Promising emerging opportunities to improve the poor effectiveness of teachers’ professional development ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Some stark facts THIS IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE 500m users in the developed world and elite of the developing world 4 billion non-consumers subsisting on less than 2 US$ a day in India, China, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Africa and the Eastern European countries THIS IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

A possible future The non-consumers are the ones that need the technology the most because ICT opens up options and creates opportunities which up to now have not been possible ICT can break barriers of geography which have existed since time immemorial For the non-consumer, ICT is not an alternative but an instrument for progress and growth – a passport to a better life ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

The role of EDUCATION UNESCO’s ‘Education for All’ challenge Literacy, Numeracy and now ICT Many nations are responding to the UNESCO challenges ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

India The Hole in the Wall What happens if you provide poor children with free, unlimited access to computers and the Internet? Children respond rapidly and some become teachers within a few days Creates a demand for low-cost energy and technology ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Uzbekistan Of the 10,000 schools, only a few have ICT currently – but the Council of Ministers are planning to have a computer network in every school by 2010 The capacity building for teachers is a huge challenge ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

The Digital Divide Top A travelling school bus on the Isle of Man Bottom A school bus stationed in Magubu village in Qunu, Eastern Cape, South Africa ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Welcome to the African Teachers Centre. This Centre offers all African teachers information, news and resources on issues relating to using ICTs for effective teaching and teacher professional development. The Teachers Centre is a resource mainly for the African Teachers Network. The African Teachers Network (ATN) is the second flagship project of SchoolNet Africa. ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

South Central Asia UNESCO sponsors a radio soap in Uzbek and Tajik languages Deals with: Family and reproductive health Agricultural themes Contemporary national issues through story lines of the radio serial drama ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Swaziland The Computer Education Trust (CET) Given the task of implementing and managing a computer education project in secondary and high schools. Operating in close partnership with the Ministry of Education, the CET aims at introducing computer skills to teachers and students in Swaziland by: Developing teaching materials appropriate to the teaching and learning environment in Swaziland’s schools.  Training teachers and students in secondary schools. Ensuring the provision of appropriate software and hardware in schools. ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Expected outcomes Computer literacy Enhancing quality of life in society Reduction of digital divide ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Keys to effective training programmes Introduce applications that provide clear benefits for pupils and teachers Encourage a broadening awareness of a wide range of ICT resources with less emphasis on word processing and more on resources which are currently underused such as the Internet, e-mail, and video-conferencing Promulgate the idea of ICTs as tools for lifelong learning for teachers as well as their students Promote information literacy as well as ICT literacy ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Contd. Consider the types of ICT resources available to teachers in school Encourage teachers to reflect on and make decision about their own ICT development needs on an ongoing basis Flexible training and development opportunities ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Professional Development that Works Spend less on hardware, more on human infrastructure Take teachers seriously and adapt to their needs Centre capacity building around practical issues instead of computer applications Address the emotional dimension ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Contd. Create a culture peer of coaching and mutual support Use surveys and assessment to guide planning Provide time for invention and lesson development Adapted from ‘Secrets of Success’ (UNESCO) ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Persist ! ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education

Thank you for your attention ___________________________________ Mike Aston Consultant ICT in Education