How does ICT support personalised and individualised learning? Snapshots of Practice Georgina Stein March 2004
How does ICT support personalised and individualised learning? Background Personalised and individualised learning was highlighted by Estelle Morris in December 2001 when it announced that 50 million was to be made available to fund Curriculum Online to provide materials for every curriculum subject to transform learning in schools. Curriculum Online [COL] will provide teachers with the best resources available and will free them up to do what they do best teaching. Curriculum Online will: help teachers to spend more time teaching and motivating pupils by providing quick, safe access to lesson materials through the internet; and raise standards by offering one-to-one support through the Internet and individualised learning that lets the more able progress at a quicker pace and motivates and supports less able pupils. Curriculum Online unlocks the potential for all pupils to learn in exciting ways. It will also enable us to move towards greater individualised learning, with each pupil learning more flexibly and according to their own needs. [Estelle Morris, 2001]. More recently Charles Clarke [January 2004] announced: ICT transforms education and the way that children learn. Every child matters, and I want a system of personalised learning that allows each of them to learn at their own pace, in ways that suit them best. Effective use of the latest technology is absolutely vital to realising this vision. It is not about technology, it is about what technology can do to meet the personal needs of every learner, raising their aspirations and achievement. Summary Description This report seeks to identify and clarify how ICT is used to support personalised and individualised learning. Sample schools from different regions across England participated in this study [March 2004]. 66 teachers and 1167 students are represented. How ICT supports personalised and individualised learning is discussed in terms of: 1. How schools use ICT to improve the teaching and learning experiences of individual students. 2. How schools use ICT in different subjects to support individual needs. 3. What pedagogical issues surrounding personalised and individualised learning and teaching programmes exist? 4. What barriers exist to extending current practice to all students? 5. What requirements are necessary to enhance / improve current practice using ICT to raise standards? 6. What is needed to extend individualised learning programmes? 2
1. How do schools use ICT to improve the teaching and learning experiences of individual pupils / students? How schools use ICT to improve the teaching and learning experiences of individual students is best described in terms of how teacher observations of the learning process informs their use of ICT for teaching and makes a significant contribution to the planning process that supports individual learners and their use of ICT. ICT and improvements in learning and teaching are inextricably linked. Improved Learning ICT Improved Teaching An aspect of teacher-use of ICT is predetermined by decisions that are made at local and national levels. For example the introduction of ICT suites has had a significant impact on teaching and learning across all subjects. Access to ICT resources is therefore restricted and in Primary Schools for example, teachers find it is difficult to extend the use of ICT within Literacy Hour, as this is a classroom-based activity. Teachers recognise that ICT could be widely used to support the teaching and learning experiences of individual students, although teacher perceptions of ICT-use within this context places students in a one-to-one situation with computer with little collaborative individualised learning taking place. Teachers randomly use ICT to create effective, creative, supportive, motivating and stimulating learning environments that generally enrich the learning experiences of the students and improve communication. There appears to be no clear detailed rationale or structure to the systems and procedures adopted by teachers. Teachers, to support their own definition of individualised learning, use digital resources such as computers, digital cameras, and scanners as well as Integrated Learning Systems [ILS] and digital video in some schools to support individual needs, however there is a degree of confusion in the minds of teachers in relation to the use of an ILS and individualised learning generally. Individualised learning plans for students are dominated by the teachers desire to support and improve student attitudes to learning and their experience of learning rather than the need for individuals to gain specific knowledge, skills or understanding. Teachers adopt different strategies to measure the individualised learning gains that ICT brings to teaching and learning. For example, teacher assessment of the effectiveness of the teaching and learning strategies they deploy vary. Teachers acknowledge that ICT helps them plan, record, access and report on student progress and yet the more immeasurable features of ICT use, such as increased motivation and communication are not easily described or measured by teachers. It is, however, clear teachers and students value the contribution that ICT makes to them as individuals. Increased student motivation appears to be a high priority feature of personalised / individualised learning and improved communication. It is one of the success criteria for teachers. ICT is seen as the enabler, the tool that supports communication between students, teachers and parents. This leads to effective practices and personalised learning programmes. For example, student progress is discussed at a child s Annual Review and parents often comment on their child s increased use of ICT. Although this is not measurable in a formal sense, one of the most important factors for a special school is the visible increase in confidence. Even though teachers are unable to measure such implicit benefits of ICT formally, e.g. through curriculum targets, teacher observation of student behaviour does inform curriculum planning. ICT supports a variety of target setting, recording, monitoring and reporting mechanisms that are used by schools to help meet individual needs. Learning frameworks for example are created for students to work at their own pace through a programme of study that is designed for their specific needs. ICT has made it possible for teachers to plan to deliver the curriculum more effectively and record student progress more easily but it is recognised that limited teacher ICT skills has an impact upon the ability 3
to generalise more fully. Personalised and individualised learning programmes are a common feature within classrooms where teachers are ICT competent and confident. Goal for example, the School Continuous Improvement Programme, contains a suite of high quality assessments written to match National Curriculum Attainment Targets, the literacy and numeracy strategies and the QCA targets. Such a tool in ICT literate hands has a significant impact upon individualised learning programmes. Adaptation and the ability to transform teaching and learning is dependent upon skilled ICT literate teachers who can effectively manage a plethora of digital resources and match them to the needs of students and the curriculum more generally. 2. What is the most appropriate way to use ICT in different subjects to support individual needs? The most appropriate way to use ICT in different subjects to support individual needs is generally explained by teachers in terms of what happens in the classroom and not how online learning and support can help individualised learning programmes for students. For example, students use video evidence to express their ideas and display their knowledge in different subjects. In expressive arts subjects such as Music, students use specific software to develop their creative talents. Individualised learning programmes, however, do not appear to be specifically addressed in terms of curriculum design and it is argued that the constraints on the curriculum in terms of timetabling make it impossible for changes to curriculum delivery to be made. The focus of learning is within the constraints of the classroom and does not overtly address the potential of the curriculum beyond the walls of the classroom. ICT in Subject Teaching is, however, recognised as providing the means to support independence and raise achievement levels although it is difficult to gain access to the right resources at the right time. Tailoring ICT for use by individuals is described as involving different stages. These stages include whole class work, group work and paired work, with the individual outcome being the final part of the process. The transition from whole class teaching to individualised learning is common practice in schools. This graduated model, however, does not fully address the requirements of individualised or personalised learning programmes of study. Individual exploration and the ability to offer a breadth of opportunities to learners to support their personal and social development needs is seen to be the key to the success of any personalised learning programme. Teacher views on what personalised / individualised learning means in practice for Subject Studies is ill defined. The transition from whole-class teaching through to individual subject studies is promoted however consideration of learning styles is not addressed fully using this model for teaching and learning. It could be argued that it is an impossible task to equip all students with their own individual learning plan and yet teaching and learning strategies need to overtly address preferred learning styles and the appropriateness and effectiveness of popular delivery strategies. An individual student for example who is unmotivated or physically unable to write, a portable word processor or interactive whiteboard may be the only tools that will enable the child to achieve a level of success. It is therefore also apparent that the availability and access to appropriate digital resources is of paramount importance. Increased availability of individualised learning resources for all needs to be addressed. Examples from practice currently explain how ICT is used to support individual needs and how ICT resources are being used in subject teaching to provide motivational activities that encourage students to make decisions, explore learning, communicate findings and generally become creative, imaginative, confident, thinking individuals. Independence and the ability to explore, research and develop problem solving strategies through ICT is implicit in all subject studies however the effective use of different technologies for individualised and personalised learning seems to require greater structure and rigour. 4
3. What are the pedagogical issues surrounding personalised and individualised learning and teaching programmes? The issues surrounding personalised and individualised learning and teaching programmes range from programme design and delivery through to access and availability of digital resources to support teaching and learning. Schools today require teachers to adopt teaching methods and strategies that are flexible and include mixed technologies in a range of different environments. Some teachers use ICT as an administration tool and as a teaching resource design tool. These teachers have a wide range of knowledge, skills and understanding and although it is widely recognised by teachers that ICT can be used to prepare medium term plans, individual topic plans, classroom resources and reports for example, these activities require teachers to have a high level of ICT competence and confidence. Limited ICT knowledge and skills not only restricts how teachers plan and prepare to teach they limit teachers capability in the classroom. Teachers who do not know how and when to use ICT and/or do not have the appropriate teaching skills or ICT skills are unable to use ICT to support individualised learning programmes. Failing equipment and the fear of what to do when things go wrong heightens teachers anxieties about the use of ICT in the schools. This can be measured in schools where teachers can book ICT resources. The booking systems in some schools reveal that the resources are not being used extensively. ICT capability enables teachers to quickly and easily move from a more generalised position for teaching and learning for all to personalised provision. Where resources are limited it is however possible to plan appropriately and to meet individual needs. Increased levels of resources would not necessarily improve practice without programmes of professional development. Continual Professional Development [CPD] programmes for teachers and teaching assistants are therefore necessary to ensure continuity and progression is successfully addressed. Initial Teacher Education [ITE] and long-term planning for CPD should ensure that ICT developments are effectively implemented. Specific Programmes of Study should be addressed nationally and form part of a teacher s professional development profile generally. The efficiency of the assessment strategies used by teachers impacts upon students. Where feedback to students is slow, it cannot inform planning to meet their individual needs. It could be argued that it is vitally important for all of the resources that maximise the response rate to students and/or teachers to be disseminated to teachers before they embark on purchasing digital resources that offer such facilities. 4. What are the barriers to extending current practice to all pupils / students? The barriers to extending current practice to all students should not only be viewed in terms of lack of time, funding, training and support. Some of the problems with extending current practice in schools are associated with limited knowledge, skills and understanding about how barriers can be overcome by taking a different approach to teaching and learning in general. Barriers to extending current practice in personalising the curriculum for all can be genuine or perceived. Motivation affects both teachers and children alike. Some teachers are much more motivated by ICT than others and this has to be taken into account. Similarly it is unreasonable to expect everyone to be able to achieve the highest level of skills in both teaching and learning. ICT may not always be the best way to work. 5
Although we have invested heavily in ICT equipment, computers that were purchased with NGfL money in the 1990s is now becoming old and unreliable. We are struggling to find the money to replace and update equipment as needed. Some teachers are getting left behind and others don t feel that they are being given enough opportunity to extend their current practice. This impacts upon pupil learning Breaking down barriers to extend current practice requires collaboration and cooperation at all levels and the need to demonstrate how ICT saves teacher time and raises standards is essential. There is a codependency relating to the problems associated with extending practice and local, national and where appropriate, international initiatives need to collectively and systematically address these issues. The approach to informing teachers about the direct relationships that exist between specific issues should explain how ICT is making a difference in practice. Obtaining the best advice on supporting individuals is a problem and it often difficult to find out about the best way of providing individual programmes. ICT needs to give the children real tasks to undertake, tasks which compare their experience of computers outside school. Teachers need to be more aware of the children s experiences and they need to have training and the opportunity to be visionary themselves Additional funding and increased levels of time allocated to teachers will only make a difference if the methods that are employed meet the individual needs of the students. Initial Teacher Education [ITE] should reflect the needs of personalised and individualised learners and perhaps embarking on ITE programmes that offer such facilities will help breakdown the cycle. 5. What is required to enhance / improve current practice using ICT to raise standards? Enhancing / improving current practice requires schools to have adequate levels of funding for hardware and software, technical support, reliable services and increased levels of knowledge, skills and understanding to know what is good practice and how best digital resources can be used to support personalised and individualised learning generally. Better Learners Pedagogical practice needs to reflect the new technology and schools need as their main aim to help children to become better learners. Research is needed into the impact of Letting Go and to enable teachers to take ownership of the curriculum and to help learners learn better. Greater access to interactive technology for students and increased levels of interactivity would provide a chance for low achievers in particular to be encouraged to participate. As students enjoy using ICT, they can t wait for their turn to use computers and increased availability in schools and the home would be a positive way forward. Access from home is seen to be of particular importance to schools in some poorer socio-economic areas. Sharing Good Practice & Effective Communication Teachers have identified the need to share good practice. All teachers within one participating school have been given a half day or a day visit to attend local schools of their choice so they can explore good practice to help develop their understanding. The view that better communication between local schools, both mainstream and special schools will help to promote greater understanding generally and support individual needs and encourage discussion. Local initiatives are encouraging this approach in some areas. 6
There is a need for sufficient and appropriate hardware, software packages and connectivity at a speed that enables teachers and pupils to use the NGfL, Internet and the intranet for teaching, learning and professional development. Advice Schools experience difficulties when trying to obtain good advice to purchase suitable hardware and software from commercial companies, as most company interests are sales-focused rather than providing the best solution for individual schools and individual students. The school was seeking to provide the most appropriate ICT equipment to meet the individual needs of our pupils, for example, Sensory equipment. Specialist advice needs to be more easily accessible to schools. Similarly, access to high quality information about Integrated Learning Systems [ILS] and useful examples would be beneficial to enhance / improve current practices. 6. What is needed to extend individualised learning programmes? Although it could be argued that without more time and money, extension of current practice is impossible. Teachers have however described a number of ways in which schools can successfully extend individualised learning programmes. One fundamental recommendation was the need to change teacher attitudes towards themselves as learners. The need for greater flexibility of choice for teacher-learners should be provided through CPD as well as Initial Teacher Education [ITE]. Extending individualised learning programmes is achievable within schools where: ICT is a natural and integrated learning tool that is embedded in school practice; opportunities for all staff to attend specialist ICT training courses to help them find ways of extending individual programmes; students are presented with opportunities to learn the necessary basic skills to make their use of ICT efficient as tool for learning; students and teachers are allowed to work in flexible learning spaces and access to computers can be gained outside of what is known as computer suite time. ICT is an integral part of all subjects; greater use is made of the school websites to enable teachers to communicate with parents and children at home. Summary Teacher s perceptions of what individualised learning means in practice vary considerably and the most common individualised learning strategy adopted by teachers relies on a more generalised wholeclass teaching approach that is then modified to support individual students through differentiated activities. Individualised learning programmes are often confused with Integrated Learning Systems [ILS] and how teachers could meet all individual needs creates cause for concern with respect to the time that is available to teachers to plan appropriately and also in relation to the skills that are needed to implement an individualised learning strategy. The view that learning is an in-school activity only requires further consideration by schools and there is a need to overtly address how ICT can be used to support individualised learning at any time and in any place. 7
When considering how individualised learning can be supported within existing frameworks in schools there is a need to demonstrate to teachers how they can improve communication, enhance learning across the curriculum beyond the barriers of the school day and effectively and efficiently manage learning and teaching through ICT. The relevant information should be disseminated to teachers within different contexts in order to meet the needs and aspirations of individual teachers and schools. Extending individualised learning programmes in schools is not a matter of simply increasing the ICT resource-base in schools, there is a need to ensure that Initial Teacher Education [ITE] and CPD specifically targets individualised learning in schools to encourage greater reflection on pedagogy and practice. 8