Future Challenges in Education and ICT – Policy Planning and Practice On-line Learning Prof Angela McFarlane University of Bristol

[There has been] a chorus of pronouncements that "the information society" both requires and makes possible new forms of education. We totally agree with this. But we do not agree that tardiness in translating these declarations into reality can be ascribed, as it often is, to such factors as lack of money, technology, standards or teacher training. Obviously there is a need for improvement in all of those areas, But the primary lack is something different - a shortage of bold, coherent, inspiring yet realistic visions of what education could be like 10 and 20 years from now. Papert, S. and Caperton, G., 1999

Massive Investment in ICT Schools infrastructure- £700m Library and community infrastructure and content - £200m ICT Learning Centres - £400m Training for teachers and librarians - £250m Content digitisation for the NGfL and libraries- £50m OVER £1.6 BILLION IN TOTAL UP TO 2002 Plus £710m in SFG for

The innovation as an efficiency initiative Purposes remain the same – Model of learning is transmissive – knowledge is a commodity Teaching, learning and resources change Assessment remains the same Previous results improve?

Traditionally defined curriculum and learning culture Traditionally defined ICT skills Learner activity, using new technology and ICT skills Improved knowledge and understanding Improved attainment Direct Impact Model Role of the teacher? Learning objective What is access?

The innovation as curriculum reform movement Curriculum purposes change Resources, teaching and learning change with them As do methods of assessment Results, and what count as results, both change

Why is ICT being used at all? To create greater equality in achievement and/or access to learning To develop pupils’ life skills To increase pupils’ employability To maximise economic growth To update school curricula to match changes in the host discipline

There is widening access to new technologies 75% at KS2 and 88% at KS4 have home computer access 48% of primary and 64% of secondary pupils have home access to the Internet (ImpacT2 Emerging Findings)

Active use of new technologies 52% of primary and 67% of secondary pupils have their own address At KS2 14% of pupils have created their own web pages, rising to 22% at KS3 and 67% at KS4 At KS2 19% of pupils have their own mobile phone, rising to 49% at KS3 and 60% at KS4 (ImpacT2 Emerging Findings)

Institutional learning Self-directed learning Overlap Improved attainment Learner-defined curriculum and culture Improved knowledge, understanding and skills, of personal and social benefit Traditionally defined curriculum and learning culture Teacher / curriculum- specified tasks for the learner Learner’s personal representation of the task, and available resources Potential benefits for the learner: knowledge and skills (beyond those validated or approved externally) autonomy and confidence in learning extended awareness of the social benefits of the ICT Potential benefits for the learner: knowledge and skills (beyond those validated or approved externally) autonomy and confidence in learning extended awareness of the social benefits of the ICT Traditionally defined ICT skills Learner activity, using ICT skills Improved related knowledge and understanding Home-based task Socially Contextualised Impact Model

What should be recognised as educational attainment? What constitutes meaningful access to ICT? What are the implications of the wider context of school based education? Three fundamental questions for the next five years -