Developing e-learning in the DT curriculum: Where are we now globally and nationally?

The digital technology genie is well and truly out of the bottle and has been for quite some time. We have moved away from our traditional industrial economic roots. As Iain Gray, chief executive of the UK's innovation agency, The Technology Strategy Board puts it; "The world is changing. Globalisation, digital communications and the growth of emerging economies present profound challenges to UK business sectors." 1 Business sectors have been quick to recognise that a different set of skills is required for our workers of tomorrow. In their research paper, The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital age, Davidson and Goldberg argue; "Increasingly today, work regimes involve collaboration with colleagues in teams. Multitasking and overlapping but not discrete strength and skills reinforce capacities to work around problems, work out solutions and work together to complete projects." 2  Adaptability, a willingness to evolve skill and work collaboratively, bolstered by fluency in digital literacies comprise the skills set required by 21st Century employers.

The world of education is experiencing a similar seismic shift. Angela Maiers of Maiers Education Services (USA) explains that as we have moved away from our industrial base, today's student require a new skills set to be successful in today's global economy. In ZD Net's webcast "How do we prepare students for a global knowledge economy" she explains; "In the 20th Century, contact skills were not necessary; they were nice to have for a certain percentage of the population. The context has shifted and the new basics are the skills that were once reserved for the minority of the population. The new core skills of curiosity and adaptability need to become habitual behaviour, a growth mind-set where you are in a constant state of growing your competencies. This will make you marketable, no matter what the industry." 3

In tones that echo Karl Fischer, her fellow contributor Christopher Dawson concludes, "...things are changing rapidly...people need to have a sense of urgency and they need it right now." 4

The recognition of this shift together with the evolution of the "digital resident" (David White: Tallblog) 5, has elicited a mixed response from schools and higher education institutes in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The Univeristy of Toronto acknowledges that their students increasingly use hand held devices to record lecture notes and set up collaborative environments, encouraging back line chat and mutual support. 6 Increasingly, a number of schools in the UK have adopted a pioneering approach and are using digital technologies to engage learners, promote critical and reflective thinking and creativity. Futurelab's report "It's not chalk and talk anymore" cites The Hills Lower School, Bedfordshire as a school in which pupils are able to apply their digital skills "creatively in real world situations" 7 using a range of tools to produce instructional videos. During Phase 3 of the e-Scape Project, Year 10 students at Clevedon Community School, Somerset used hand held devices to create dynamic e-portfolios in Design and Technology. They also successfully took part in ground-breaking paired assessment to mark work produced during a previous phase of the e-Scape Project. Dave White, subject coordinator for DT at Clevedon observed:

"...listening in to the conversations that were going on during the judgements it was apparent that they didn't have any of the hang-ups that I as a teacher have experienced. Without a doubt they were able to spot the creative and innovative thinking in the design work and were rarely taken in by "pretty" or "content based" products. Although I have not been able to see any comparison to the assessments done by the teachers I do have a feeling that they did every bit as well as us...if not better." 8

The introduction of blogging in a number of primary schools has resulted in high levels of engagement, motivation and improved literacy levels. At Heathfield Community Primary School, Bolton, Dave Mitchell Deputy Head has used blogging with Year 6 to postitive effect. As Steve Wheeler in his blog Learning with e's explains: 

"Dave Mitchell showed evidence that all Year 6 pupils in the scheme had each (through teacher assessment and the more formalised SATs tests) gained an average of 6.6 on the literacy scale. This is equivalent to almost two years of development in writing and reading skills." 9

Clearly, in some UK schools there are visionary teachers who have taken on board the importance of equipping today's children with a range of literacies; who are willing to step away from a sole reliance on the printed text and challenge a traditional hierarchical pedagogy. Success storied such as The Hills Lower School, Heathfield CPS and Clevedon Community School show what can be achieved when teachers are willing to experiment and embrace risk.

Some of the examining bodies are also recognising how digital communication can enhance teachers' CPD and are offering for the first time web based interactive conference inset. The advantages are clear, teachers will no longer have to take time off to attend CPD, an increasingly thorny issue in schools these days but can view the conference after school hours. In addition, the fees of web based inset are considerably less  - no expensive conference rooms and lunches to be booked, no travel costs and less of a dent in school's inset budget.

Sadly, top-down commitment to digital technology in UK schools is unconvincing. BECTA was abolished in the May 2010 post-election spending review and went into liquidation in April 2011. The Building Schools for the Future programme was cancelled in 2010. £100 million of the Harnessing Technology Grant was pulled in September 2011, £50 million of which was redirected to the government's Free Schools initiative. A coherent government strategy for ICT in schools seems strangely elusive. In addition to this we have an education secretary who champions "traditional" subjects delivered by "traditional teaching" methods and an Ofsted Chief Inspector who advocates a complete ban on mobile phones in schools.

All things considered, this does not seem indicative of a government body committed to developing digital technology in education

1.       Iain Gray, Chief Exec. Technology Strategy Board: Driving Innovation 2008-2001. Crown copyright TOB/021.

2.       P27. The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age. C.N Davidson and D.T Goldberg. MIT.2009

3.       Angela Maiers: Chief Executive Maiers Education Services USA. http://www.techrepublic.com/webcasts/how-do-we-prepare-students-for-a-global-knowledge-economy/4292797/post?tag=mantle_skin;content

4.       Christopher Dawson: freelance writer, consultant, educator, WizIQ consultant.

5.       David White: http://tallblog.conted.ox.ac.uk/

6.       http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1018531/mobilicity-research-suggests-smartphones-play-increasing-role-in-education

7.       “It’s not chalk and talk anymore” School approaches to developing students’ digital literacy. Digital Participation Strand1: Final report.2010.

8.       P164 e-Scape Portfolio Assessment Phase 3 report. March 2009. Commissioned by BECTA. Published by Goldsmiths, University of London.

9.       http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=heathfield+cps+bolton#!/2011/05/danger-dog-pandora-and-cast-of.html

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