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(Ramblings about interactive whiteboards in English primary schools)

(The following is my own inimitable distillation of recent papers from Futurelab, Bridget Somekh and others.)

Funding initiatives have led to the widespread introduction of interactive whiteboards (IWB’s) to English primary classrooms. This has been an interesting phenomenon, seemingly led by the technology rather than pedagogical imperatives! Not that I would argue for them to be taken away; whatever the relationship between the teachers and the whiteboard there would be very few who would willingly go back to only a dry wipe board.

The board and the projector are not inextricably linked for while the board is useless without the projector the reverse is not true. It is probably true to say that when the IWB arrived most teachers received a short session on how to use it with a sprinkling of lesson ideas if they were lucky. Typically this led to the teacher increasingly presenting their lessons with prepared material and the internet onto the board but using only limited interactive facilities from the board itself. In fact, many teachers would have known little difference if the board was replaced by a screen.

While the boards have been rolling into classrooms the Department for Children, S Schools and Families (DCFS) in their quest to raise literacy and numeracy standards have been rolling out what is now the Primary Framework (http://tinyurl.com/42cnzh) with a strong element of whole class didactic teaching running through. This is of course a marriage made in heaven for the IWBs since they support teacher led whole class teaching so well. Many would say that the IWB has transformed whole class teaching and brought about the much sought after integration of ICT into subject teaching. Certainly there is no denying lessons are generally brighter, more dynamic and interesting. Children like the boards and engage quickly with them.

OK, so what about the interactivity bit? It is unfair to say that the Primary Framework promotes only whole class teaching. Back when the National Numeracy Strategy was first launched back in 1998 the teacher training packages were strong on punchy and energetic lesson starters with quick fire questioning. No one could doze on the carpet then! Ten years on it seems that some of this has transferred into everyday practice but there has something of a relaxation too. A handful of great Interactive Teaching Programs (ITP’s) have become truly embedded in practice and the IWBs have been ready and waiting.(ITP’s at http://tinyurl.com/3bf6rt)

Looking at the messages from the DCFS we see encouraging language. We have “personalisation, learner demand, empowering learners, transform teaching, dialogue and participation” cropping up everywhere; and still the IWB is ready and waiting.

In fact, it turns out that the IWB is actually just a tool! If we are to have the empowered learners and all the other laudable language reflected in practice then the IWB has only a small stake in the process. It seems that it is the pedagogy itself that will have to change. There, I’ve said it! Isn’t this what education professionals have been saying forever; but changing practice is a slow process.

Don’t we always take in what we are ready for? Does this go right back to our early schemas! We can roll out a national initiative like the Primary Strategy and the bits that get adopted into mainstream practice are those that fit comfortably with what we know. If the DCFS really wants all those buzz words to get off the page and into classrooms then something more will have to happen. Here’s a bit from the Futurelab paper:

“There is a clear need for the government and training providers to exemplify deeply interactive learning experiences and environments at classroom level. These should include examples and suggestions about the ways in which various technologies, including IWBs, might be used to enhance such experience. Clear reference to the policies, strategies and initiatives that underpin this needs to be made, and a clear statement to help teachers and schools recognise they have permission to innovate’ in this area. This should not, however, take the form of a how to’ approach, as this might be viewed as topdown and prescriptive, but rather it should seek to encourage teachers to be active in developing their own specific approaches, informed, but not prescribed by, a clear and transformational educational vision of the future.”

It seems that there is work to be done before the IWB is ready to show its true colours.

References

Somekh, B and Haldane, M (2006). How can interactive whiteboards contribute to pedagogic change? Learning from case studies in English primary schools. Paper presented at: Imagining the Future for ICT and Education Conference, 26-30 June 2006, Ãlesund, Norway. http://ifip35.inf.elte.hu/alesund/?q=node/155

Futurelab (2007) Interactive whiteboards in the classroom. http://www.futurelab.org.uk/events/listing/whiteboards/report

It is always worthwhile to stop a minute and reflect on how things are going. When a school blog has been running for a year then it seems a good time to reflect.

I wonder what needs more work in the coming year?

Even the keen teachers sometimes find it difficult to write very regularly and school blogs and websites should not stand still. I previously had my own idea that blogs should be updated every week…and I still think that is a good idea. But I think it is more difficult until the teacher/class/student feels that there are people waiting to read what you write. That readership provides the two way channel that will ensure the blog gets updated regularly and is very motivating. It will not happen over night though and hanging on in there, seeking out others with similar interests and all the other things that successful bloggers say are relevant.

Although the children have some home access they tend not to update their blogs unless specific time is allocated in school. As has been said forcefully elsewhere the key is in engaging in conversations with others, but in the case of the children even this is not enough. Whereas if I ever get a comment on my own blog I am thrilled and reply within the hour (or so!) the children are much more laid back and will not reliably respond.

I think this happens for a number of reasons. Part of it is the age: these children are from 8 to 10 and do not socially network as readily as slightly older children (not absolutely sure about that). Ownership must be an issue too. We have given them their own blogs but have to retain some control, and we moderate all comments; so the blog is theirs, but not absolutely. We have also tried to encourage them to use them in a school related context and obviously to support their writing.

I think that we just need to hang on in and also to consider dedicated curriculum time for them to blog. We should continue to build in curriculum opportunities that we will support through blogging. Finally I think we need to note when they are getting comments and to be very pro-active in supporting them to respond and engage.

I have been mulling over six ideas for work with schools for some time, and this week I have written to all my local schools to see if they think they are worth exploring.

I hope that some of the ideas will resonate with schools, though nothing is certain. Some of the ideas can be explored best by me working with the school but equally there are others that a school can pursue without outside interference!

I have put a new page up (guess what?- it is called “Six ideas”!) with some details and over the next couple of days I will be adding more information and links to support each element.

It would be great to have some feedback/comments!

I had some interesting discussions today with a group of teachers thinking about Gifted and Talented provision in the context of childrens’ writing. Blogging provides a perfect tool for promoting writing- if you give a child a blog they have control over the environment, control over their writing and can work to develop an audience for what they have to say. There seems to be no disadvantages- except maybe that schools must be careful that they have appropriate safeguards in place- but then that is not really a disdvantage it is just what we do. I have some personal experience of developing this at http://shepeaustow.net. The cost for a suitable package was £300- for this they got their own hosted domain and the initial setup of a Wordpress multiuser blog. The school also had some support in initial training to use the system. Have a look at the current state of play.

This week I have been writing to some of the head teachers of schools that I have worked with in the past to make sure that my work is closely matched to school needs. It is a difficult balance to steer between courses that are directly targeting school improvement priorities (as in the Lincolnshire CoTS agreements) and those that come in with something a bit different. Hopefully my plans will satisfy a bit of both! Have a look at the courses listed so far (tab at the top).

Here are my first attempts to organise a blog. Not much to look at yet, but everyone has to start somewhere!

One thing to have come out of talking to school leaders: the traditional course is becoming less popular. I have previously described my offerings as courses but am changing this to ’support’. While a course can be useful for inspiring people or delivering a lot of information to a lot of people, more useful perhaps is something much more aligned to what is going on in particular schools and classrooms (learning spaces?!).

So while my work has always been custom and school based I am now thinking ’support’ not ‘course’! Naturally, common themes emerge about what is needed in school so the ideas listed under the support tab (at the top) reflect some of the more common options at the moment.