Teachers’ and Trainers’ Perspectives
Researching the outcomes of the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) ICT Teacher Training
Full Report | TES Article | Interim Report | Background | Project Team
An interim report has already been published on the features that schools should look for when they are planning ICT training for staff.
Considerations for school planning ICT training
- How does the use of ICT fit into our established learning culture?
- An ICT CPD programme for the school staff
- Funding staff development
- Quality assurance, accreditation and evaluation
The conclusions from this study suggest that learning technology can advance the teaching and learning goals of schools. However the technology for learning is changing all the time and schools need a continuous programme of ICT staff development.
These are some of the fundamental questions a senior management team will want to ask in creating imaginative continuing professional development opportunities. The questions are based on the trends emerging from research about effective ICT programmes for teachers. However this is a complex area of school leadership. Schools will often need to devise unique solutions that reflect local conditions.
1. How does the use of ICT fit into our established learning culture?
What do we already know as a team about current learning theory? What kind of continuing professional development programme will improve and/or update our cooperate knowledge in this area? Which staff already have some knowledge and experience.
Could external CPD programmes lead to the identification of innovative and inclusive learning models?
Could this CPD programmes lead to different kinds of evaluation of learning?
Do we expect ICT to impact on our school learning culture:
- as a catalyst to help students to be more independent learners;
- as a means of encouraging staff to think differently about teaching and learning;
- as a means of raising standards in traditional curriculum subjects;
- as a resource to promote new field of learning like citizenship, creativity and thinking skills;
- as a means of increasing contact with the home and national and international communities?
Where can we find evidence of achievement by other schools?
How will other members of staff be engaged in this debate?
How will the implementation of an ICT CPD programme impact on performance in SATs and traditional exams?
Does our school development plan reflect our views?
Do we need to drop an aspect of staff training to make space for this initiative?
2. An ICT CPD programme for the school staff
Which senior manager will lead the project purposefully, involve the staff and agree with them the pace of the project and how best to manage its implementation?
Is there appropriate time and training for lead teachers and project managers?
Can adequate time be prioritised for full staff involvement?
How will we audit staff needs and deal with basic skills training?
How can we allow for different teachers’ learning styles?
What paths will we offer for teachers who do not wish to engage with the programme?
How can we help staff to develop an action plan which identifies ICT directions that interest them and direct them to further consolidation of their practice or the development of new skills areas?
How can we encourage staff who elect to run experimental and innovative ICT projects and help them to build in milestones and develop a portfolio of achievement?
How can we motivate and reward our staff: by access to online laptop computers, support cover, accreditation, technical support, web publication of successful projects?
How will we ensure that the achievement of the project outcomes is discussed with individuals as a part of the cycle of professional review and development?
Do teachers of different subjects require different approaches to CPD programmes? How will this be pursued?
How many different kinds of accreditation should we offer to suit staff diversity?
Will elearning facilities extend opportunities for staff learning?
How will we select external agencies to support the ICT programme and who will liaise with them?
How much do we know about government and local authority funding for teachers’ professional development in relation to the National Grid for Learning?
What European Union funding channels could be used to increase staff links beyond the classroom?
Would the Becta teachers awards, DfES Best Practice Research Bursaries and Teachers’ International professional Development awards from the British Council be useful CPD funding route?
Could our local community and experienced teachers and students provide workshops and mentoring for staff?
Do we have a funded broadband infrastructure provided by the government and/or the local region?
Do we have enough hardware, econtent and staff access to make ICT CPD a viable option?
Do we have enough money to pay for maintenance, repair and consumables if we use the system more?
Can we invest in experimental projects with devices like wireless tablets or interactive whiteboards?
Are we clear about our approaches to teaching IT and teaching ICT across the curriculum?
4. Quality assurance, accreditation and evaluation
How will we know when we are achieving our ICT programme objectives in terms of the quality of implementation, the quality of achievement of the outcomes and the impact of the training on professional practice?
How can we make sure that constructive learning, collaboration and risk taking are adequately rewarded?
How can we share the results of practice based evidence from classroom research by teachers? Will there be time to share the case studies and learn from them?
What will the feedback and reporting cycle be and who will be involved?
Can we celebrate teachers and students learning achievements on our website?
How will we monitor the impact of continuing professional development across the staff?
How will we integrate new ways of working and innovative assessment methods into traditional practice?
Will students be involved in the evaluation and self evaluation process?
We welcome the voice of the teaching and training community in this research. Email if you have views you want to share.
Full Report | TES Article | Interim Report | Background | Project Team
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