ICT and Teacher TrainingCase studies from across the world

TIM UNWIN6th September 2006

Outline: context and case studies

• A focus on challenges facing teachers• SITE and UNESCO frameworks• Case Studies

– African experiences– China– Jordan Education Initiative– UK– Singapore

• Core principles for success

Challenges

• Teacher training is arguably the most important part of the education system– Yet it is often ignored– Why?

• The scale of the global problem– In 2002, UNESCO estimated that 3 million new

teachers were necessary if the MDGs were to be delivered

– 30,000 untrained teachers in Ghana’s schools– More teachers are dying of HIV/AIDS in Zambia than

are being trained

Challenges

• ICTs often seen as being a ‘solution’– Delivering relevant quality instructional material– Supporting student self-learning

• Any where and any time

– Enhancing teachers’ skills and knowledge

• But– ICTs are also part of a fundamental shift in teaching

style• From didactic to constructivist

– They are not the ‘cheap’ solution that many people have often argued

Challenges

• Need to distinguish between distance education, and the use of ICTs to support it– Distance education (Perraton, 2000) can:

• Provide trainee teachers with a general education• Improve teachers’ subject knowledge• Teach them about children, the curriculum and

pedagogy• Develop classroom skills

– A wide range of ICTs (not just computers and Internet)

• Radio, TV, mobiles, PDAs, computers, Internet..

• Focus on ICT4E not on E4ICT

Existing Frameworks: SITE

• SITE (Society for IT and Teacher Education)– http://www.aace.org/site

• Three key principles:– Technology should be infused into the entire teacher

education programme– Technology should be introduced in context– Student teachers should experience innovative

technology-supported learning environments in their own teacher education programme

• Why are these so often ignored?

Existing Frameworks: UNESCO

• UNESCO (2002) framework– Key role of UNESCO Bangkok in ICT-education

• Strategies– From web-based lessons to multimedia use

• Supporting components– From curriculum resources to community support

• Means of professional development– From mentoring to collaborative research

• Need for a formal change management process to be in place

Africa

DEEPER

• Open University (UK) and Fort Hare University (South Africa) DEEPER project– Using hand-held PDAs for teachers– Focusing on

• The advantages of handheld computers for teacher professional development

• How handheld computers complement other professional resources

• What curriculum development are enabled by these devices

– Funding by bridges.org– http://www.open.ac.uk/deep

IMFUNDO’s African experiences

• Vast physical wastage– Hardware underutilised

• 24/7 principles for sustainability!• Glorified typewriters!

– Hardware broken or ineffective– High costs of Internet access

• Huge educational wastage– Insufficient relevant content– Multimedia potential underused– Networking and interaction ineffective because of lack

of connectivity

IMFUNDO’s African experiences

• Principles of good practice in effective use of ICT for teacher training in Africa– Shift from ‘education for ICT’ to ‘ICT for

education’– Integrating ICTs across the curriculum– Combining pre- and in-service initiatives– Need for relevant locally produced content– The creation of real partnerships– Sustainability built in from the beginning

IMFUNDO’s African experiences

• Framework for use of ICT in African teacher training– Strategic leadership– Ownership and involvement of all stakeholders– Integration within national ICT policies and

implementation strategies– Shaping implementation within context of

infrastructure available– Value of awareness raising workshops– Clear programme for pre- and in-service training– Sustainability through community-led agendas

China

China: Gansu

• EU Gansu Basic Education Support Programme (2001-2005)– €15 million from EU– € 2 million from China

• Focus on Gansu’s poorest 41 counties• Key emphasis on teacher training

– From didactic mode to student-centred learning– Using ICTs but not driven by ICT agendas

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China: Gansu

• Education quality: Aim to improve the learning environment for teachers and students

• Capacity Building: Aim to improve the management and administrative capacity and performance of headteachers and education administrators

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Aim to improve information management and the knowledge base needed for decision-making

China: Gansu

• Some achievements by June 2005– Successful completion of teacher training Diploma by 438

unqualified primary school teachers

– 686 Teacher Learning Resource Centres (TLRCs) using ICT established in township schools and county-level teacher training institutes

– A wide range of training provided for teachers, headteachers and trainers

– Production of locally relevant learning materials for teachers, using print and video.

– Scholarships for 77,825 children from poor rural families to enable them to attend school.

– A core of teachers trained in the use of ICT and capable of supporting others

China: GansuSuccess Factors

• Focus on areas and groups which need most help in rural basic education, on educational equity and ensuring the rights of school-age children

• An emphasis on developing human resources and local capacity in teachers, headteachers, administrators and teacher trainers, rather than on equipment provision

• Implementation of a new model of school-based training to suit the needs of rural teachers

• Development of policy as well as practice and close linkage with policy initiatives

China: GansuSuccess Factors

• Innovative design and production of learning materials for rural teachers, combining print and video

• Close collaboration: national and international consultants, project staff, and the Provincial Education Department

• The appropriate use of new technology in rural contexts

• Attention to sustainability

Jordan Education Initiative

Jordan Education Initiative

• World Economic Forum Initiative (2003)

• Key emphasis on partnership– Collaboration with government– Key role of private sector (Cisco)

• Importance of teacher training– Integral to the programme

Jordan Education Initiative

• The Jordan Education Initiative strives to:– Improve the delivery of education to Jordan

citizens through public-private partnerships– Enhance the quality of education through the

effective use of ICT– Build the capacity of the local ICT industry– Create a global education program model for

replication in other countries

Jordan Education Initiative

• Teacher Training– Cisco and Cisco Learning Institute provided training

• Subject matter experts for content development• Teachers in use of new content

• Results since creation of JEI– Expertise transferred to local organizations– Mathematics e-curriculum built and deployed in over

70 schools– Four additional e-curricula funded and in development– Technology and training delivered to over 700

teachers and 70 schools

The UK

UK DfES experiences and strategy

• ICTs central to transforming teaching and learning in schools– Part of very significant e-government agenda

• 2003 Secretary of State “my vision is one where schools are confidently, successful and routinely exploiting ICT alongside other transformational measures”

• ICT in teacher education and practice thus only a part of a wider package– After many years, still a long way to go!

• National Grid for Learning programme launched in 1998

– 2003 report looking towards 2006• Drawing out some key dimensions relating to teacher training

UK DfES strategy : teacher education dimensions

• Use of ICT for teachers:– Enhanced professional status rewarding e-learning

practice– Access to advice, guidance and support on how ICTs

can best be used in classroom practice– Access to ICT resources– More sophisticated use of pupil data– Revitalised professional networks– Automation of routine tasks– Opportunity to develop innovative learning– Rounded approach to digital learning

UK 2004 ICT in Schools Survey (DfES/Becta)

• Addressed the following themes:– Computers in schools– Other ICT equipment– Internet and email– ICT-related staff confidence and training– Use of ICT in school– Perceived impact of ICT

• Especially with SEN and behavioural problems

– Management and funding

UK 2004 ICT in Schools Survey

• Surprisingly teacher training was not really addressed– In part because it is taken for granted

• Key issues– Training focused mainly on gaining ICT skills

• c.90% of teachers had received ITC-training

• c.85% of staff felt they were e-confident

• c.90% of teachers had access to computers at home

– Uses of ICT in the school• Management and administration

• In teaching and learning (c.46% of secondary schools made regular use of ICT for teaching and learning)

UK Recent initiatives

• Teachers’ Portal http://www.teachernet.gov.uk– Teaching and learning; professional development;

management; whole-school issues; research; education overview; useful sites

• Teachers’ TV http://www.teacherstv.co.uk/– Importance of integrating different media

• Global Gateway http://www.globalgateway.org/– Providing teachers with opportunities for linking with

schools across the world– Shared practices

Singapore

Singapore: 1997 Masterplan for IT in Education

• Key importance of teachers• Human Resources

– Training every teacher in effective use of IT in education– Equipping trainee teachers with core skills in teaching with IT– Involving institutions of higher learning and industry as partners

in schools

• Infrastructure– 2:1 teacher-computer ratio– School-wide network– High-speed multimedia network across Singapore

Singapore: teacher achievements

• 2001 survey of teacher achievements– 24,000 teachers received 30-50 hours training in use

of IT– IT integrated across the curriculum– 78% of teachers said that IT helped to make teaching

more student centred

• Importance of rewards and prizes for innovation– HP Innovation in IT Awards

• Wider benefits for pupils, schools and communities

Success Principles for use of ICT in Teacher Training

• Integrated cohesive plan with sufficient funding• Involving all stakeholders

– especially the teachers

• Combining in-service and pre-service elements• Sufficient technical support (infrastructure and

mentoring advice)• Building on existing examples of success• Need for partnerships to ensure sustainability• Wider links to teacher professional development

and reward schemes

A final plea

• Remember the most marginalised– Those with ‘disabilities’– Street children and

out-of-school youth

• Need to ensure that ICTs are used to empower them– Not add to their

marginalisation