The 8th ICT in Education Conference 2012 in LIT Tipperary Thurles Campus takes place on May 19th. The theme of the conference is ‘Learning Spaces‘. According to the website,
The conference is not primarily about technology and learning; instead, it is about connecting enthusiasts at all levels of Ireland’s educational system.
My presentation at the conferences titled ‘Tablets in the Classroom: Towards a new Pedagogy“. I am co-presenting with Daniel Hyland of St. Colman’s College.
There is a great ‘buzz’ around the use of tablets in the classroom whether they be iPads or Android devices. However, as their use is still an emerging field, little appears to have been written about the effective implementation of these devices (and others) in the classroom. Research by BECTA in 2005 demonstrated that ICT had little overall improvement in attainment in the classroom while research in 2007 showed better than expected improvements in ‘learning outcomes’ although better at primary level than at second level. 2009 research focused on the ‘learning impacts’ of ICT. So are these devices ‘just another tool’ or are we about to witness a paradigm shift in teaching and learning?
I would like to begin a conversation on the role and use of these devices in the classroom. More importantly, what will be the role of the teacher and how will teacher competencies need to change so that the use of these ‘tools’ can be maximized?
I am using the Twitter hashtag #21CT – 21st Century Teaching – to post comments. Feel free to add your ideas, comments, concerns and hopes. There is a real opportunity for practice to evolve from the ground up rather than from the top down.