The Use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) by Secondary Design and Technology (D&T) Trainee Teachers in the UK.

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1 The Use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) by Secondary Design and Technology (D&T) Trainee Teachers in the UK. Marion Rutland University of Surrey Roehampton UK Abstract This paper focuses on the use of ICT by trainee teacher on their teaching practice. It refers to a small-scale research project carried out in July 1999 by tutors and a teacher mentor of a postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) Secondary D&T initial teacher education (ITE) course. The research examined the ICT resources available, their use in the curriculum, possible problems in the use of ICT, and inservice (INSET) requirements in a sample of their partner schools working with D&T students. The course tutors, because of concerns about the variation of ICT D&T resources available for use, initiated the research in a sample of the partner schools. In recent years there had been a marked rise in the ICT capability of the students entering the PGCE due, it was felt, to the increased use of computers on their degree courses combined with wider access and use of computers in the work place and at home. Tutors were concerned that some students were reporting difficulties in the development of the use of ICT in their classroom practice. The implications of the data collected are considered in terms of the revised Design and Technology National Curriculum implemented in English schools in September 2000 and the Government Circular 4/98 'Requirements for courses of Initial Teacher Training' (1998). Reference is made to the establishment of the 'CAD/CAM Initiatives in Schools', the Government-supported national computer aided design and computer aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) scheme. The paper presents the findings of the initial research and refers to on going research into Internet connections and its use in secondary schools in the UK. It outlines ways in which the trainee teachers develop the knowledge and understanding of, and competence, with ICT in D&T to enable them to decide when the use of ICT is appropriate and effective in their teaching. 219

2 Introduction The PGCE Secondary D&T course at the University of Surrey Roehampton is a one year full-time course for students with a first degree and backgrounds in the subject domain of D&T. The students spend 24 weeks of the 36 week course in schools. Recruitment is based on the guidance of the Design and Technology Association (DATA, 1995). Students can specialise in one of four specialist areas of control systems, food technology, textiles technology and resistant materials, The use of ICT in their teaching in schools has always been given a strong emphasis on the course with regular practical workshops in the use and application of software. These have included sessions using word processing, DTP, spreadsheets, databases, CAD/CAM, electronics software, control software and hardware and the use of the Internet. ICT in secondary schools in the UK The use of ICT in secondary schools has a recent but relatively fast moving history in the school curriculum in the UK. In the early to middle 1960s computers were rarely seen in use in schools and few teachers had any formal training. With the increased availability of computers at the end of the 1970s, computer studies examination courses became popular and were taught in specialist computer rooms. (DES,1990a). Boyd-Barrett (1991) argued that interest was restricted to a minority of teachers, who were mostly men based in science and mathematics departments. It was not until the 1980s, with the invention of the microcomputer, that it was possible to introduce computers into individual classrooms to support the curriculum. However, it was the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1990 that established a need for computers in the school curriculum. Pupils were required to use computers in their lessons to communicate and handle information, design, develop, explore and evaluate models of real or imaginary situations and measure and control physical variables and movement (DES, 1990b). Such activities raised issues of access to computers and ICT literacy for both the pupils in school and their teachers. The latest National Curriculum document for D&T highlights the compulsory nature of computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) in secondary schools as an integral part of designing and making (DfEE, QCA, 1999). Similarly, PGCE students to gain qualified teachers status (QTS) must demonstrate by the end of their courses that they have achieved all the 'Standards' required on courses of Initial Teacher Training (DfEE, 1998). These include knowledge and understanding of, and competence, with ICT in their subject to enable them to decide when the use of ICT is appropriate and effective to achieve their teaching objectives. The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) has supported the emphasis on CAD/CAM in the D&T curriculum through the 'CAD/CAM Initiative in Schools' launched in June This has included the provision of ICT hardware to develop the use of CAD/CAM in schools and at home. DATA has established, through a DfEE grant, a process for releasing industry based software - for example, ProDESKTOP and ArtCAM - to schools through accredited trainers and teachers. Throughout these developments there has been support from a range of industries represented by BAE Systems, Jaguar Cars and manufacturers of ICT resources. 220

3 Research into the use of ICT in partner schools Course tutors on the PGCE D&T courses during the academic year 1998/9 became increasingly concerned that students were reporting variations in the types of ICT resources in schools and difficulties in the use of ICT in their classroom practice. This was discouraging, as the ICT audit of the students entering the course in recent years noted a marked improvement in their level of ICT expertise. This improvement is thought to be due to the increased use of ICT on first degree courses and the numbers of mature students with industrial or commercial experience who have used computers in the work place and at home. As a result of these concerns it was decided in the summer of 1999 to carry out a survey of the ICT resources and in-service requirements in a number of the University's partner schools (Rutland, Pepper, 2000). A local head of department and D&T mentor from a partner school devised a questionnaire, visited schools, talked to the teachers and completed a survey. Nine schools were visited; all of which had a long association with the University and students. They included boys and girls, and mixed comprehensive and selective schools. The questionnaire was divided into seven sections including CAD, CAM, electronics, control, desktop publishing (DTP)/painting packages and resources, CD databases and Internet. The teachers were asked about the use of ICT resources in their departmental curriculum, any problems in ICT provision for teaching and INSET requirements on the scale of a high, intermediate or starter level. The problems listed included time, cost, lack of expertise, no hardware, no software and no access to computers. Summary of results CAD The range of software used was broad and varied. CAD software was in use in only five of the schools across the age range years. Two schools used 2 D Design with very few schools using the industry-based software. Cost and lack of software were identified as problems by three schools, and lack of hardware in two. CAM CAM equipment was in use in six schools across the age range years, with milling machines and CAD/CAM sewing machines scoring the highest use. One school reported a CAD/CAM sewing machine they did not use. The range of equipment manufacturers represented was wide. Lack of hardware was identified as a problem by four schools, cost by two and lack of expertise and software by one. Electronics It was of concern that three schools had no electronics software, two had some but did not use it, with only three using it across the full age range. Lack of hardware was identified as a problem by five schools, lack of expertise by three schools and cost and lack of software by one. Crocodile Clips and PC Wizard proved to be the most popular choice of software. Control It was noted that there were no programmable integrated chip (PIC) resources in any of the schools. Lego Dacta was found in four schools, used by science and IT in two schools, followed by Logicator in two schools. Only four schools were using their 221

4 control resources across the full age range Lack of hardware was identified as a problem by three schools, followed by cost and lack of software by one. DTP/painting packages and resources This group contained a wide range of software and resources used to produce pictures and graphics from DTP, graphics and painting packages. This was the only section where all the schools had desktop publishing software and used it across the full age range of their curriculum. The digital camera was in use in five schools, particularly for recording examination course work. Three schools had a video camera. Problems in this section were limited to cost by two schools and lack of expertise by one. CD databases A limited range was found in use in schools with materials based CDs in three schools, food analysis CDs in three school and TEP CDs in two schools. CDs produced by examination boards for revision were found in one school. Two schools had none. As a rich research, analysis and revision resource for pupils this is disappointing. No school identified any problems in this section. Internet Six schools had Internet access at school level, and one school expressed a need for starter level INSET as a first priority. No school had access at departmental level, making the use of the Internet as a research tool in the classroom difficult to achieve. Lack of direct departmental access was identified as a problem by seven schools. The findings indicated that: CAD was not well developed in the schools, with only five of them integrating it into their curriculum. There was no pattern of the use of specific software and little use of commercial and industrial software. A need for INSET was identified but it lacked a focus. Schools had a broad range of CAM equipment, but a lack of hardware, expertise and money were highlighted as problems in this area. INSET needs were identified for training on the use of equipment, but because of the variety of machines it lacked a coherent pattern. Electronics software was not widely available and its use in the curriculum was restricted to a small number of schools. Lack of hardware and lack of expertise were identified as problems in this area. INSET needs focused on the use Crocodile Clips and PC Wizard. The recently developed PIC control resources were not found in any school. Generally, control software and hardware were available schools but they not widely used in the curriculum. Despite this, INSET needs were not identified. Generic software, such as desktop publishing packages, proved to be widely used in the partner schools. The use of the digital camera to record D&T activities for examination work was noted. D&T CD databases, though a rich sources for research and analysis, are not widely used in the partner schools. Internet access is available in the schools but not in the D&T departments. 222

5 Recent development As a result of the survey a number of small, but significant modifications have been made to the PGCE course. In the early 1990s there had been a need to teach the students how to use the generic software before considering their possible use in the curriculum. However, due to the increasing expertise of students entering the course, tutors are more able to concentrate on helping the students developed a range of ICT based activities for use by the pupils in the classroom. The approach now taken is that the students are introduced the software by the D&T tutor, with opportunities for students with a low level of expertise in certain areas to attend additional university based classes outside taught sessions. The group was then asked to devise a series of ICT based tasks for classroom use, some of which were to be presented with the course formal assignments. Students could begin working at their own level and develop additional ICT skills. They could choose the context of the activity and usually focuses on their specialist area. The tasks over the autumn and spring terms were: Task 1 Communicating information - Desk Top Publishing (DTP) As a new design and technology teacher with a specialism in...you have been asked by your head of department to design and produced a leaflet to inform pupils and promote your specialist field within the D&T Year 10 option group for next year. Task 2 Using spreadsheets for modelling You are introducing Year 10 pupils to their main GCSE Design and Technology:...project and want to show them how to investigate costs by varying the materials used. Create a model to use as a classroom demonstration and class exercise. Task 3 Handling information using databases As a specialist design and technology teacher you have decided to design and begin to create a database on the properties of materials used in your field. You want pupils to be able to use it to investigate and search for materials for their projects with specific properties, specific size and price etc. Task 4-Using the Internet for research Access sites on the internet to collect and present research data that could be used as teaching/learning resources in a school based D&T project of your own choice. Present them as part of Assignment 2 on teaching strategies and children's learning Task 5 Use ICT to prepare worksheets/teaching materials to present with Assignment 2 or 3 illustrating the use of at least one of the following software: Graphic packages Painting packages CAD packages Task 6 Use the CAM/CAM software '2D Design', or 'ProDesktop' develop a task that you could use with pupils when in the classroom. It can be for any age range or course. It can be presented as part of Assignment 3. The introduction in 1999/2000 of the sophisticated industry based CAD/CAM software 'ProDesktop' that can be used at a simple level with young children was an important move. One of the tutors became a trainer and was able to teach the students how to use the software and enable them to gain the licensed software to use at home and in future teaching posts. A key issue is that the licence belongs to the teacher not the school and so moves with the teachers to another schools. A video conferencing link was set up with a manufacture of CAM resources to manufacture the designs 223

6 develop, but it has now been decided to buy new CAM equipment for use at the university. In the summer of 2000 free INSET sessions on the use of ProDesktop were offered to the mentors in our partner schools. These proved to be very popular, as the teachers were able to take up the DATA offer of a software licence for use in their schools. This has resulted in a much more coherent picture of CAD/CAM software in the majority of the partner schools. The use of control, and to some extent electronics software, in school continues to be an issue. The students have taught sessions at the university in the use of Crocodile Clips and Lego dacta Robolab. However, discussion with the students indicates that though the situation has improved since the survey in 1999 not all schools have, or use, these types of software. Control and electronics software and hardware tends to be found more in boys or selective schools who also offer GCSE System and Control. In the food technology sessions at the university the students use specialist database nutrition analysis programmes and explore ways of using generic software such as spreadsheets in their teaching. Students have experience of using CAD/CAM sewing machines for designing and making in textile technology and are introduced to 2D graphical pattern drafting software. Jervis and Steeg (2000) have discussed the use of the Internet in secondary schools, and they conclude that there have been rapid developments in Internet access in British schools during the period D&T has a relatively strong position compared with other subjects with 30% of departments having one Internet computer. However, this has not translated into extensive use and they found that current use is very low. Issues noted included staff training, the need for effective online D&T resources to support teaching and learning and the provision of an adequate bandwidth at affordable prices. These findings support the findings of the small-scale research project carried out in the PGCE partner schools. The students in teaching sessions at the university appreciated the research potential of the Internet, but commented that this is not evident in the schools. The results of the initial ICT survey, feed back to the teachers though mentor training sessions, proved to be a very useful tool to help audit the situation in partner schools. The main focus of the student's ICT training remains knowledge and understanding of, and competence, with ICT in D&T to enable them to decide when the use of ICT is appropriate and effective to achieve their teaching objectives. This includes the use of generic and D&T subject specific software such as CAD and computer controlled equipment. Course planners have been able to refine and develop the expertise of the students and the teachers in partner schools. It is an ongoing process but the survey helped open a fruitful and continuing dialogue. Bibliography Boyd-Barrett, O (1991) Computers and Learning, Buckingham, Open University. DES (1990a) Computing as a Specialist Subject in Schools and Sixth Form Colleges, London, HMSO. 224

7 DES (1990b) Information technology from 5 to 16, London, HMSO. DfEE (1998) Requirements for Courses of Initial Teacher Training, Circular number 4/98, London, Teacher Training Agency (TTA). DfEE, QCA (1999) Design and Technology. The National Curriculum for England, London, HMSO Jervis, A, Steeg, T (2000) 'Growth in Internet connections and use in British secondary schools :current practice in and implications for teaching and learning in design and technology', The International Conference on Design and Technology Educational Research and Curriculum Development (IDATER 2000) Loughborough University of Technology Rutland, M, Pepper, L (2000) 'Information communication technology (ICT) in secondary design and technology (D&T) teaching: a study of partner schools linked to a postgraduate initial teacher education (ITE) course', The International Conference on Design and Technology Educational Research and Curriculum Development (IDATER 2000) Loughborough University of Technology. 225

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