Practical Teaching: Observations of Classroom ICT Use

Last Thursday I started my third practical teaching block at a school in the Canterbury region in Sydney. Due to my assignment to a stage 3 years 5 & 6 composite class, I have to admit I did feel extremely nervous and a little discouraged. Having done some work in after school care with year 6 students, I automatically had this perception that, 'the kids know more about technology than I do.'


 With five days left, I am currently half way through my practicum. In contrast to my first day, I really love and have enjoyed teaching stage 3! It is very different to teaching earlier stages in 'content', but the pedagogy and management aspect is quite similar. In regards to my students and technology, most of them do know more than me. However, this isn't a 'bad' thing. Students might use technology more than I do, but as a student-teacher it is I that needs to implement it as a learning technology in a pedagogically informed manner.


The classroom I am in contains the following technologies:

• IWB with its own hard drive
• 1 x Mac computer
• 4 x mini laptops
• 2 x large laptops
• 1 printer

The classroom itself seems to revolve closely around the IWB. I mean this literally. There are five lots of tables - each seat six groups of students. All the tables face the IWB, so that when engaged in lessons the teacher can easily access the IWB and computer and students can interact with these too. 

To be honest, I've hardly observed my cooperative teacher. On my observation day I was with a casual, and since then I have taught most classes. During the lessons I have watched, she does use the IWB but more as a white board as she no longer has an 'old-fashioned' board. I do know from discussing with her that she does use technology quite a lot. Photography for art; editing programs such as adobe, Garage band and iMovie for ICT; and like I said the, IWB for most lessons. She also sends all her students their homework via email, and the students send their homework back to her via email for marking. I have also observed her write reports via an online school program especially for writing student reports. The school has an intranet space for sharing resources and communication of other staff concerns. 

It's quite clear that this class, especially being stage three, engages in learning experiences that are often parallel to technology. It is my assumption that this is quite appropriate for the stage/age level of these students, as they no longer require learning that is constructed from concrete material. They have moved on to a formal operation of learning.