Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
In particular, there was a 'tension between the delivery of IT - as a discrete subject -
against cross-curricular delivery via a number of other core and foundation subjects'
(Bowles 1999: 10). This tension was solved, at least at a legislative level, by the implemen-
tation of ICT national curriculum orders. Most important, ICT as a discrete subject was
awarded core subject status and the integration of ICT into other subject areas was made
statutory in September 2000. Consequently, Curriculum 2000 brought clarification to an
area where previously there had been much confusion regarding ICT in the curriculum.
In short, the government's NGfL and NOF proposals were ambitious. However, as
initiatives these were only intended to provide ICT training and resourcing, with the
hope that teachers would, as a result, implement ICT use in the classroom. In order
to ensure the latter, the government would have to introduce an ICT policy that had
a statutory requirement for teachers to use ICT. Consequently, the difference between
government initiatives and policy can be seen in the introduction of Curriculum
2000, which outlined statutory orders for the integration of ICT across all subjects.
Implemented in September 2000, Curriculum 2000 contained an integral ICT compo-
nent for all subject areas, which meant that Ofsted inspections of mandatory orders
would ensure ICT's uptake by teachers. These, then, 'were strong indicators that a
determined government would allow no choice . . . [and] designed to ensure that
teachers would use technology to deliver the curriculum' (Dawes 2001: 8).
An evaluation of the UK's first national technology strategy (1997-2002)
Historically, the Labour government's first term of office from 1997 to 2002 saw an
unprecedented wave of policy initiatives designed to embed technology use within
the curriculum and organizational management of schools. The UK's first coordinated
national technology strategy focused primarily on developing schools' e-infrastruc-
ture and training. As the first level of intervention, the NGfL focused predominantly
on technology procurement, dovetailing with the NOF initiative for technology in-
service training for teachers. Consequently, progress was duly evident: 'As a result
of NGfL, improvements can be clearly identified in the levels and quality of ICT
resources in schools . . . [and] the increase in teachers' use of computers is a clear ben-
efit emerging from the Government's ICT initiatives' (Ofsted 2001: 4-5).
However, despite these positive outcomes, these were more limited than expected
and the overall impact of the initiatives was less penetrating than desired; while best
practice with technology in schools could be identified, it continued to remain in
'pockets', rather than the sweeping uptake intended (Pittard 2005). However, it must
be noted that, 'The implementation of such a major innovation - one involving pro-
curement and installation of high-cost infrastructure and hardware, and significant
changes in management and teaching practices - takes time' (DfES 2001: 4).
Identifying the problems with technology implementation in schools
Given that implementing policy is not a straightforward process, this section exam-
ines the roll-out of the national technology strategy. From research on reform in edu-
cation, it is well known that change is either very slow or tends to fail (Fullan 1991).
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