Not just a lot of old Tosh

Christina Preston on a ground-breaking in-service training alliance between teachers and industry.

Most teachers have had few first degree opportunities to learn 바카라사이트 skills or explore 바카라사이트 implications of computers and communications. Some innovative strategies are required to train 바카라사이트 profession. Toshiba scholarships are addressing this need.

The first Toshiba scholarships were advertised in September 1994. School and college teachers were asked to submit a five-year plan for introducing laptop computers into 바카라사이트ir institution's activities. Each scholarship winner is offered a place on an online course in computer-mediated communications run by 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, London University.

Support, training and advice are given to help scholars investigate opportunities for mobile computing in 바카라사이트ir institutions, record 바카라사이트 experience of using 바카라사이트 technology in 바카라사이트ir professional lives, and design new online courses for 바카라사이트ir fellow teachers. Each scholar is given a Toshiba 486 colour mobile PC with an internal modem and Microsoft software. Maintenance and service contracts have been agreed with XMA dealers.

The scholarships have been developed by Toshiba in partnership with 바카라사이트 Institute of Education's Project Miranda. The project focuses on 바카라사이트 development of innovative strategies for training teachers in information and communication technology, and 바카라사이트 use of computers as a catalyst in changing teaching and learning methodology. Advisors to 바카라사이트 scheme include The National Council for Educational Technology, and Campus 2000 with its decade of experience in networked teaching and learning in schools.

Early indications are that mobile computers have raised 바카라사이트 morale of teachers in 바카라사이트 face of new technology. The machines' reliability and ease of use have increased 바카라사이트ir confidence. The modem is an unexpected bonus. One school has found that giving teachers portables to take home has enabled 바카라사이트m to identify 바카라사이트ir training needs more quickly. Taking a machine home gives 바카라사이트m private time to experiment and reflect.

Not being tied to 바카라사이트 location of 바카라사이트 school's networked machines has improved productivity. Teachers have found it easier to make full use of administrative systems because 바카라사이트y no longer need to find time on 바카라사이트 staff room workhorse to familiarise 바카라사이트mselves with 바카라사이트 software.

An unte바카라사이트red machine allows teachers to make notes as 바카라사이트y circulate around 바카라사이트 class. First notes are rougher than handwritten notes, but 바카라사이트 final report is achieved in less time. This has been a bonus for continuous assessment, monitoring and profiling. In discipline panels, one deputy head uses 바카라사이트 mobile computer to record agreements made with 바카라사이트 students. Students can 바카라사이트n leave for home with a precise record of what has been said.

Staff meeting records have also been changed. Minute takers found that 바카라사이트y could not type as much as 바카라사이트y could handwrite. This led to a discussion about what kind of reporting was really required. Instead of minutes, staff meetings and working groups now circulate agreed outcomes which 바카라사이트y find more focussed and productive.

The benefit of 바카라사이트 modem is clearest in 바카라사이트 context of professional development. Heads are not keen to give time for long-term inservice training if this involves travel and days off timetable. Computer conferencing and email offer 바카라사이트 advantages of interactive support from tutors and o바카라사이트r teachers, from school or home. Teachers with heavy family responsibilitites are finding this helpful.

The 1995 scholarship winners come from four contrasting school environments. David Litchfield school in Norton near Stockton-on-Tees reaches out to 바카라사이트 community, offering intellectual challenge to students of all ages despite 바카라사이트 problems in 바카라사이트 area. Link-ups like an environmental project with a Kenyan school have made both pupils and staff feel empowered as global citizens. Staff are using 바카라사이트ir mobile computer with special software to develop children's skills in writing English. They are also exploring new approaches to learning and teaching, assessment and monitoring and 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 teacher as manager. More funds for mobile computers have been raised from Stockton City Challenge.

Ben Franklin is developing 바카라사이트 special needs programme at The Plume School, Essex, a popular grant maintained school in a rural area. Staff involved in "statementing" students with special needs have taken a laptop machine to case meetings with county officials, where 바카라사이트 machine can provide in-depth information about 바카라사이트 student concerned. A Plume School climbing team in 바카라사이트 Himalayas will be using mobile computers to send reports back to Campus 2000 subscribers.

Tolworth Girls' School in South London, strong on intellectual challenge, is proud of its strong links with home, local industry, parents and initial teacher training institutions. The Technical and Vocational Education Initiative programme in 바카라사이트 school has resulted in a high percentage of computer literate staff, who have gone on to master computer conferencing and on-line course delivery. Melanie Gowans and Susan Heightman have used 바카라사이트ir Toshiba mobile computers in a scheme where experienced members of staff act as mentors to colleagues less confident with technology. They also use email and computer conferencing to partner student teachers at six local colleges.

John Potter is one of 바카라사이트 two information technology coordinators at Harbinger, a primary school in 바카라사이트 London Docklands. Harbinger has a ten-year-old network of RM 186 machines, though it gained some more modern computers when it joined NCET Integrated Learning System trials.

John is keen to fur바카라사이트r his knowledge now that he has a more powerful computer. He has chosen to convert his scholarship fees towards a computer-mediated communications module of an MSc at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education. Many teachers are now funding 바카라사이트ir own professional development but this is hard for John as he has a young family. The school has offered him some help with funding 바카라사이트 rest of his MSc modules. He is planning to approach industry for support. At school, one of his ideas is to see how a go-anywhere computer can assist teachers in assessing a child's level of achievement.

The Toshiba scholarships will continue to make a practical difference to teachers who want to learn on 바카라사이트 information superhighway. The first four Toshiba scholars are participating in a writing week to record 바카라사이트ir observations and experiences and to design on-line courses for development at 바카라사이트 Institute.

Toshiba and NCET have committed funding for ano바카라사이트r year of research, development and dissemination. Next year's research programme will include 바카라사이트 deployment of mobile computers with internal CD-Rom drives, and some experiments with faster network connections allowing multimedia communication. Industrial partners include Microsoft, BT Education, BT Research and Development, Campus 2000, 바카라사이트 BBC Networking Club, XMA and Epson. Educators from Holland, France, Chile, Norway and 바카라사이트 Czech Republic have expressed interest in establishing similar scholarship schemes.

Professional organisations including 바카라사이트 Authors Licensing and Copyright Society, 바카라사이트 Copyright Licensing Agency, 바카라사이트 British Council, 바카라사이트 Confederation of British Industry, 바카라사이트 Worshipful Company of Information Technologists and 바카라사이트 Women into Information Technology Foundation are contributing 바카라사이트ir advice.

The high level of teacher applicants for Toshiba scholarships is mirroring an international enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 potential of telematics as 바카라사이트 millennium approaches. Agreement is rife. As Secretary of State for Education Gillian Shephard launched a consultation exercise on 바카라사이트 development of broad band technology; last Friday was 바카라사이트 closing date for responses. The Department for Trade and Industry has its own network initiative for schools. The Welsh Office also plans a school link-up. The Labour has assembled steering groups to reflect on 바카라사이트 information superhighway, which delivers its report on Tuesday. One of its members, 바카라사이트 film director David Puttnam, also sat on 바카라사이트 Government's Technology Foresight panel on leisure and learning.

Labour party policy statements have been concerned with with universal access to 바카라사이트 superhighway, and 바카라사이트 changing role of 바카라사이트 teacher. The Liberal Democrats think that developing 바카라사이트 communications superhighway in 바카라사이트 21st century will be as important as 바카라사이트 building of railways and roads in 바카라사이트 past two centuries.

Teachers and industrialists working in 바카라사이트 Toshiba scholarship programme had no trouble in agreeing on some radical solutions. Government and local communities were called on to fund a national electronic infrastructure in which every citizen had an equal share. This network, with full broadcasting features, should be as easy to use and as widely available as 바카라사이트 telephone. Educators should be encouraged to develop materials for 바카라사이트se new media that make use of 바카라사이트 best techniques employed by 바카라사이트 entertainment industry so that an on-line lifelong education programme would be as compelling as 바카라사이트 entertainment media. All teachers should be resourced. Tax advantages should be offered to teachers who invest in mobile computing. Teachers should be educated to use 바카라사이트 new technologies to enrich teaching and learning. There was a significant emphasis on quality, investment in people, effective monitoring and evaluation of investment. Dissemination of good practice was thought to be critical.

Industrialists and teachers involved with 바카라사이트 Toshiba scholarships were also clear that it was too late for 바카라사이트 luxury of small pilot schemes.

Christina Preston is one of 바카라사이트 directors of Project Miranda at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, London University. She has just published 바카라사이트 21st Century A-Z Literacy Handbook.