Artefact 1 The Interview

Would you consider Gorsey Brigg ahead or behind the average school based on the technology opportunities?
Not ahead average really
Some schools have children allocated with a laptop each

What process is taken to accept a new piece of technology? Is it the government or you personally?

It is a school decision finally

It is a government driven decision.
What happens is that the school gets grants to spend on say interactive white boards; they can only be spent on the specific things. If they do not the buy the technologies there Ofsted grades will be reduced.

How many hours a day do the children spend on a computer?
Not daily

How many hours a week do the children spend on a computer?

Weekly or twice weekly daily use of the interactive white boards.

Do you have a specific ICT teacher or does all of the staff have access to teaching on the computers?

All teachers must have basic skills
ICT Coordinator Phil Mullins
ICT Technician 3 hours weekly to solve problems.

Are the interactive white boards and projector screens used more than the regular white board?

Both used every day

It was year 5 when Mr. Hitchman introduced me to the internet, there was one computer in the classroom, how many do you have today (10 years later)?

30 ICT room two or three in each room

Do the children spend time on the internet or is it mainly software based?

Internet for research topics
Teachers use the internet all the time

What software’s do you use?

The Sherston Software Packages games include
Lower School Goldie Locks, Splodge, Young Mcdonalds Farm, Seasons of Little Brown Bear.
Upper School Junior Viewpoint (spreadsheets), Model Shop, Map Detectives (geography), email detectives (email)
Games off the internet too CBBeis

Do you use specific computer games or software’s to help children learn? If so which ones?

Mainly games
Do you believe technology is excelling learning in general?

Cant not believe that
It opens up a world that cant be accessible otherwise
Its all about balance

Do you believe computer based technologies will dominate classroom teaching in 10 years?

No can only do so much

Do you think this would affect the social skills of the children?

There is a change in social skills
Problems with speech, writing in text language you/u
Settings in their stories are often game settings, violent settings, such as a battlefield, or jumping on clouds (Mario)
More play fighting in the playground

Do you think the children are more difficult to control when using the computers compared to a regular lesson?

Not really no, they are engaged in motivational tasks
There can be frustration when things crash or work is not saved properly.

During my time at the school there was always a strong teacher student relationship with all the pupils and teachers is this still as strong today?

Yes not particularly changed

Do you think increase in technology will reduce the strength of the relationship?

Yes in some ways, teachers cannot bond with students properly if they are walking round problem solving.

Do you think the teacher will ever be replaced by the computer?

no

Other interesting technologies?

Kalleidos- online learning space to display work, it also allows a safe secure and monitored social networking alternative to facebook which can be accessed both at home and at school.
Parent mail, allows teacher to easily send emails and texts to personally speak to parents or even inform of snow days etc.