Top stories | Other current news | Quick-stop news | Events | Archives

The impact of ICT in schools

The Impact of ICT in schools: a landscape review is the latest Becta publication to examine in detail how technology is influencing the learning outcomes of pupils in the UK. The report carried out by researchers at the Quality in Education Centre, University of Strathclyde in over 350 British schools found ICT offers 'many advantages'in the area of modern foreign languages and that teachers are 'experimenting' with a range of resources such as:

  • word processing
  • blogging
  • authoring
  • software
  • video conferencing
  • email
  • interactive video
  • multimedia resources
  • presentations software
  • spreadsheets
  • interactive whiteboards
  • databases

The research states that:

  • MFL greatly benefits from the increased availability of online resources
  • early stages of language learning are particularly supported
  • word recognition and vocabulary building is made easier
  • there are positive associations at GCSE level
  • pupils feel encouraged to take risks and produce extended writing supported by colour, images, sound and video files
  • the accuracy and fluency of pupils' writing increases as they feel more engaged with their work
  • kinaesthetic learners find computer use very motivating
  • drop-down menus within electronic writing frames and PowerPoint presentations encourage students to produce more structured and complex writing.
The report then goes on to provide further evidence of the learning opportunities of using technologies such as video conferencing, digital video and interactive whiteboards to engage and motivate the language learners of the 21st century. It also emphasises how the flexibility of digital media can help pupils personalise their learning and allow them to work at their own pace by accessing resources in their own time.

It mentions, for example, that the Evaluation for the DfES Video Conferencing in the Classroom project concluded that:

  • Video Conferencing was highly motivating for students and generated powerful learning effects
  • Video Conferencing  had a positive impact on pupils' achievement
  • Synchronous face-to-face interaction with native speakers improved pupils' confidence in speaking, listening, reading and writing in the target language and raised their cultural awareness
  • Video Conferencing helped pupils put their learning into contexts that were real

Likewise, in the Digital Video in the MFL Classroom Project run by CILT in 2004, and again in 2005-06, similar learning benefits were found including:

  • a greater focus on pronunciation
  • increased opportunities for memorisation
  • increased pupil motivation
  • improved class dynamics
  • the development of collaborative skills
  • a better understanding of film language and audience
  • an increase in the status of MFL in the school.

The report also mentions the success of the Learning and Teaching Scotland / Scottish CILT pilot project, the Modern Foreign Languages Environment (MFLE), in attracting many language teachers to collaborate on the discussion forum, access the resource bank and create blogs and podcasts with their pupils. It suggests the need to research and evaluate the true impact of the MFLE so others may be encouraged to organise similar projects.

Finally, the document refers to the conclusions that Keele University came to following their research into how 'best practice' teachers use their interactive whiteboards in modern foreign languages. They discovered that there were three main features which encouraged pupils’ motivation when using the IWB:

  • the lesson was  organised such that there was an interactive and participatory focus on the IWB throughout.
  • the combination of visual, kinaesthetic and auditory features led to intrinsic stimulation.
  • lessons using the IWB took a stepped learning approach – that is, concepts or new terms were presented in a logical way, in small steps rather than leaps of understanding - and these were supported by regular feedback, either from the software or the teacher.

The research seems to strongly suggest that there is much positive evidence that ICT both enhances the teaching and learning of modern foreign languages and underpins ‘considerable development in the provision of materials for teachers and pupils via online and digital resources, and improved language skills (through digital video and photography) and communication (through video conferencing and blogging).’

To order or download a copy of Impact of ICT in schools: a landscape review, visit the Becta Publications website.