What ICT rich environment has on the enquiring mind?
The introduction of
technology has quite literally changed the world we live in. It has altered the
way we work, play and learn. This is especially true in the classroom, where a
wide range of technology ranging from creative and fun games to the internet
itself have been created to aid children in their learning. ICT can really help
children’s creativity and their enquiring minds.
One of these tools is Web
2.0. Web 2.0 has many uses but when put to use in the classroom it can be used
to allow team work and sharing through Blogs, forums, wikis and podcasts. Web
2.0 allows children to be more creative, to problem solve, to work together, to
let them decide what they want to learn and to improve ICT skills. When
research was conducted using Web 2.0 researcher Mandy Peace discovered that
there were a number of beneficial factors termed E’s. The researcher found that
pupils found it enjoyable and exciting as they could “share their efforts with
a wider audience” (Peace, 2015) . It also helped
energise learning “exchanging ideas, and challenging one and others learning” (Peace, 2015) . It was also emancipatory
and allowed “pupils to take responsibility for their own learning” (Peace, 2015)
Obviously with any piece
of technology used though the internet, there are dangers. Web 2.0 is online
and can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection. It is down to this
that internet safety is now a major priority for schools. The researcher found
that “many schools filter Web 2.0 in order to protect pupils, and to keep them
in the perceived safe environment without evaluating the potential value these
sites might have.” The researcher instead believes and agrees with the Byron report
in which it is stated that is better to educate pupils to understand and avoid
the risks posed by the internet just the same as you are taught about potential
dangers in the world around us.
PEACE, M. Web 2.0 and classrooms. 2. ed. Oxon :
Routledge, 2015.
