Computers in schools

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd may be pushing a plan for a laptop for every school, but new research suggests more is required to produce improved learning outcomes for kids.

The Partnerships in ICT Learning report says the use of technology does not guarantee an improvement in performance.

The report says: “There were examples of teachers unwilling to be involved in projects because they saw ICT use as more work, peripheral to the main game in schools, avoidable, not guaranteeing improved learning outcomes and outside their experience and expertise.”

Professor John Pegg from the University of New England, one of the authors of the report, told The Australian: “Computers are highly motivational for the kids; they’re great for capturing kids’ attention, but in terms of learning it’s not really clear. If teachers don’t change their teaching to support that… you can expect no difference.”

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