Blog 9

On the visit to Shirley Warren Primary School, I was able to gain an insight into how technology is used. I was shocked and surprised at how technology was pushed into year groups from an early age compared to what I have seen on my school placements.  The class teacher of Year 1 was stunned that 29/30 children had access to their own Ipads at home. Therefore, children are already coming to school having prior experience how to use certain Apps. This makes it easier when teaching children, as they already know the basics of how to operate the Ipad. The school shared a previous video that contained footage of the children creating their own art attack piece which shows their skills of using video. Beauchamp (2012) argues that children having access to using technology improves attainment in schools. I was fascinated by the school including a Wii station as a way to motivate good behaviour as well as having access to Ipads to use in class. This compares to my own education of being taught in Primary school, where there were only a few computers available. Children must take advantage of the use of technology in the classroom, as the world is continuously growing in technology.

We were introduced to many new Apps during the time in school which included different features, from creating avatars and recording of sounds. I liked the use of recording sounds because it suits children with fears of performing in front of others and can use an avatar instead. The Apps were very engaging and could be adapted to any lesson through taking photographs and using the green screen to make videos more realistic. I was able to see cross-curricular links between ICT and other subjects due to the use of videos and animation. This helps build children’s confidence in using different forms of technology in school and outside of school as it maximises a positive impact on children’s learning (Halsey, 2007). This encourages the chance to experiment with projects in school through producing videos for different subjects concerning the children’s interests, to motivate their learning (Halsey, 2007). An implication for my own practice is that I am not familiar with using the Ipad, so before going into school I aim to learn how to use the Apps so that any ideas we come up with as a group are portrayed the best way possible. Fortunately, having experimented with the Apps in seminars, I have a good idea of what to do. Thus, I feel that it is important for children to explore the Apps themselves, although the children will already know how to use them very well (Duffy, 2006).

Halsey (2007) puts forward how technology must be embraced through new ways of using emerging technologies in classrooms. I look forward to working with Year 1 in creating animations to do with children’s rights. I have not worked with Key Stage 1 since my first year of University, but I am excited to test different ideas with the children, seeing what works and what does not.

 Beauchamp, G. (2012) ‘What is ICT in the Primary School?: Tools and Techniques’. ICT in the Primary School, From Pedagogy to Practice. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Duffty, J. (2006) Primary ICT: Extending Knowledge in Practice. Essex: Learning Matters Ltd

Halsey, S. (2007) ‘Embracing emergent technologies and envisioning new ways of using them for literacy learning in the primary classroom’. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 6 (2) pp. 99-107. [pdf] Available from: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ832191.pdf (Accessed: 19/03/2014).