Mainstream technology tools are still very basic and miss the point a bit. I guess that is where the distinction occurs between web1.0 and web2.0 tools (which incorporate some VLE tools, even though they are occur within a walled garden) These will become/are becoming the teaching aids of teachers looking to enhance the T&L process. No proof. No evidence. Just because they believe it does.

And, for now, that is a good thing. Teachers should be trusted to choose their weapon. And we must continue to inform them of the ever-increasing arsenal.

This for me sums up the ideal use of technology in schools, and is what we need to teach students…

Different disciplines require different skills. Some of those skills might be best served by a tech/vle approach others might be better suited to other approaches. Not only do we need to be flexible and not expect the same use of vles from every teacher regardless of their subject, but also we need to expect flexibility from our pupils to choose and use an appropriate tool for the task because it is the best tool and not because it is ‘the latest thing’.

That is one of the reasons I am a fan of Google Apps Edu. Providing tools and functionality without the pressure to use them. It’s also why I’d like to see the pursuit of handheld devices for school comms between teachers and pupils. Organisational devices for homework, information, targets, detentions(?), events etc. Quick. Easy. Efficient. Flexible.

What scares and annoys me is the forcing of tech on teachers – which I’m glad you seem to not advocating with your few subjects at a time approach. I have just left teaching (5 years as an ICT teacher)and now advise a large FE college on their use of ICT. I have witnessed many establishments including the one I have just left do a great job of killing teachers enthusiasm for tech in the classroom, from dropping smart boards in every class then giving no training to forcing through lesson obs and performance reviews the staff to ONLY put there lessons into the VLE (and always a very expensive inflexible one at that)

The joy of teaching with technology is just that, teaching WITH technology not because you have to use it or you will be hauled up in front of SMT (who probably don’t every use a VLE!)

I believe its like James Clay has said if you can get going with just one thing- small quick wins perhaps, that will enthuse staff and students alike then the take up of proper embedded learning using technology can flourish.

Thanks for the post, be interested to see what others think.

Sometimes we ask:
Does it make a good teacher better? Can it make a poor teacher passable?

But we need to also ask:
Can technology detract from an excellent lesson? Can good teachers get so caught up with the technology that they spend less time on the content and more on the medium?

This in my opinion has been the major stumbling block to a widespread adoption of VLEs and other technology in schools as for some teacher it requires a significant change of practice. And for many of our excellent and experienced teachers this does not equate to an improvement.

VLEs on the whole fail to meet teachers where they are and instead require them to change their style to fit the VLE.

Have no doubt I do think VLEs can have a significant and positive influence on teaching and learning; but it needs to marry in to the disparate styles of teachers.

Some want somewhere to store documents for students to access out of class; others want a way to communicate more easily with students (group email etc); some want to offer their students a multimedia environment; and some want the whole virtual world (and then some!)…

What we as schools and facilitators of the use of technology need to understand that not every teacher is like us – and not every teacher would be a better teacher if they used more technology!

Every teacher, like every student, is different and we must help them find which bits are right for them…