[ifets] old and new technology

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Bernard Harris (Bernard.Harris.1@uni.massey.ac.nz)
Wed, 25 Nov 1998 11:34:16 

Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 11:34:16
From: Bernard Harris <Bernard.Harris.1@uni.massey.ac.nz>
Subject: [ifets] old and new technology

Hi ifets list members

I have been lurking for several weeks and have been following recent
discussions with interest.

I am a secondary school teacher in New Zealand looking at the blending of
learning theory and organisational science to explain the successful
adoption(or otherwise!) of information and communication technology(ICT) in
the compulsory public education sector.

The journals say a pivotal role is played by the teacher: deciding what the
technology is used for and therefore whether learning is enhanced. Today's
teachers have largely been educated and teacher-trained prior to the
proliferation of the personal computer. While packets of in-service
training have led to pockets of use (sometimes exemplary), "ubiquitous" is
not an apt descriptor for the current application of ICT to education.

There needs to be continuous, appropriate teacher training which links
technological capability with modern learning theory and practises its
blending in new forms of curriculum development and classroom management.
Yes, as Chris O'Hagan says the social organisation may be an inhibiting
factor.

Access to hardware, planning strategies used, availability of courseware,
the level of technical support are all factors in successful ICT use.

These issues won't be solved by one-shot solutions: continuous learning by
teachers to apply the most appropriate ICT tools accessible to them will be
needed. If teachers are to be continuous learners and have access to the
tools which government and business want students to be familiar with, then
this will need to be addressed in the resourcing of public education
staffing and operational funding.

IMHO

Cheers

Bernard Harris

e-mail: Bernard.Harris.1@uni.massey.ac.nz
'phone: 06-350-4422(wk) 06-354-4190(h)

M.Tech. student
Institute of Technology and Engineering
Massey University
Palmerston North

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