Effects of ICT on Personalised Learning
TIPD Report - Westminster Academy School
Author: Maka Baramidze
Summary:
Summary
This is a joint report by Anita Bjelica and Maka Baramidze
| Names of teachers visiting | Anita Bjelica and Maka Baramidze |
| e-mail address | |
| Reference and title of visit | Effects of ICT on Personalised Learning |
| Provider | Specialist Schools and Academies Trust |
| Country and region visited | Czech Republic, Prague |
| Dates of visit | 14.02.2007 to 21.02.2007 |
| Types of schools visited | Primary school, 7 to 14 years |
| Ages of students observed | 7 to 14 years |
| Languages used | English and Czech |
| Key Educational purpose of the visit | To observe how the use of ICT supports Personalised Learning. |
Introduction: (Intended Aims of the visit)
- To research and share wide range and effective use of ICT to support personalised learning in the classroom. (conference)
- To observe use of ICT in the lessons in Czech school to support students' personalised learning.
- To share good practice with Czech colleagues.
- To plan collaborative ICT projects to support student personalised learning in both schools.
- To plan collaborative ICT projects to help teachers' professional development.
- To discuss and plan potential student exchange projects in future.
Keywords:
ict, personalised learning, Czech Republic, digital, collaborative
Professional study:
Report on the Experience:
Conference:
Our group comprised two secondary teachers from Westminster Academy, London. The group leader, Assistant Principal of WA in charge of Global citizenship, is currently applying for academy to get the International School Award. The group members had already established the link with ZS Lupacova School in Prague and had planned the aims and intended outcomes of the visit. Both members were already competent users of ICT in their classrooms, e g. Interactive White Board, Active Studio; Personal laptops; Projectors; Digital cameras and Visualizers.
First two days we attended the conference run by MirandaNet, "ICT Towards Personalised Learning and Etopia Project" where several UK schools presented their findings how different ICT resources had changed their students' learning styles and raised their achievements including the reluctant learners. The main researches were presented on the following software programmes and ICT equipments:
- Inspiration- mind mapping software
- Digital Blue- Animation Software
- Moodle- personalised learning software
- Portable computer, camera, recorder
On the other hand it was a valuable opportunity to share our school's good practice with other UK schools how using ICT promotes students' personalised learning. (PP Presentation: ‘WA Prague.')
Digital Blue and Inspiration Softwares were identified particularly suitable for the students in WA. The majority of them are of different background, with EAL and SEN needs, so it was felt that mind mapping software would help them to develop thinking/analytical skills necessary for understanding more complex/abstract concepts. Digital Blue Software would be ideal in our Integrated Curriculum across KS3. It will develop students' RSA (Royal Society of Arts) competences in five main areas:
School Visit:
During our week long visit to the school, we were able to establish a link person at the school who will lead on all other future collaborative projects. We went into classes and talked to students about their work and the work that they had prepared for us on the topic of Etopia. It was fascinating to see how much work they had put in and the fact that they were all trying to communicate in English (some very well!!!). This inspired us to reciprocate the favour.
Our observations with regards to the comparison between the two schools were that both schools did use ICT in lessons although we realised that we used much more of it and so did our students. There were only 9 interactive boards in the school and although we did see students use them successfully, it did point to us that we were in a very enviable position where every teacher had a laptop and every classroom had 6 computers at the back to the class + 5 ICT suits.
One example of where we could learn from out Czech friends is in the overall care and presentation around the school. The atmosphere was very calm and there were a lot of examples of children's work on the walls, many of it done using ICT.
When we talked to the young people, they were very keen on maintaining and improving the email contact and working towards projects together. The teachers were also very positive and responsive and we felt that there was a lot of scope for collaborative projects using ICT (Etopia project related work).
The headmaster was very much interested in the idea of videoconferencing and this gave us a lot of buzz since we felt that there is a lot of potential in making strong links between two schools of a very different cultural identity and variety.
Critique:
EVALUATION: Intended Outcomes of the visit:
- Equip participants with skills, knowledge and understanding to lead improvements in using ICT in the classroom to raise attainment in both UK and Czech schools.
- Implementation of different strategies of good practice observed in Czech school.
- Planning of collaborative ICT projects to enhance student personalised learning.
- Increased use of emails and internet between students and teachers in both schools.
- Building on existing links between the two schools.
Learning:
EVALUATION: Intended Outcomes of the visit:
- Equip participants with skills, knowledge and understanding to lead improvements in using ICT in the classroom to raise attainment in both UK and Czech schools.
- Implementation of different strategies of good practice observed in Czech school.
- Planning of collaborative ICT projects to enhance student personalised learning.
- Increased use of emails and internet between students and teachers in both schools.
- Building on existing links between the two schools.
Reflections:
View all reflections in this E-Journal
Peer Reviews:
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