Yesterday I spoke to Mary Devine, our Curriculum Development Manager. I wanted to find out my own Authority’s view of using web 2 tools with pupils. Mary left me in no doubt that this is seen as the way forward to develop all sorts of areas of learning.

At the moment there is no specific policy in place about the use of these new online tools. The main priority is to find ways of helping teachers to feel comfortable with the new technologies in order to monopolise on the online communication skills already being developed in the pupils’ lives outside of school.

Most teachers are supporting learning through the use of educational games, researching
on the internet, using Powerpoint, etc.

Outwith school, however, pupils are using ICT on a more social level.

They are using sites such as MSN, where they are involved in synchronous communication, and other sites such as Bebo or My Space, where they are involved in asynchronous communication. One way to ‘bridge the gap’ is seen to be the introduction
of Blogs and Wikis into classrooms.

There are already plans in place to work with some specific pupils from a range of primary schools in the region, but it was stressed that the aim was to allow all children to benefit from access to these tools.

Mary has given me some other contacts within the region ……. more posts pending!