Journal o f Computer Assisted Learning (1991) 7,255 - 257

Research Notes: Initial teacher education and new technology (Project INTENTT

The Project INTENT Team at CARE Universily of East Anglia, Chester College, Gold- smiths’ College, Liverpool Polytechnic, University of Exeter, Worcester College of Higher Education.

Context

The National Council for Educational Technology has funded a %year project, starting in September 1990, to support the development of New Technology in Initial Teacher Training. The report Information Technology in Initial Teacher Training, chaired by Janet Trotter (DES, HMSO 1989a), recommended that ITTEs should formulate and put into effect institutional policies to ensure that all trainee teachers acquire basic IT-related knowledge and the skills and the competence to apply these in the classroom; that these policies should be actively supported by the senior staff of the institution; and that provision should be made for these policies to be monitored and regularly updated. In response, the revised DES criteria drawn u p by the Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (DES 1989b), clearly outline the IT capability required by all students on the completion of their course.

In addition to the government initiatives outlined above, a small body of recent research has uncovered an urgent need for curriculum development in the applications of new technology to initial teacher training. As early as 1984 Hawkridge outlined the need. Its importance was reiterated by the ITTE Associ- ation (1987) and re-emphasized by CERI (1990), ‘Training in the pedagogical uses of new information technologies is critical, yet difficult’. In relation to students’ attitudes, Summers (1990) found that of his 1988 cohort, ‘40% ... started their PGCE course with very little (‘once or twice’) or no experience of computers, and that 64% rated their knowledge a s ‘none’ or ‘very little’.’ Summers’ subsequent unpublished study involving primary B.Ed students’ produced comparable find- ings. In relation to staff competence Davis (1990) demonstrates the level of the problem when, in a plea for further support for computer-mediated communica- tions, she points out that from ‘248 institutions of further and higher education

‘The INTENT inter-college team members are: Bridget Somekh (coordinator), Maureen Blackmore, Katrina Blythe, Graham Byrne Hill, David Clemson, Rod Coveney, Niki Davis, Charles Desforges, John Jessel, Wendy Nuttall, Chris Taylor, Laura Tickner (secretary), Gay Vaughan, Geoff Whitty. Contact address: Bridget Somekh, Centre for Applied Research in Education, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ. JANET: BSlOS@Cam.PHX GOLD: 84:mtt094.

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256 Project Intent Team

... sent an electronic mail message in April 1989, 71% did not log on within a week to receive the message’. In relation to the current application of new technology to the curriculum Stewart (1989) demonstrates the paucity of research in the field and its technocratic nature, a t least in the United States. In relation to the kind of curriculum which would best answer the need Bigum (1990) puts forward a suggestion for a supported self-study approach and Callister & Burbules (1990) argue strongly for ‘integrating technology into content areas rather than studying technology a s a separate entity’. In the UK Coupland et al. (1989) provide a unique account of a feasibility study in line with Callister & Burbules’ ideas. In general the situation is, as characterized by the Trotter report (DES, 1989a), ‘patchy’. As Coupland (1990) concludes, ‘It is not before time that serious consideration is given . . . to how IT should support and affect teacher education.’

Purposes

INTENT is researching the processes of change and development. Its work builds on previous research into curriculum innovation (e.g. Fullan, 19821, institutional change (e.g. Handy 1976) and professional development of staff (e.g. SIP, 1989). As a starting point it is piloting a model of support for innovation with these key elements: a full time Staff Development Tutor (or equivalent) in each college for 1 year; active involvement of a member of staff with senior management respons- ibility for 2 years; continuity of development work and evaluation in year two (including involvement of the SDT on a part time basis); collaboration between a group of five colleges through the establishment of a n inter-college team ‘jointly managing’ the project; overall leadership and coordination of the project’s research and development work by a full time coordinator. Its aims are: (1) developing the quality of teaching and learning with information technology; (2) providing support for lecturers integrating information technology across the

(3) developing management strategies to enable (1) and (2) above; and (4) monitoring the processes of institutional change.

curriculum for initial teacher training;

Methods

The project has an educational rather than a technological focus, and its methodology incorporates research and formative evaluation within the develop- ment process. Data collection and analysis are linked, where possible, to a strategy of awareness-raising among colleagues. Dissemination includes estab- lishing a dialogue to share practical and theoretical findings with a network of colleagues in other colleges. In addition to the action-focused research activities at the core of its work, INTENT supports individual tutors and lecturers engaging in methodologically varied IT-related research.

Research Notes 257

References

Bigum, C. (1990) Situated Computing in Pre-service Teacher Education. In Computers in Education, Proceedings of the fifth world conference on computers in education,

Callister, T. A. & Burbules, N. C. (1990) Computer Literacy Programs in Teacher Education: what teachers really need to learn. Computers in Education, 14(1), 3-7.

CERI (1990) Teacher Training and the Role o f the Universities. Unpublished paper available from Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, OECD, Paris.

Coupland, J., et al. (1989) Information Technology in Professional and Educational Studies: theproject report o f a feasibility study. National Council for Educational Technology.

Coupland, J. (1990) One Step. In The Next Step: occasionalpaper no. 2, Senga Whiteman (ed), National Council for Educational Technology.

Davis, N. (1990) The Need for Curriculum Development in IT in Initial Teacher Training. In Proceedings o f the Seventh International Conference on Technology and Education, vol. 2.

DES (1989a) Information Technology in Initial Teacher Training. The report of the expert group chaired by Janet Trotter. Department of Education and Science, HMSO.

DES (1989b) Initial Teacher Training: Approval of Courses. Department of Education and Science Circular 24/89.

Fullan, M. (1982) The Meaning of Educational Change. OISE Press, Toronto and Teachers’ College Press, New York.

Handy, C. B. (1976) Understanding Organizations. Penguin, London. Hawkridge, D. (1984) Information Technology in Initial Teacher Training. National

Council for Educational Technology. ITTE Association (1987) Information Technology in Teacher Education: a discussion

document. Available from the Secretary, 219 Osward, Courtwood lane, Croydon CRO 9HG.

SIP (1989) Thinking Schools: report of the Support for Innovation Project. Cambridge Institute of Education, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, UK.

Stewart, D. (1989) The ERIC Database on the Use of Technology in Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 40(4), 33-35.

Summers, M. (1990) Starting Teacher Training-new PGCE students and computers. British Educational Research Journal, 16(1), 79-87.

Summers, M. (unpublished) New Primary Teacher Trainees and Computers-where are they starting from? Available from the author, Dept. of Educational Studies, Univer- sity of Oxford, 15 Norham Gardens, OX2 6PY.

pp. 477-482.