Literature Review: the Teacher as a Researcher

Literature review Teacher and pupil understanding of ICT and e-safety in schools is an issue that is current and topical due to its increasing presence in primary education. The Byron Review (2008) has drawn attention to this with its extensive assessment of the internet and video games and how they affect children. This Byron Review supports the key issues in Internet safety and ICT use by identifying just how integral these technologies are to children’s lives.

The review makes explicit recommendations to needed protect internet users whilst highlighting the importance of furthering our understanding of the risks and then educating ourselves on the benefits and dangers of e-safety and ICT. This highlights the vital role teacher play in safeguarding pupils to ensure they can use the internet and other technologies safely (Woollarda et al 2009). Cox and Marshall (2007) carried out a review of ICT posing the question ‘Effects of ICT; Do we know what we should know? ’ (p. 9) both authors of this paper have a prolific reputation in the area of ICT and education over the past decade and their paper addresses the importance of increasing our understanding ICT, and its long and short term impact on students learning and how it affects learning (p. 59). The importance of ensuring not only our knowledge of the impact of ICT on students learning but also how it impacts students thinking and acting (p. 68). This has direct implications on the use of ICT technologies in the many methods and settings now available to students such of the internet.

By ensuring teaching professionals understand the true extent to which ICT affects students learning, attitudes, values and beliefs is essential to all individuals involved in education and the future of ICT in education. Across research into ICT and its implementation the central role of teachers in ensuring these technologies are used safely and effectively across the curriculum is acknowledged (Woollard et al 2009. Cox 1997; Sunderland et al 2004; Tondeuret al 2007; Loveless, 2003; Pearson and Naylor 2006).

This role of teachers is in pivotal in ICT and its future in education and has a direct impact on students experiences and understanding of e-safety. Woolard et al (2009) Carrier out a study focusing on identifying the training needs of teachers with regards to ICT communications in schools and e-safety (p. 188). This began with an evaluation of current e-safety resources and then a study of how trainees responded to these resources and PGCE based training. This study confirms the need for training teachers adequately to ensure they have the confidence, knowledge and adaptability necessary (Jones 2004).

These skills are essential to all teaching professionals to safeguard pupils whilst ensuring ICT technologies are implements effectively in the classroom to reap the rewards on pupils learning and motivation that have been identified (Liao 1999; Cox and Abbott 2004; Cox 1997; Hennessy et al. 2005; Goodinson 2002a; Goodinson 2002b). (415 words) Bibliography Byron, T (2008) Safer Children in a Digital World. The Report of the Byron Review. DCSF Publications ; Nottingham UK. Woollarda, J,. Wickensb, C.

Powellc, K and Russell, T (2009) Evaluation of e-safety materials for initial teacher training: can ‘Jenny’s Story’ make a difference? Technology, Pedagogy and Education. Vol. 18, pp. 187–200. Routledge: UK Cox, M. Marshall, G (2007) Effects of ICT: Do we Know what we should? Education and Information Technologies. 12: 50 – 70. Springer. Cox, M. J. (1997). The effects of information technology on students’ motivation. Final report. National Council for Educational Technology, Coventry. Cox, M. J. , & Abbott, C. (2004).

ICT and attainment: A review of the research literature, Coventry and London, British Educational Communications and Technology Agency/Department for Education and Skills. Goodison, T (2002) Enhancing learning with ICT at primary level. British Journal of Educational Technology. Vol 33, 215 -228. Goodison, T (2002) ICT and attainment at primary level. British Journal of Educational Technology. Vol 33, 202 -211. Hennessy, S. , Ruthven, K. , & Brindley, S. (2005). Teacher perspectives on integrating ICT into subject teaching: Commitment, constraints, caution and change.

Journal of Curriculum Studies, 37, 155–192. Jones, A. (2004). A review of the research literature on barriers to the uptake of ICT by teachers. Coventry: Becta Liao, Y. K. C. (1999). Effects of hypermedia on students’ achievement: a meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 8(3), 255–277. Loveless, A (2003) The role of ICT. Continuum. London Tondeur, J. van Braak, J and Valcke, M (2007) Curricula and the use of ICT in education: Two worlds apart? British Journal of Educational Technology. P. 962–976

Dwyer, J (2007) Computer-based Learning in a Primary School: Differences between the early and later years of primary schooling. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. Vol 35. pp. 89 – 103. Sutherland, R. , Armstrong, V. , Barnes, S. , Brawn, R. , Breeze, N. , Gall, M. , et al (2004) Transforming teaching and learning: Embedding ICT into everyday classroom practices. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 20, 413-425. Pearson, M. , & Naylor, S. (2006). Changing contexts: Teacher professional development and ICT pedagogy. Education and Information Technologies, 11, 283–291.