b. Managing Learning in the Classroom

We have touched on the question of the practicalities of using ICT in the classroom, and the technical question of whether you will have everything on the computer you need. The next question is how to manage the people, the space and the equipment/resources in a way that maximises learning.

Whether you are using ICT or not, but perhaps more when you are, your first question here is how to arrange pupils. In this case study the teacher has insufficient access to computers to enable the students to have one computer each. Since students will be sharing computers the teacher is keen that students of similar numeracy ability are kept together. He is afraid of students relying on one another to interpret the data, failing to understand the topic. He is also concerned that disruptive students are kept apart to make them easier to control in a workshop environment.

This is one for discussion with your mentor - how will you sit students when all students are using ICT, and how will you arrange them when resources are more limited so that only some can use ICT? The next question is how to deal with the peaks and troughs of intervention, and how to ensure that reasonably equal progress is being made across the whole class. The teacher can assess the student quickly in this case study, as he moves around the class but you will need to decide what is best for you, another discussion point with colleagues and your mentor.

Finally, you have to face the question of what happens when one, some or all of your ICT facilities give up the ghost. Here you must imagine the worst happening and ensure that you are prepared for it, and you must do this without making so much work for yourself that the efficiency saving of using ICT is lost.

In summary you have four issues to consider in managing learning:

• The mixing of abilities when you set pair or group work.
• The arrangement of people in the room, including yourself.
• Keeping on top of intervention, and ensuring that all students get equal attention.
• Managing a room full of students waiting to use ICT when the power fails.

As you are going through the process of planning and using ICT in this and the other case studies, your mentor will advise you on these matters.

c. Helping Learners Develop their own IT Capabilities