This blog post will examine my observations, and the consequent reflections on the first trip to Shirley Warren Primary School.
Our trip to Shirley Warren school was a real eye opener for many reasons, but the main reason was the sheer amount the school has invested into their ICT and other digital media. Not only does the school have ample amounts of iPads for classes to use, they also have the latest Apple TV installed in every room, as well as their own professional school radio station studio. This is unlike anything that I have ever seen before in a primary school, however, all the teachers are trained in the ICT they have at the school, so it is clearly utilised to its full potential.
From a trainee teacher's perspective, I feel that the investment into the use of ICT on all different formats by the school is extremely bold, however I also feel that it is a natural step that many schools are beginning to take. Children need to be taught at school about technology and how to use it, not only for pleasure at home, but also during school, for educational purposes (Bazelgette, 2010). Heinrich (2012) highlights the importance of using iPads and other forms of digital media in the classroom due to their endless malleability. iPads are extremely diverse, and can offer children a range of activities and skills that more traditional learning styles may not be able to (Potter and Darbyshire, 2010).
Another aspect of the ICT department that really interested me was the use of film. The teacher who was guiding us through the vast ICT department at Shirley Warren explained that film can be used in any subject across the curriculum as a means of recording, and also to interest the children. The school had the use of green screen to make the use of film even more engaging for the children. From my perspective, I think that film is a relatively low-cost and effective way to engage children's learning and further their educational development.
One concern that arose during my time at the school was that as a school they were very ICT orientated; I worry that some of the more traditional methods of teaching and learning may be overlooked in favour of the ICT methods. However, whilst at the school the main focus was on digital literacy, and so ICT was the driving focus behind the visit, not allowing us to view all the aspects of teaching and learning in the school.
To conclude; the first visit to Shirley Warren Primary School was truly an eye opener to the amount of ICT available and useable in schools. It showed me that with the right training and proper investing, ICT can become a huge part of the curriculum and also help engage teaching and learning across the entire primary curriculum.
Bazelgette, C. (2010) Teaching Media in Primary Schools, London: Sage
Heinrich, P. (2012) The iPad as a Tool for Education: A study of the introduction of iPads, Winchester: Naace.
Potter, F. and Darbyshire, C. (2010) Understanding and Teaching the ICT National Curriculum, Oxon: Routledge
I was also amazed by the resources the school had to offer. Moreover, I was impressed to see the staff were passionate about implementing the use of technology across the school as well as across the curriculum. I hope to fortunate enough to be able to have the opportunity to use digital devices to support learning in my future practice.
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