriateapplication of networked ICTs into thecurriculum, along with development of

transferable skills such as search and evaluationstrategies for both teachers and pupils.

Additionally, there is a need for specificguidance regarding the potential of ICT in theareas of numeracy, literacy and specialeducational needs (SEN), and more regard needsto be taken of the impact that ICT use in primaryschools is having on secondary schools. Thereare clear opportunities for developing greaterlinks between ways in which ICT is used inschools and the home environment.

ICT provision and support

• Dedicated staff machines and time should bemade available to allow staff the opportunityfor professional development and teachingpreparation, and hardware and software needto be reliable, well-maintained and up-to-datein order to keep both staff and pupilsmotivated and effective.

Development and dissemination of good

practice

• There is recognition among teachers that amore flexible approach is required if ICT isto be effective. Changes in lesson style toallow a less formal classroom atmosphere,greater pupil autonomy, differing modes ofteacher/pupil interaction, and flexible studyspace are all recognized as key successfactors for effective use of ICT. Furthergood practice should also be developed infacilitating greater links between home andschool use of ICT.

Keywordscase studies; evaluation; pedagogy; ICT in theclassroom; ICT integration



6. Espinoza, C. and Kozma, R. (March 2001) “Integrating

technology into the curriculum to support standards-based

achievements in a middle school.” OECD.orghttp://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/60/52/2740199.pdf (2 March 2005)

TypeOnline report

AbstractThis case study describes ‘an above averageschool in an above average school district,’ amiddle school in Colorado, United States. Thewealth of information is of particular interest toschool principals, curriculum developers anddistrict-level educational managers, who will beable to see what constitutes successful use ofICTs in cross-curricular classroom practicefrom the perspective of this school’s recent past,present and projected goals for the future. Theschool has a long past in recognizing the valueof ICT for enhancing subject teaching, andteachers and students alike exhibit high levelsof ICT skills in their daily practice.

The authors then propose five hypothesesconcerning the role of ICTs in the school’ssuccess, as well as rival hypotheses, and usethe information provided to support theirconclusions as to which is the more valid. Inbrief, it was found that:

• Technology tends to be seen as anadditional resource that supports standards-based, curriculum-driven instruction

• The distribution of technology usersamong the school’s teachers contradicts

traditional diffusion patterns for innovation- a far greater number of staff members aretaking risks with technology than thetraditional model would predict

• Extensive human infrastructure is centralto the school’s success with technology andwith targets that are set;

• The school makes a strong case that ICTsupports high academic standards.

Excerpt[p 7]The direct connection between these resourcesand the instructional practices of teachers andstudents was apparent during the site visit.While observing classes, both within thecomputer labs and other classrooms, thefollowing technology-based practices wereobserved or described:• Students in a 6th grade language arts class

used the Internet to explore and evaluatevarious poetry websites and write theirown poems for Internet publication.

• Students in a 6th grade science class usedthe Internet to gather information on theAlaskan tundra ecosystem, and used avariety of productivity tools to create aproduct, such as a newspaper, mural, orresearch proposal.

• Students in an 8th grade social studiesclass used the Internet to study court cases

pertaining to one of the Bill of Rights thatthey selected, search for newspaper articlesthat pertained to this amendment, andconstruct a poster that explained how theamendment affects the lives of theirclassmates.

• Students in 8th grade used ‘Blackboard’,an intra-net collaboration environment, toshare, read, and comment on each other’spapers.

• Students in an 8th grade math class used‘Geometer’s Sketch Pad’ to constructgeometrical shapes and dynamicallyexplore their properties.

• An 8th grade student used a video cameraand video editing software to make a reporton tennis for a project in his inquiry class.

[p 8]Hypothesis 1.

Technology is a strong catalyst for educationalinnovation and improvement, especially whenthe World Wide Web is involved.

The rival hypothesis is that where true school-wide improvement is found, technology servedonly as an additional resource and not as acatalyst, that the forces that drove theimprovements also drove the application oftechnology to specific educational problems.

Evidence in support of Hypothesis 1.

By definition, technology plays a subordinaterole at Clear Ridge and Mountain. ThePrincipal and the Student AchievementSpecialist characterized the innovation atMountain as the integration of technology intothe curriculum to support student achievementof standards. If statements like ‘they couldn’thave done it without technology’ or ‘that



wouldn’t have happened without technology’are the criteria for evidence for a ‘strong’ rolefor the role of technology, there is littleevidence that technology has played a strongrole in driving changes in curriculum orinstruction at Mountain.

The strongest comments about the role oftechnology in bringing about change wererather modest in claim. For example, whendiscussing the role of technology in theProficiency Centre, the Principal commentedon the ability of the software to differentiatethe instruction around the needs of individualstudents:

“A teacher can’t have thirty differentindividual lessons happening in theclassroom at the same time. So that’s oneof the beauties that I really see [in usingtechnology].”

Or an 8th grade teacher said:“Our kids write so much more becausethey have technology to use in theirwriting.”

Perhaps the strongest comment came from theStudent Achievement Specialist, thetechnology coordinator, who said:

“Technology can make things possible thatnothing else can - writing for a largeraudience. The creation of a web site so thatother people can read what you’re doing. . .Using spreadsheets to solve problems.”

But even here, the Student AchievementSpecialist subordinates her statement:

“That will increase student achievement ofa standard.P”

Evidence in support of the rival Hypothesis.

More often, the comments made byadministrators, staff, teachers, and evenstudents suggested that technology was anadded resource - an important resource, butjust one more in an arsenal of resources thatsupported standards-based studentachievement. The Principal commented that:

“It’s really enhancing the teaching of thestandards . . . rather than just replacingsomething that they could already do intheir classroom.”

She went on to say:“It’s just a different view of doing that, andso I think technology, if the teacher hasthat end in mind, then the technology canbe just one of the tools to enhance themgetting there.”

The direction of impact is one of standardschanging the use of technology, rather than theother way around. The District TechnologyDirector, commented on the District’stechnology plan:

“This plan also talks a lot about how [we]are going to be able to do the things thatwe know are right with kids for learning.Use technology to do that and within thatembed the standards . . . and move towardwhere we need to be . . .”

Similarly, the Student Achievement Specialiststated:

“Instead of what do you want to do andwhat program do you want to use, it’s morewhat standards are you trying to addressthrough this lesson, so it’s changed the waythat we plan.”

The statements most often made by teacherswere that:• the use of technology enhances the

curriculum• it’s an alternative way for kids to express

themselves• it can be used to do research in a slightly

different way• technology is always one of the choices for

students

Teacher attitudes were best summed up by one6th grade teacher who said:

“Technology, I kind of feel, is a way toenhance my curriculum, because that’s aconflict, I think ‘does curriculum driveyour instruction or does technology driveyour instruction?’ and of course, this beinga standards-based school, I have to say mycurriculum does.”

Technology is important at Clear Ridge andMountain Middle School, but it plays asupportive role and it is taken for granted inthis community of frequent computer users.The Middle School Director, made aninteresting comment on this topic. He said:

“I don’t view it [technology] as a changeagent that we’ve introduced children totechnology and then it’s infused into thecommunity. I just think that we reflect thecommunity; the school reflects thecommunity that it’s part of.”

Keywordscase studies; evaluation; ICT and curriculum;ICT in subject teaching; standards



7. European SchoolNet. (March 2002) “Education in eEurope -

Innovative practices in schools.”http://www.eun.org/insight-pdf/practice_report.pdf (2 March 2005)

TypeOnline report

AbstractThis onlinereport describesand analyzes 50innovativeschools inEurope,identifying thecommon trendsthat they share and which together mightinform schools ICT integration programmesin the future. The field research focuses on thedimensions of educational practice where ICTscan be seen to have had the most impact:pedagogy; economics; technology; socio-cultural aspects; and organization, and thesecategories determine the structure of thereport.

The report also quotes research arguing thatchange must be seen to occur in three key areasbefore it can be deemed to be ‘systemic’ change:the possible use of new revised materials; newteaching approaches; and new beliefs.

Under the first dimension, pedagogy, thereport distinguishes between two broad typesof secondary school: technical and broadcurriculum. The technical schools tend to

show a uniform integration of ICTs across thecurriculum, while schools with a broadcurriculum often exhibit uneven use oftechnology, although they, too, were identifiedas displaying very innovative uses of theirICTs and of teaching practices, in general.

In the primary schools described, meanwhile,ICTs are generally integrated across thecurriculum, rather than being subject-specific,and its use can be divided into three broad areas:as a medium of expression, especially because ofits multimedia element; as a communication tool;and as a collaboration tool.

Many of the schools in the study reflecteduncertainty as to the best ways to assess thebenefits of ICTs in pedagogical terms. Anumber of new models for doing so aredescribed in the report:• The achievement model. This is generally

used among secondary schools, where ICTis taught as a subject in its own right.

• The comparison model. Here, theachievements of classes using ICTs arecompared to classes with no ICT element.

• The self-reflective method. Staff discussstudents’ responses to evaluationquestionnaires.

• The public model. Schools assess theimpact of ICTs on their pedagogicalpractice based on public and parentopinion, and media coverage.

Teacher training is also described under thepedagogical dimension. The majority ofrespondents quoted by the report cite self-training as the chief source of their learningICT skills, while the next largest group pointto in-service training.

The most striking aspect of the economicdimension of the report is the dearth ofspecific data provided by the schoolsthemselves. Most schools in the study takepart in funded projects or private projectssupported by businesses or local communities,although the lack of reported data suggeststeachers either do not see the connectionbetween this funding and their access to ICTs,or else they play no part in the financial side ofthe job.

In terms of technology, many schools, whileapparently still using what appear to betraditional computer labs, describe thesecomputer centres in terms that make it clearthey think of them more as specialist learningareas, where the computers are used as alearning resource for a particular subject.While student-computer ratios varyconsiderably, even among these schools, ahigh number of computers is not considered amajor indicator of innovation; however, theteacher-computer ratio can be seen to have adirect effect on the level of innovative use oftechnology in the classroom. Hardware visiblein photos and documentation includesscanners, printers, digital video and videoconferencing equipment, while software isoften very specialised, such as that used forspecific subjects and share- and freeware, withthe Internet often mentioned as a research tool.



The socio-cultural dimension of thisframework highlights interesting patterns ingender analysis: specifically, while schoolprincipals and ICT administrators tend to bemale, in best practice schools they are oftenfemale. The report stops short of drawing anyexplicit conclusions from this, but does makemention of other research suggesting that thehand-over of technologies control is often lesswhen a male teacher is in charge of a largelyfemale group of students. The report also notesthat a) many best practice schools recognizethe value of ICT in communication and thencecollaborative projects, and b) two broadapproaches to Internet security can beobserved, generally dividing primary andsecondary schools: supervision in the case ofthe former, and filtering in the latter.

As for organization, the study noted the role ofthe ICT co-ordinator (very often also ateacher) who must work with many otherstakeholders to formulate policy, implementprogrammes, and deal with maintenance andservicing, which in turn has led to a greaterschool-wide reliance on teamwork. Inaddition, the changing role of the teacher andprincipal is recognized, with most best-practice schools tending to be supported byvisionary and proactive leaders. Such leadersoften try to find new ways of approachingtraditional aspects of school life, such as thelinear timetable and conventional uses ofspace. In this way, they can be seen toencourage and embody innovative approachesto getting the most from new technologies.

Excerpt[Technological dimension - p. 43]3.2 Distribution and Access of Computers atSchoolIn the questionnaires, we have asked “Whereare computers used mainly in your school?”The results were perhaps predictable becauseprimary schools have generally lesslaboratories than secondary schools. However,less predictable is the picture of what are todayclassified in innovative schools as “classrooms” and what as “laboratories.”

In the grid for delivering the “ICT How andWhere” documents, we have asked for picturesof any rooms where computers are used andwe have suggested a list of “traditional” schoolrooms. Of course, computer rooms, laboratoriesand classes were among the suggested rooms,but we got a lot of questions from teachers:some schools responded that they have “nolaboratories,” others that they have “onlylaboratories” because each subject is taught ina dedicated “subject room.” The computerroom, when present, and the “mediatec,” amedia rich library mentioned byRugkobbelskolen or Zernike College, were atthe beginning the only room in the school withany computers. Now, in these same schools,these areas are more used for extracurricularactivities of students, for teacher training, orfor users from outside of the school.

Independently of school level, it is reported bythe schools that “normal” teaching happens in“equipped rooms,” where students can worktogether in groups, where the teacher is not anexclusive “information source,” where pupils

are supposed to do actively something and notjust to listen to or to deliver written or verbalpresentations of their knowledge and skills.Computers are an important part of theequipment of these new “learning rooms,” butthey are not the only tools available or used.

Schools without laptops use “mobile computerstations” (e.g. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium,Germany) and wireless technology will deletethe feeling of the “punishment corner” givenby some l-room-layouts (e.g. Istitutocomprensivo Jesi Centro, Italy or CarmenSylva High school, Romania).

With a “normality” attitude, computers arepresent in the most advanced and also richestschools in “leisure” rooms for teachers andpupils. Even if games are not often permittedin primary schools, these have never beenpresented as rooms for learning, but rather asrest rooms.

3.3 Maintenance and RepairAn intelligent use of old computers increasesthe number of available machines. So, forexample, at Rugkobbelskolen, “The computers

placed in classrooms are mostly older

computers working as MS Terminal clients

connected to our Terminal Server – and this

way, all our oldest computers live a few years

longer in a very efficient way.” Or at DietrichBonhoeffer Gymnasium the “old computerroom” is used as an ICT area where studentscan use computers whenever they want. Oldcomputers are also the “desired object.” Forthe most original “dream room” of our sample,we have encountered such a “dream” at ITISVivante, Italy: “Our dear older PCs have not



yet retired! They are stored, waiting to help us

in a project by using Opensource (Linux)

software.”

For primary schools and for the not technicalsecondary schools, the repair of computers isstill a problem even when external firms andlocal support are available. The externalsupport is expensive (RØyse skole, Norway)and the internal one never sufficient because itis entrusted to already busy teachers(Realschule Graz-Weibling, Austria, EcoleElementaire De Belb ze les Toulose, France,Astrid Lindgren Grundschule, Germany,Scuola Media Dante Alighieri, Italy). Originaland effective solutions are presented by thoseschools, which give a more relevant andinnovative role to pupils. So, for example atthe computer repair rooms of Åmotungdomskole, Norway, “The students can

choose between some subjects at our school.

One of the subjects is ‘ICT in Practice.’ In our

school we have a room where a group of

students works with upgrading and repairing

of the computers used by the entire group of

students at school. In the process, we are now

starting a service store for helping other

students.”

Computer repair has become a lucrativeactivity for students of Sekundare schuleMinerva, Switzerland: They are in charge ofrepairing school computers and get financialcompensation for it! For students of theBelgian St Vincentius Handelinstituut,computer repair has become part of theircurriculum: “The students of Computer

Management have in their timetable 2 hours

practical training or seminaries. We fill this

among other things, by providing ICT-support

in the primary schools of Deinze (5 schools)...

They also make an inventory of the hardware

and software in the school, and they give a

lesson about a subject chosen by the teachers.

For this lesson, they write a manual for the

teachers.”

The same happens to students of the ItalianITIS Majorana, but pupils of the Belgian StAmandus need no help:“Children love working with the computer.

Kids like to pass on their knowledge and skills

to other children. Pupils can also take over a

few computer jobs from their teacher, such as:

starting the computer, choosing the right

programme; or installing a CD-ROM. In this

way the teacher has more time for the other

educational duties...Real educators can still

learn a lot from their pupils...A pupil who

renders assistance to the teacher or a friend

may wear the yellow cap of the @-team!”

Keywordscase studies; evaluation; leadership; pedagogy;infrastructure

8. Harris, J. (1998) Virtual

Architecture: Designing and

Directing Curriculum-Based

Telecomputing. Eugene OR:

ISTE, 148 pp.

TypePrint publication (For orders, see the ISTEBookstore at http://www.iste.org/bookstore/)

AbstractThis book from ISTE is aimed at K-12teachers, curriculum developers, staffdevelopment specialists, teacher educators andpre-service teachers. Its main theme istelecomputing projects, and the author outlinesthe essential stages that lead towards effective,curriculum-based activities integratingtechnology, in particular the Internet, into anyK-12 classroom.

The book presents this process by employingthe extended metaphor of building and



exploring a house, from laying the foundations,through exploring the internal space in whichvarious tools are used in different ways indifferent parts of the house, to looking at thelarger picture, such as the land and context inwhich the house stands. There are also detaileddescriptions taken from case studies illustratingthe author’s main points.

Thus, Chapter 5: Telecollaborative Projects inContext, considers three important elements ofeducational telecomputing projects, ‘exterior’elements. These are addressed in the form ofthe questions: How do such projects ‘interface’with the rest of the curriculum? How canstudents’ project-based work best beevaluated? How can the efficacy of projectdesigns be assessed?

One of the problems associated with using theInternet for developing student-centred,problem-based, multi-modal andinterdisciplinary projects is the question oftime. The author argues that it isn’t theInternet, itself, that requires more time, butrather teaching well which demands theteacher’s resources. The suggestion is thatprojects such as these could combinecurricular goals, as well as activity structures,to counter curricula crowding.

The case study that illustrates best practice inthis regard comes from a project involvingGrade 6 students in Canada and the UnitedStates. The project, entitled “Learning: TheNext Generation,” began by exploring answersto two questions: “What will schools be like inthe 21st Century” and “How will students learnand teachers teach?” Although the students

used various telecommunications tools - forexample, groups of students creating Webpages to introduce themselves, including linksand extra information - the focus of theactivity was on problem-based, collaborativelearning. The students worked towardscreating and sharing architectural plans andessays describing the experience of going toschool in the future.

These students could be seen to have engagedin various kinds of learning, includinginformation exchange, parallel problem-solvingand electronic publishing. In answer to thequestion of what curriculum targets the projectmet, the author refers to a page combiningvarious sets of professionally-developedstandards within each subject with specificskills and strategies: “Content Knowledge: ACompendium of Standards and Benchmarks forK-12 Education” (www.mcrel.org/standards-

benchmarks/).These reveal that the students involved in theNext Generation project had addressed 10 outof the 13 general standards identified forlanguage arts. In addition, the project alsoaddressed standards relating to mathematics,problem-solving, geography and interpersonalskills.

As far as evaluation of student learning andassessment of project designs are concerned,the author notes that it is the individual projectthat should be assessed, not telecollaborationin general. That said, there are four differentforms of assessment that are relevant toevaluating students’ learning:• Performance-based assessment• Authentic assessment

• Portfolio assessment• Journal assessment

Another case study is then described to showhow several of these types of assessment can beused. Assessment of project design, meanwhile,should be no different for a telecollaborativeproject than for any other student-centred,multidisciplinary learning experience. Theexcerpt below elaborates on this.

Excerpt[p 127]Assessment of project designs

I have asked many different groups of teachersthroughout the United States and Canada todetermine, as a group, what the characteristicsof powerful educational activities are, whetherthe activities incorporate the use of theInternet, or whether computers in general areused on the activities. Here, for example, is alist of characteristics [of attributes of powerfuleducational activities] generated by a group ofteachers participating in a symposium atMcGill University in Quebec:Attributes of powerful educational activities: 1. student-centred 2. authentic 3. builds independent thinking skills 4. creative 5. students have significant ownership 6. collaborative 7. open-ended 8. self-assessment is incorporated 9. students learn from other students10. intrinsically motivated11. addresses differences



12. interdisciplinary13. inclusive14. process oriented15. fun16. instant feedback17. learning is interactive18. active participation19. non-threatening20. up-close and personal21. challenging22. meaningful[...]Here’s another list, developed by a group ofeducators at a state-wide conference in Iowa.Attributes of powerful educational activities: 1. freedom of inquiry 2. exhibited to the world/audience 3. problem-solving 4. active involvement 5. higher-level thinking 6. students finding own resources 7. students making connections 8. real-life 9. collaborative10. independence in learning is encouraged

and demonstrated11. interdisciplinary12. multiple solutions to problems are

incorporated into the design13. students given options for assignments14. multiple intelligences are exercised15. fun16. meaningful

What kinds of overall patterns do teachers seein these lists of characteristics? A group ofteachers in Honolulu, Hawaii offered theseideas with reference to the attributes that theirgroups named:

Themes:• conflict/resolution; problem-solving;

challenge resolution; tension/release• student-driven or student-generated;

teacher-guided; teacher-facilitated; teacher-generated but student-driven; student asworker, teacher as coach

• engaged learner; students and teachersenjoy what they’re doing

• creative• communication• risk-taking• decision-making• student takes responsibility for preparation• use of prior experience in present learning• co-operation/collaboration

Keywordscase studies; evaluation; collaborativeprojects; independent learning; standards;assessment

9. Harris, S. and Kington, A.

(2001) “Innovative

classroom practices using

ICT in England: Implications

for schools.” National

Foundation for Education

Research.http://www.nfer.ac.uk/research/

downloads/12.PDF (2 March 2005)

TypeOnlinepublication

AbstractThis is thepreliminarysummary of astudy carried outin the UK by theNational Foundation for Educational Researchon innovative pedagogical practices using ICT.Schools were selected for the study based onthe following criteria: innovative classroompractices that utilized ICT; evidence ofimproving standards; levels of resources whichcould be achieved by other schools; and afavourable Office for Standards in Education(OFSTED) report.

Three primary and three secondary schoolswere chosen for the case studies, and eachdemonstrated how ICTs, when appropriatelyused, can have a significant positive impact onstudents’ learning. Outcomes included



improved motivation; increased confidenceand self-esteem; enhanced social skills;improved group-working and co-operativeskills; and enhanced achievement.

The implications of ICTs on the schoolsinvolved redefined roles and greater demandson both the teachers and students. Teachers,for example, found they had to develop theirown ICT skills, show willingness to re-examineand change their approach to teaching, supportthe students, and monitor and evaluate the newactivities they had introduced. Students, on theother hand, found they were being asked toshow greater responsibility for their work,meet deadlines and become more reflectiveabout their performance. Despite thesechanges, however, the teachers involved inthese case studies all expressed the view thatthe greater workload was justified by theoutcomes, and were keen to continue theinitiatives.

Four factors were identified by the case studiesas being essential to the successfulintroduction of ICTs by the teachers:• That they had prior experience in some

form of innovative programme (notnecessarily related to ICTs)

• That they enjoyed support from seniormanagement

• That they worked together in acollaborative environment

• That they were willing to take risks, awarethat some initiatives would inevitably fail

Some examples of innovative activities inprimary schools include the following:

• Pupils were given all-day access to a PC,and worked on a variety of assignmentsthat involved web-based work. Pupils withspecial educational needs were especiallymotivated to produce work of a higherstandard.

• One school set up an e-mail exchangebetween pupils and staff at a local phonefactory, encouraging writing for authenticcommunication.

• Older children in another school workedcollaboratively on a series of cross-curricular problems and puzzles,developing a range of ICT skills while theteacher played a supporting, but not aleading, role.

ExcerptThe innovations in secondary schools

‘Turning potential into performance’: Using

a database to record, monitor and set

targets

A secondary school collected data aboutstudents’ performance in formal tests andongoing work in all subjects, and used this toset targets for students. A computer databasestored this data for approximately 2,000students in the lower and upper schools.Teachers used the data to give them a betterpicture of each student’s capabilities and toprepare differentiated tasks for students ofdifferent abilities. Students who wereunderachieving received additional attentionand support. Students were motivated byknowing that their teachers closely monitoredtheir performance.

An online course leading to accreditation in

ICT

Upper secondary school students worked on atwo-year online course which led to formalaccreditation in ICT at 16+ (an intermediateGeneral National Vocational Qualification:equivalent to four GCSE passes at Grades A-C). The materials had been prepared by staff atanother school in accordance with syllabusrequirements, and offered to other schools foran annual fee. Students worked independentlyat school and at home using multimediaresources; teachers supervised their work atschool and marked the formal assignments.The online course delivery was viewed as anattraction for de-motivated students.

Using video conferencing to improve

English students’ conversational skills in

French

Upper secondary school students practised theirconversational skills in French by participatingin video-conferencing sessions with students ina French school who were studying English.High-ability students volunteered for optionallunchtime sessions for 20 minutes each weekfor ten weeks. The teachers collaborated toprepare sheets for each week to guide theconversations. Students spent half the sessionasking questions in the other language, and halfthe session answering questions in their nativelanguage; they liked seeing as well as hearingthe reactions of the other students.

Keywordscase studies; innovative practices; pedagogy;ICT in the classroom; ICT and curriculum



10. Kozma, R. Ed. (2003) Technology, Innovation and Educational

Change: A Global Perspective. Eugene OR: ISTE, pp. 301.

TypePrint publication (For orders, see the ISTEBookstore at http://www.iste.org/bookstore/)

AbstractChapter 7: “Stellar Cases of Technology-

Supported Pedagogical Innovations” providesan analysis of 22 stellar cases of ICTintegration chosen from the 174 cases in 28countries featured in the rest of the book. Thesummary of these 22 exemplary cases includesan overview of the schools; a look at the ICTused and the demographics of each individualschool; and the pedagogies used in eachinnovation.

The author notes that by nature these areexamples of innovations and, thus, it is verydifficult to categorize them in any satisfactoryway. Many even used a range of pedagogiessimultaneously. That said, most usedpedagogies characterised by authenticinstruction and student-centred learning, aswell as using instructional methods likeproject learning, inquiry, alternativeassessment and collaborative learning.

The 22 cases represent countries from all overthe world, and illustrate wide variety in thepedagogical innovations they employ.Examples include:

Networked Cultures and Communities

• A group of eight schools, some of whichare in remote communities, who set up anelectronic magazine for sharing theirexperiences.

• A networked community of five primaryschools in Spain, in which studentsdeveloped multimedia resources reflectingresearch (conducted by Internet searches,field trips and digital photography)describing the geography, history andculture of their villages. Their work wasalso integrated by their teachers intospecific subjects, such as geography andhistory.

• The Salt Flat project, a website developedby a single school in Israel, that took across-curricular approach and resulted inan online learning centre containingstudent projects, information banks withhistorical and geographical data, visualcontent and study aids (including activitiesfor special education and resources forimmigrant students).

• The Luring into Reading Through the

Internet innovation in a German primaryschool, through which pupils collaboratedwith students in the Czech Republic,Sweden and Hungary on projects that usedfairy tales in an interdisciplinary way ‘tostimulate students’ pleasure in reading andto advance creative writing.’ Pupils wrotenew fairy tales or rearranged and modified

existing tales, using a mix of traditionaland ICT-based media and exchangingmaterials with students from the otherschools. Teachers noted the studentsexhibited greater attention to style andreadability of their stories as a result of theinternational exchange.

Virtual Field Trips

• A laptop-based art project in Hong Kong,in through students used art software, suchas Painter Classics and Art Dabbler, tolearn about the effects of different artmedia. Specially-selected studentstravelled to Beijing to work with mainlandChinese pupils; to learn Chinese paintingtechniques and critique one another’swork; to teach them how to sketch withlaptops; and to learn how to collaboratewith students from another culture;

Pioneering Projects of Teachers

• A poetry-composition project in Thailand,through which a teacher developed CAIprograms to teach pupils to compose Thai-language poems. Students work togetherby answering questions, performingexercises, and coming to consensus afterdiscussing their differing views.Communication between students and theteacher takes place on the Web Boarddeveloped by the teacher, and the pupilscan access verses online for studying. Theythen compose a poem and enter it forsubmission on the website.



Excerpt[p 211]Large Cross-curricular Projects

In Portugal’s stellar case, all primary schoolstudents in the third and fourth years workedin small groups throughout the school year todevelop school cinema projects. The projectwas called “Image in Movement: YoungCartoon Directors.” The students used ICT forthe entire process of producing an animation,including image capturing and script design. Amajor pedagogical focus was upon skills inplastic expression and in the critical evaluationof audio-visual messages. Art was one of fivesubjects in the curriculum; the ICT-basedanimation activity was allocated two hours perweek for the entire year. Each classroom wasguided by a three-teacher team consisting of(1) the main teacher of the class, (2) theteacher co-ordinator who gave assistanceprimarily with the ICT, and (3) the teacher incharge of ‘visual and technological education,who helped with plastic and visualexpression.’ The latter two teachers came intothe classroom for the weekly two-hour session.The students generally worked in groups ontheir animation projects. The students learnedto use Director and Premier software in orderto produce animations. Some of the resultinganimations were extraordinary for ten-year-olds.

Keywordscase studies; innovative practices; pedagogy;collaborative projects; independent learning;ICT and curriculum



ACRO

NYM

,SThe following acronyms are usedthroughout the catalogue:

BECTA - The British EducationalCommunications and Technology Agency (UK)CBT/CAL - Computer-based Teaching/Computer-assisted LearningDfES/QCA - Department for Education andSkills/The Qualifications and CurriculumAuthority (UK)DTI - The Department of Trade and IndustryGCSE - General Certificate of SecondaryEducation (UK)GIS - Geographic Information Systems, toolsused to gather, transform, manipulate, analyze,and produce information related to the surfaceof the EarthHTML - Hyper-Text Mark-up Language, theauthoring language used to create documentson the WebICTs - Information CommunicationTechnologies; the term used to describe thetools and the processes to access, retrieve,store, organize, manipulate, produce, presentand exchange information by electronic andother automated meansIMB - The Information Management Branch,The Department of Education (Tasmania) -http://www.education.tas.gov.au/admin/ict/default.htmISP - Internet Service Provider, a companythat provides access to the InternetISTE - The International Society forTechnology in Education (USA)KS - Key Stage (UK) – Under the UK NationalCurriculum, primary and secondary education

levels are divided into four stages, after each ofwhich students take examinations. The KeyStages are: Key Stage 1, Ages 5-7; Key Stage 2,Ages 7-11; Key Stage 3, Ages 11-14; and KeyStage 4, Ages 14-16.LCD - Liquid Crystal Display, a type ofdisplay used in many portable computersMI - Multiple Intelligences (see page 37, entry12 for more)MIICE - The Measurement of the Impact ofICT on Children’s Education Project -www.miice.org.ukMOE - Ministry of EducationNCREL - The North Central RegionalEducational Laboratory (USA) http://www.ncrel.orgNETS - The National Educational TechnologyStandards (USA) http://cnets.iste.orgOFSTED - The Office for Standards inEducation (UK) - http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/PC - Personal Computer; often used to mean anIBM or IBM-compatible personal computer, asopposed to other types of personal computers,such as Apple MacintoshesPE - Physical Education (UK)QTS - Quality Teacher StatusSEIR*TEC - The SouthEast InitiativesRegional Technology in Education Consortium(USA) www.seirtec.orgSEN - Special Education Needs (UK)URL - Uniform Resource Locater, or WebaddressVSAT - Very Small Aperture Terminal, anearthbound station used in satellitecommunications of data, voice and videosignals, excluding broadcast television

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