ICT and pedagogy – the myths and misconceptions

1. ICT and pedagogy – the myths and misconceptions ICT tools and Social software – what learning is taking place? moral panic or digital faith (what is your philosophy) Pedagogy – what is considered good practice

2. Aims • All to have an understanding of how ICT can be considered in the early years setting • All to have an understanding of the research and theory behind why ICT may not be considered in the learning of children and young people

3. Social software • Excesise one .feedback homework about web sites. • Discuss your experiences of using the sites • Discuss possible learning that could take place

4. Exercise two Make a story line using the hand out of theorists.

5. Education for a digital generation • The current generation of decision- makers – from politicians to teachers – see the world from a very different perspective to the generation of young people who do not remember life without instant answers of the internet or the immediate communication of the mobile phone • (Green and Hannon 2007)

6. Tools and Social software • A Blanket approach to banning and filtering the use of social software may not be the most effective safeguarding. Digitally savvy children will find a way to use the software. Children on the whole are aware of potential dangers and skilful at self-regulating.

7. Green and Hannon 2007 • My mum doesn’t know what I'm doing but I don’t do bad things (Boy, aged 8) • MSN is good because you can’t have random strangers talking to you, you only talk to people you know. One time someone I didn’t know added me to their list but as soon as I realised I blocked them (Girl aged 9)

8. Why use ICT ..... • There is a number of theories and research that has suggested the importance of using ICT....................

9. Gregorie 1996 • Technologies can stimulate the development of intellectual skills • Technology can contribute to the way of learning knowledge (meta-cognition) • Technology spur spontaneous interest more than traditional approaches • Pupils using new technology concentrate more than students in traditional settings

10. Dewey – progressive education • No thinking around learning • Dewey believed that we need to create a future for our children and not a future of old. • When considering ICT in pedagogy practitioners may need to embraces this to allow a realistic future for children?????

11. How ICT can support the development and learning -Vygotsky and ICT • Learning is culturally situated – need to use the cultural tools available • All human action is meditated by tools – tools being a wide range of: • technologies and artefacts (pen, pencil, paper, book, computer) • Language– (scaffolding for self development and solving hard problems) • Social interaction – (group interactions)

12. Opposing view Vygotsky also states.... • Children should be provided with appropriate experiences that teaches them how to decentre. Vygotsky suggested that children of a certain age will want instant gratification ....through play they can learn how to wait, an important part of development • Read the article – your thoughts

13. Although their are obvious connection to ICT use and Learning gains....... • Much research has discovered that many early years settings and schools are still not using incorporating ICT within pedagogy • Look at the tools and identify, if any your settings uses

14. Reasons why ........ • Traditional teaching methods are still used today which often don't incorporate the uses of ICT – behaviourist to a more social cultural or constructivist approach (Levin et al 2004 – empirical research) • Control of the information gathered – have specific targets to achieve – synthesise (Gardener – a theoretical perspective) (Sutherland et al 2005) • ICT Skills of the practitioner can often be lower than the skills and abilities of the children they are teaching (Hammond 2008 and John 2004 – empirical research) • Moral panic (Green and Hannon 2007 – empirical research)

15. Group task • Traditional teaching methods are still used today which often don't incorporate the uses of ICT – behaviourist to a more social cultural or constructivist approach (Levin et al 2004 – empirical research) • Look at the list of categories and rank according to your given teaching approach

16. Rank seven ways of learning 1 highly important and 7- the least important according to your given teaching approach • Classroom lessons • Surfing the internet and social networking • Playing computer games individually and with others • Playing with friends • Building their general knowledge through use of technology • Collaboration social networking • Teaching general computer skills • Autonomous learning /experimental learning

17. Your beliefs about teaching and learning will impact on the way you use ICT

18. Locus of control as a second reason why ICT is not being used to its full potential • Control of the information gathered – have specific targets to achieve – synthesise (Gardener – a theoretical perspective) (Sutherland et al 2005) • Often the ICT skills and competencies of the practitioner are lower than the pupil. This creates an uneasy feeling about teaching and learning

19. In some ways Gardener backs this research • Ict the digital era –

20. Gardner’s educational philosophy • Covering too much material dooms the achievement and understanding of children • Most likely to enhance understanding if we probe deeply in a small number of topics

21. cont....reasons why we don't use ICT • Moral panic The internet is too dangerous for children Junk culture is poisoning young people and taking over their lives No learning happens and digital technologies are a waste of time There is an epidemic of internet plagiarism in schools Young children are disengaged and disconnected We’re seeing the rise of a generation of passive consumers

22. Moral panic • Look at these tools for learning, write down what there purpose is.....

23. Learning tools • We cannot assume that all learning tools have an exclusive purpose. Any learning tool can be used inappropriately. The use of social software and internet has learning gains,(considered a learning tool) do we need to take it off the learning market because some people use it inappropriately?

24. Gaming – any learning????? • Wii • Play station • X box • Movies - the differences

25. ICT – informal and formal learning • Informal refers to outside of the classroom • Formal refers to inside of the classroom walls Children are learning a whole range of skills when interacting with each other, gaming or creating. This type of learning is loosely organised and happens outside of the confines of the school gates – usually referred to as informal learning (Sutherland et al 2005)

26. Two boys, aged 8 and 9 in a focus group talking about learning through gaming • You don’t learn anything, just how to get to the next level. • Yeah but you’ve learnt something haven’t you? • You’ve just learnt the game. • Well then you’ve learnt something!

27. Dr Tanya Byron (2007) and gaming

28. Byron review – Dr Byron (initiated by the government) • The UK Council for Child Internet Safety • Better regulation • Public information and awareness of e-safety • Better education for children and families • Reforming the video games classification system • Better information and support to families on video games

30. Dr. Bryon video games. • The evidence on video games is discussed in Chapter 6. There are some possible negative effects of violent content in games, but these only become ‘harmful’ when children present other risk factors: • There is some evidence of short term aggression from playing violent video games but no studies of whether this leads to long term effects. • There is a correlation between playing violent games and aggressive behaviour, but this is not evidence that one causes the other.

31. Digital faith • All gaming is good • All children are cyber kids

32. With all this information how would you plan to educate young children through ICT • http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/earlyict/ • Make a lesson plan that incorporates ICT

33. Find a journal that discusses the uses of ICT for educational purposes– review and bring to the lesson for next weeks session • What ICT is used in your placements? How do the settings differ (early years and school)how do they use ICT? What learning is talking place? What does this tell you about how this child learns and develops?

34. There are a number of good sources for reviews of technologies, hardware, software and websites, such as: • http://egfl.net/teaching/itsu/Software/early.shtml • http://foundation.ebn.org/ • http://www.gamesleyeec.org.uk/ict.asp • http://www.hitchams.suffolk.sch.uk/foundation/ • http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/earlyict/ • http://primary.naace.co.uk/curriculum/earlyyears/eylinks.htm • http://www.schoolzone.co.uk/index.asp • http://www.surestart.gov.uk/resources/childcareworkers/technology/ • http://www.tes.co.uk