Education Executive Secondary - 1 September 2008

Can't get no interaction?

How can you make the most of the latest interactive technologies and fill your classrooms with engaged and collaborative learners? Suzannah Wright finds out.

Among the current education buzzword, interaction comes second only to personalisation. Most schools now have a good quota of Interactive whiteboards (IWBs), and an increasing ratio of laptops and computers but is this enough?
“We've had a huge investment in technology over the last decade and, to be honest, the use of that technology is not giving good value in terms of return on investment,” says Andy Tyerman, head of personalised learning at government technology agency Becta. Tyerman suggests one reason for this is a focus on technology for technology's sake, rather than starting with learning outcomes.
Guy Bates business development director at XMA, echoes this. “The message we hear from successful leaders is to start with the curriculum, analyse the very best practices being used to support it then find the tools available to fit the learning and teaching practice you agree to adopt.”
It's important to do plenty of research on the effectiveness of different technologies before investing. This may be through informal networking, asking for references from suppliers or through agencies such as Becta.

FOLLOWING THROUGH
Another crucial aspect is to support any investment with a good implementation and training plan. “It's not just about purchasing the technology, it's about the readiness for the institution, for the staff, for the learners, to take on that change. The investment in the change management has to be there, and it comes right from the top,” says Tyerman.
Alex Goudge, marketing manager, Hitachi Interactive Media Solutions, reiterates the need for good training: “Bursars would be well advised to ensure that there is a separate training budget for ICT equipment that can be used to secure the services of qualified and reputable trainers who can show teachers how to use the technology works and how they can maximise a product's potential in the classroom and in the particular subjects they teach.”
Ensure this process of change management and staff involvement continues. Tara Millar, ICT education consultant for Northgate Education, says: “All teachers should have the opportunity to give feedback on their use of these technologies, and share best practice. There are many online communities for teachers to exchange ideas, but it is also very straightforward to set up such communities within a school's virtual learning environment.”

MONEY TALKS
Another crucial consideration is how you'll finance any new technology. “Being able to spread the cost of technology over its useful working life offers financial visibility and stability, and an ongoing relationship with a finance provider can prove a more sustainable, long term funding solution than fundraising or government grants,” explains Philip White, CEO of Syscap.
“A flexible finance agreement can include all aspects of the technology implementation: hardware, software, support and services, and upgrades are easily arranged, often without increasing payments. Different IT solutions can be wrapped in a single agreement that is easy to manage, and ad hoc extras can be added to the agreement at any time.”
So what are the latest trends to consider as you plan your ICT investments? Two key things stand out – interaction between learners and the use of mobile devices or ultra mobile PCs (UMPCs) to extend both interactivity and personalised learning.

ON DISPLAY
IWBs were the original interactive display unit, and continue to provide many opportunities for increasing learner interaction, especially when paired with learner response units. “Commonly used with IWBs, interactive response systems provide the ideal tool to step backwards and review previous learning outcomes before moving forward onto the next stage of the learning pathway,” says Cathy Darnton, ICT development manager, Howells School, Llandaff. Other types of interactive displays are also increasingly common in classrooms.
“We are now seeing the ability to have built-in interactivity without necessarily having to take out the standard whiteboard and replace it with a new IWB,” says Gardner. “Annotation modules can be integrated into projection systems or used as a detachable feature to add increased flexibility in varied installation environments.”
Simeon Joseph, NEC, adds: “Large format touch screen plasma and LCD displays are a solution for smaller classrooms or as a mobile interactive display on wheels which can be shared with several classrooms or locations.”
You can also look for technology and software which will turn any screen or surface into an interactive display by linking a digital pen to your laptop, projecting any notes made with the pen onto a screen.
Whiteboards or other displays can also be linked to other new technologies, such as digital cameras, or visualisers which allow teachers to display learners' work.

ACTIVE LEARNERS
“Most of the ICT expenditure to date has tended to focus on technology for teaching rather than technology for learning,” says Bob Harrison, education adviser, Toshiba Information Systems. “For learning to be effective the learner has to be the active agent and the trend is for technologies which are more related to learning and interaction between learners – a combination of mobile devices and social networking.”
Millar adds: “Handheld and mobile devices, such as PDAs and mini-books, facilitate moves within education to achieve the ideal one-to-one ratio of learners and devices which underpins truly innovative teaching and learning. The variety and scope of devices now available opens up a world of possibilities for learners.”
Harrison suggests that schools may not need to invest in new UMPC devices to tap into this potential – rather they should seek to make the most of what pupils already have.
“I think the aim of a one-to-one ratio is missing the point,” says Harrison. “Most young people and children have more than one device already. Research tells us that if the institution buys a device then the children don't feel aligned to it. If children are connecting with their own devices they have a sense of ownership.”
This of course will need to be carefully balanced with home access schemes to ensure children do not miss out, but it's certainly an interesting point. It may also involve a shift in thinking, and policy, on things like mobile phones.
Millar adds: “Games consoles - which were once banned from classrooms – are now being recognised as effective tools for teaching and learning, and are particularly effective in motivating reluctant learners, often older boys.”
So UMPCs have a great potential to transform learning, but schools should do more than just provide devices or allow pupils to use mobiles in class.
“The challenge for business managers is how do they invest in their own infrastructure to make their systems agile enough to cope with mobile and portable devices owned by the kids themselves,” says Harrison
This means ensuring your network is up to scratch, and also looking for networking options which will allow teachers to retain some element of control in certain situations, such as network projectors which can be networked with students' PCs in the classrooms.
Mobile devices also mean that learning can be taken out of the classroom, making the whole school – in fact the whole world – and interactive learning environment. But that's for another article...