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How ICT could develop in the future

I think that the next step that will impact on the subject of ICT will be the introduction of
Computer Science into schools.
It will help increase the number of pupils that leave school 'computer literate' and
reflects the expanding nature of the ICT industry.
It introduces problem based learing scenarios and draws skills from all areas of the
curriculum, according to then education minister for Wales Leighton Andrews.
'Computer Science touched upon all three of my educational priorities: literacy,
numeracy and bridging the gap. It equips learners with the problem solving skills so
important in life and work.' As this will be a new area of focus in the National Curriculum,
teachers will have to use Habit of Mind number 16 and be open to continuous learning in
order to discover and acquire skills to teach to pupils.
E-safety
"Technology offers unimaginable opportunities..." OfSted 2013
The use of technology in schools allows records to be kept in a much more interactive
format than has been possible in the past.
Pupils are able to save learning experiences in the form of videos, which can really come
to life and make the experience more memorrable. It may encourage deeper learning of
the subject.
On the other hand, mobile technologies have downside in that there are distractions that
can detract from learning and safety issues that can put pupils at risk on the internet.
Schools are at the forefront of education pupils in the field of e-safety to reduce the risk
of this both at home and in an educational setting. The increased use of mobile
technology has increased exposure to potentially unsuitable/harmful content. This is a
current issue that schools need to inform pupils about, to ensure that they are aware of
the potential risks and benefits associated with mobile technology.
My experiences of ICT
During my time at primary school we had a timetabled hour of ICT each week, where we
used the ICT suite. There were no opportunities to use ICT in the classroom outside of
this time. The tasks that were set in ICT were generally of a cross-curricular nature
incorprating knowledge that we had aquired from other lessons.
During secondary school the time we spent using ICT decreased to 1 hour every fortnight
for the first 3 years. During this time we mainly focused on the use of office applications.
During ICT we used ICT more in other lessons to research topics for coursework. The ICT
GCSE taught me how to adapt the use of office application for my own needs, helping me
utilise Habit of Mind number 8, applying past knowledge to new situations.
ICT in the Foundation Phase
In my view it is important that Foundation Phase pupils have experience in ICT as it will
form a solid foundation for a more solid use of applications (Siraj-Blatchford and SirajBlatchford, 2003) later on in school life. ICT should be integrated across the Foundation
Phase programme of study to allow pupils the opportunity to develop general skills, as
well specific ICT knowledge within an educational context. Although there is research to
suggest that there are downsides to using ICT in the Foundation Phase. Sigmans 2007
research states that the use of technology may have an inhibitory effect on pupils later
ability to be engaged through traditional methods of presentation, such as books and

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propositional teaching. It is summarised that technology may render traditional methods
less arresting and compelling for pupils. (Sigman, 2007)