Section 2: Effective elearning

Effective learning environments

It is important that we question our use of ICT as teachers; in other words, we shouldn't just use the technology because it is available but because it will enhance our pupils' learning. Whatever tools we use in a learning environment, their main purpose should be to support effective teaching and learning. The pedagogy that we use with virtual technologies and learning environments has to be based on the same educational principles that we look for in a more traditional classroom. This is discussed in more detail in this article.

In this next article, the author takes a very critical role of ICT. While some of it is perhaps an exaggeration, the author makes an important point about not inventing problems to justify the use of technology.

Activity Read Case Study 1 and, using this and your own experience, make notes (or a diagram) on what you think the features of an effective learning environment are. You may like to share your ideas with other students in My forum. Now read three examples of elearning in tomorrow's schools from the DfES policy document A Day in the Life: Fulfilling the Potential. Use the chart to help you organise your thoughts about how ICT can assist or hinder learning. Then look at the example we have completed - did you have any additional ideas?

New technologies (or some of the tools within a learning environment) need not be limited to enhancing existing pedagogical modes and learning spaces. Their true potential lies in opening up new learning space, places and times for groups or the individual.

McCormick and Scrimshaw (2001) argue that in order for new technologies to have a significant impact on classroom practice, we need to consider a sophisticated model of change. They identify three levels of change to current practice that may result from the use of ICT:

1. To improve efficiency or effectiveness of conventional teaching.
2. To extend the reach of teaching and learning.
3. To transform teachers' practice.

Read more about the implications of their proposal in this extract.

Activity Go to My wiki and add your own examples of activities you have undertaken with ICT that might fit into each of these categories of pedagogic use. If you don't agree with other students' categorisation, edit their entries.

References

Davis et al.(1997) The Information Technology Tool in the Classroom. Extract from Using Information Technology Effectively in Teaching and Learning, Routledge. Available from: here (accessed 31 May 2007).

DfES (n.d.) 'Fulfilling the Potential' (extract). Available from: here (accessed 1 August 2007).

McCormick, R. and Scrimshaw, P. (2001) Improving Efficiency with ICT. Extract from Information and Communications Technology, Knowledge and Pedagogy, The Open University/Taylor & Francis. Available from: here (accessed 31 May 2007).

Postman, N. (1993) 'Of Luddites, learning, and life' (extract), Technos Quarterly, Winter 1993, vol. 2, no. 4. Available from: here (accessed 1 August 2007).

Turner-Bisset, R. (2001) Expert Teaching: Knowledge and Pedagogy to Lead the Profession (extract), London, David Fulton Publishers Ltd. Available from: here (accessed 1 August 2007).