Barriers to using technology in the classroom

Equipment failure or malfunction Time to learn new technology Not user friendly (hard and software) Equipment and software different across classrooms Support weak (CPD & Technical) Software out of date/old Takes too long to learn given value to learning Difcult to schedule classrooms with technology No access to technology Nowhere to learn; need to learn Infrastructure/network too slow

Summary of Recommendations
General Improve quality control to raise reliability of technologies. Simplify learning to use technology. Help staff determine if learning and using technology are really worth it. Improve technical support. Steps to this 1. Work to convince technology staff that reliability is very important, especially concerning technology in classrooms. 2. Encourage the purchase of highly reliable technologies. 3. Improve systems for checking and maintaining classroom technologies. 4. Create new approaches (including staff training) to assure that extremely rapid responses are made to breakdowns.

Improve quality control to raise reliability of technologies.

1. Work to convince technology staff that reliability is very important, especially concerning technology in classrooms. 2. Encourage the purchase of highly reliable technologies. 3. Improve systems for checking and maintaining classroom technologies. 4. Create new approaches (including staff training) to assure that extremely rapid responses are made to breakdowns.

Simplify learning to use technology.

1. New classroom technology setups should be piloted and agreed by staff before they are installed. 2. Classrooms should be as similar as possible. 3. Differences in the technologies in each classroom should be well documented. 4. Help staff learn by encouraging discussions about teaching, learning, and technology.

Help staff determine if learning and using the technology is really worth it.
1. Identify staff who have assessed and evaluated the impact of technologies on learning and organise a workshop, to make this information more widely available to staff. 2. Encourage staff to assess and evaluate the impact of technologies on their teaching and learning.

Improve school support.

1. Identify attitudes and behaviours that are seen as poor or inadequate support, and work with technology staff to reduce these.

2. A rapid response system must be in place that can deal with a wide range of problems.

Forward Looking Teachers and Learners need:Access at all time to technology Mobile Learning Thin Client

Core Kit

with Core apps

consultation between all parties

Learners Teachers Parents Technical