ICT IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL

"...interesting and pleasant reading. ...A strength of this collection is the variety of points of view and experiences presented, and the fact that the issues addressed are mostly analysed in a deep and careful way" BJET What does ICT offer to the quality of young children's learning? What are some of the key isues which teachers need to address in the 'Information Society'? How does children's experience of ICT in school relate to their learning experiences beyond the classroom? This book brings together a team of well known international writers and educationalists to discuss why ICT can make a critical contribution to children's learning in the primary school. As our perception of the 'Information Society' develops and we consider its impact upon social, economic and cultural life, our expectations of children's experiences in schools will also alter. The authors address a range of questions and issues from a variety of perspectives. They suggest that the potential of ICT to enable children to show and create knowledge lies in teachers' critical understanding of the deeper purposes of learning and the ways in which learners, teachers and new technologies can interact with each other.

Table of Contents:
Introduction ICT in the primary curriculum Perceptions of how ICT has the potential to influence children beyond the curriculum home/school/community links Literacy and content building a foundation for bridging the digital divide From weak signals to the concept of mLearning the LIVE project revisited Digital history as rich information access and analysis Asdf;lkjh challenges to early childhood curriculum and pedagogy in the information age Literacy and ICT in the primary classroom the role of the teacher Developing ideas with multimedia in the primary classroom Creating an on-line professional community Potential into practice developing ICT in the primary classroom Index.

About the Author :
Avril Loveless is senior lecturer in ICT in Education at the University of Brighton. She has published a number of books and papers relating to the use of ICT in learning and teaching. Her current research interests include pedagogy and ICT and the creative use of digital technologies, particularly in the visual arts. She has been the Chair of the Association for Information Technology in Teacher Education (ITTE) and is a member of Creating Spaces, a network of independent professionals promoting creative uses of technology. Babs Dore is a senior lecturer at the University of Brighton where she lectures on ICT in primary education. She was a primary school teacher for twelve years and had a particular interest in science education. Her current research interests are in supporting student learning through the appropriate use of ICT.