English and ICT

Using ICT for reflection

Introduction

In their academic lives, most student teachers rely heavily on ICT to produce and present work and to access information. They therefore easily recognise the role of ICT in the classroom to provide similar facilities. However, although many student teachers will also frequently use the facilities for recording sound and images in their everyday lives, the role of ICT as a tool for recording in academic contexts may well be less familiar.

In our work with student teachers, we aim to encourage them to be aware that the increasing availability of technology for recording offers new opportunities for capturing and later returning to classroom activities and learning in process. Such facilities are important in providing:

• motivation and focus for children's activities
• opportunities for children to reflect on their experiences and develop their learning & for self assessment
• opportunities for teacher assessment.
• opportunities for teacher self evaluation

However, there are issues which need to be raised over the collection and storing of such images. These include:

• ethical considerations – student teachers need to be made aware of the need to consult school and local authority guidance on the collection and storing of images of children
• ownership and choice – student teachers need to be encouraged to recognise the need to consider carefully how images will be collected and used and the issues of ownership and power involved in this process.