Brown (1998) made entertaining reading as he explored the theme of ICT based learning strategies which offer exciting promises that have little major impact on the education system in reality. The memory of the coloured supermarket receipts to be collected with the goal of the latest Apple came flooding back (1993/4?). I can't recall being allowed the then treasured Apple in my classroom or what I would have done with it had it been there (maybe that is why I wasn't allocated it!); I'm pretty sure it wasn't online so our equipment would have been used for publishing stories and using various topic/level appropriate 'educational' software.
Campbell (2004) again cites a long list of initiatives to get effective use of ICT in schools up and running, but with a more positive outlook. I was involved in the ITTPD contract that she mentions which opened up more ways of using technology in my classroom. This PD may not have changed the world, but at least did get a substantial numbers of teachers on the first step of the ladder. Campbell feels that New Zealand teachers have taken the challenge of e-learning on board "by examining their own practice and how this can be enhanced by the use of new and different tools" p.23. This type of reflection is encouraged by Brown (1988) in his analysis of a good 'ICT-using teacher'. He comments that effective e-learning is reliant on the quality of the teacher who is facilitating that learning and issues a challenge to policy makers to ensure that happens.
Selywn (2008) echoes Brown's disappointment in the missed opportunities to achieve successful e-learning in schools and again attributes one of the reasons for 'failure' in the inability of teachers to keep up with the play.
The 2006 e-learning Action plan addresses the issue of "teacher capability" and has detailed strategies to develop the skills and knowledge of teachers, their leaders and communities.
Will this be another promise that fades away, or are schools working on professional development and confidence building for all staff? The world of e-learning changes so fast with new applications being developed all the time, so for the passionate e-learning advocates enthusing other teachers and maintaining the motivation may be a hard ask (along with all the other things on their plates), but it needs to happen if that promise is to be kept.
References
Brown, M. E. (1998). The use of computers in New Zealand Schools: A critical review. Computers in New Zealand Schools, 10(3), 3-9.
Campbell, N. (2004). The vintage years of e-learning in New Zealand Schools. The Journal of Distance Education, 8(1), 17-24.
Selwyn, D. (2008). Business as usual? Exploring the contining (in)significance of the e-learning policy drive. Computers in New Zealand Schools, 20(3), 22-34
Ministry of Education. (2006) Enabling the 21st Century Learner An e-Learning Action Plan for Schools 2006-2010.
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