Technophobe Teachers?
The following is an opinion from Andrew Pinder, Chair of Becta in an extract from an article in the Times 7Jan 2008:
"State
schools spent £1 billion on cutting-edge information technology last
year but 80 per cent of them are failing to make full use of it,
according to experts.
Pupils now handle equipment worth thousands of pounds, with some
using laptops, interactive whiteboards or hand-held smartphones. The
Government claims that Britain is a European leader in installing IT in
the classroom.
However, Becta, the Government’s adviser on IT in schools, says
that many teachers are intimidated by the equipment and struggle to
cope, and that children have a better understanding of how it works.
Britain is one of the biggest spenders per head on technology in
schools worldwide, according to Becta — formerly the British
Educational Communications and Technology Agency — and the amount is
growing each year. Yet Andrew Pinder, its chairman, said: 'We are
achieving nothing like the impact that we should from this technology.
We spend more than other countries but not enough schools are using
technology effectively.'"
I would love to hear your comments!