Case studies

Strengthening pedagogy with ICT: Early adopters' project - case study 6 - Liverpool

Background

The Project: The LA launch of Strengthening Pedagogy with ICT and models of implementation in two Liverpool schools.

Gill Lawson, Secondary National Strategy ICT Consultant and ICTAC Consultant for Liverpool LA writes:

Within the LA we have run a number of events (WORD 40KB) aimed at promoting the use of ICT across the curriculum.

The target audience for LA events has mainly been senior leaders with responsibility for ICT, ICTAC coordinators and strategy managers. A number of ICT teachers have attended on occasion. At the various events and network meetings strategy ICTAC resources were launched:

• ICTAC pack
• subject specific ICTAC packs
• TLSS  unit 15: Using ICT to enhance lessons
• Strengthening Pedagogy with ICT pack
• Practical Support pack
• ICT Senior Leadership Toolkit (National College of School Leadership, NCSL)

Many of the schools in Liverpool are working hard to develop ICT across the curriculum and to strengthen pedagogy using ICT.

The material has been promoted and disseminated across the LA: this case study aims to review what is actually happening in schools, and presents two schools as examples of how embedding ICT across the curriculum and Strengthening Pedagogy with ICT can be implemented.

Both schools have used a subject-specific approach to manage a phased development of ICT across the curriculum.

One of the schools was focusing on making maths lessons more interactive with appropriate use of ICT in starter activities (using resources from Strengthening Pedagogy with ICT starters and plenaries self study module and the Pedagogy and practice:Teaching and learning in secondary schools unit 5: Starters and plenaries ) and the other was enhancing the art curriculum with ICT by providing training and support for art teachers. Resources from the Strengthening Pedagogy with ICT self-study modules supported the training and underpinned the developmental work of the whole school ICT forum.

The two schools opted for ICTAC as their whole school initiative and the teachers leading the work are 'Core innovators'. The Core Innovators project (WORD 60KB) is an opportunity for Liverpool classroom teachers of core subjects, English, mathematics, science and ICT to further develop their professional practice through a programme of INSET and school-based project work. The programme is aimed at classroom teachers who are not yet subject leaders, but who have the potential to develop excellent practice and influence the teaching methods of their colleagues.

There is support and commitment from the senior leadership teams for embedding ICT across the curriculum and strengthening pedagogy with ICT.

Feedback from pupils and teachers offer a useful indicator of the response to involvement in this project:

Pupils:

'Using ICT has made lessons a lot more interesting.'

'I have used ICT to present my work to the rest of the class.'

'Using the internet is great for carrying out research.'

'We use ICT all the time in some lessons. You couldn't do without it.'

'Using computers is the norm. It's part of everyday life.'

'We use ICT in most subjects now and it makes it easier to work on things at home too.'

Teachers:

'Students find ICT useful and thrive on using their ICT skills.'

'Using ICT, I have seen a new side to what I can include in my lessons.'

'Students respond very well to being given the opportunity to use ICT in lessons.'

'There has been a great break through. The whole department is now using ICT.'

'Using interactive ICT resources is helping to support visual learners.'

'ICT is a basic skill requirement in the 21st century, just as much as numeracy and literacy.'

'Our pupils have grown up using ICT. It's us, the teachers, who have to get used to it.'

'Appropriate use of ICT can really add so much to the way we teach and the pupils' learning.'

Teacher, ICTAC coordinator:
'My role is to support teachers in raising their capability to use ICT in their teaching.'

'I want to make learning more interesting for the students with fun, engaging activities to support the students' learning.'