e-learning+Vision+-+Reality

=What is the reality of e-learning in schools and classrooms in New Zealand and Australia? =

Access to ICT in primary schools throughout Australia (Way & Webb, 2007) and New Zealand (Johnson, Calvert, & Raggett, 2009) has substantially increased over recent years and there is evidence of its growth in use by teachers and students.

However, in Australia and New Zealand the uptake of and innovative use of e-learning varies from teacher to teacher, from school to school and from learning context to learning context. Finger et al. (2007) found that the actual achievement of ICT in Australian and New Zealand schools seems to be characterised by steady progress, patches of innovation, rather than revolutionary change.

Robertson, Webb & Fluck (2007), Way & Webb (2007) and Hayes (2007) are also quick to point out that although ICT is being used in Australian classrooms, the way it is being used varies greatly and for many, the arrival of computers and the Internet has not dramatically changed how teachers teach and how students learn. They found that most schools describe ICT as a ‘curriculum tool’ and use ICT to enhance existing practices and increase efficiency.

 Similarly, in New Zealand, Ward and Parr (2008) state that there is a substantial body of research that suggests that ICT policy is not substantially changing the practice or promoting 21st century learning in more than a few classrooms. ‘The ICT in School Report: 2009’ (Johnson, et al., 2009) showed that there was a significant movement from 2007 in the use of ICT in primary school with 36 % of teachers in 2009 saying that they used many computer applications and as an instructional aid, compared to 0% in 2007. In addition, Johnson et al. (2009) also noted that in the integration of ICT into the curriculum, there had been a movement from 4% in 2007 to 22% in 2009. However, it is difficult to ascertain how many teachers are using e-learning innovatively as the research did not address this. Bolstad and Gilbert (2008) agree, arguing that they and other educators in their field, have found that much use of ICT in New Zealand schools is ‘busy work’ and question what has been done in New Zealand to redevelop our schools for the 21st century.


 * = **White hat Question**:

Facts & Information || || What are the main factors that you believe determine the ways that teachers use ICT in schools? || This highlights, for both New Zealand and Australian, the crucial role that teachers play in this e-learning journey. MCEEYTA (2004) and Finger et al. (2007) emphasize how teachers play an important role in ensuing effective teaching and learning and specifically in making certain that the integration of ICT is pedagogically sound. The role of the teacher is crucial because, as clearly explained by Wright (2010), the teacher is responsible for organising spaces, resources and opportunities for learning. As highlighted in ‘Enabling the 21st century learner’, the MOE (2006) emphasises that teachers have the responsibility for evaluating the appropriateness and effectiveness of available technologies and digital recourses, deciding when and how to use them with their students. Most researchers concur with John and Sutherland (2004) and Campbell (2001) who stress that it is the way in which ICT tools are incorporated into that is of fundamental importance.

MCEEYTA (2004) clearly state that the teacher pedagogies will determine the extent to which the possibilities offered by ICT are realised in educational setting. As such, Spillane and Cohen and Hill (2000 as cited in Ward & Parr, 2008) have shown that the key to pedagogical reform lies in the willingness and capacity of teachers to change practice.

In conclusion, teachers are a key to the full potential of e-learning being realised in classrooms which in turn is a major contributing factor to the disparities in uptake of e-learning.


 * = **Green Hat Question: **

New Ideas || || Review the list of factors that you think contribute to the way that teachers are using ICT in schools. (From above question)

 List some strategies that could be put in place to overcome some of these factors. ||