What the resource is:
The motivational effect of ICT on pupils is a report of the recent research relating to motivational effects upon learning, and the related teaching strategies. A sample of 17 schools and PRUs from across England were surveyed. The review, commissioned by the DfES, includes diverse aspects of ICT including pupils’ engagement, independence and behaviour. It covers issues relating to gender, out-of-school activities and teacher expectations. It provides a wealth of information to support trainee teachers in their academic studies. The report presents evidence that ICT positively influenced attitudes towards school work and school behaviour.
The aims of the resource:
These are described as identifying the impact of ICT on pupil motivation and the related impact on learning outcomes, behaviour, school attendance, truancy and crime. The report also identifies the aspects of ICT that are effective in improving motivation and investigates how ICT could best be used by teachers within the curriculum to motivate and engage pupils in learning.
The key findings of the report:
ICT leads to positive motivational outcomes when supporting engagement, research, writing and editing, and presentation of work. Design and technology is a particular focus and shows how cognitive engagement can enhance motivation. More positive motivation resulted when ICT use was focused on both teaching and learning, than when ICT was used to support teaching alone.
There are indications that ICT impacts positively upon pupil behaviour inside school, and some impact on their behaviour outside school.
The review establishes a theoretical model of motivation involving the four key elements of goals, interest, conceptions of ability and intrinsic motivation. There is a significant section on motivation theory.
Design and technology has a particular focus because it exemplifies the way in which ICT can have an impact on the cognitive processes such as analysis and evaluation. Teachers reported that the use of ICT had impacts upon the entire design and technology process.
Teacher expectation of the impact of ICT is reported as an important factor in raising attainment. It would appear that using ICT for teaching has contributed towards raising standards because of the multi-sensory approach, the different styles of teaching and the different styles of learning. According to one headteacher, “ICT is allowing teachers to use tools that make their life easier”.
The motivational value of ICT beyond the school gates was identified; pupils reported that ICT was positively helping them with homework (particularly the internet). Some mention library and internet cafe use. The most frequent use was for writing, then research then games. The perceived usefulness of ICT in future work is said to be motivational and this impacted positively upon their behaviour (supported by reports from youth and community workers, and police officers). There are areas of out-of-school use where the value of ICT is not appreciated.
Many teachers and pupils report better behaviour in lessons and attendance when ICT is used in lessons. Use of mobile technologies is seen in some cases to positively support emotional and social interactions but the risks to young people associated with unregulated internet access, is identified.
Gender issues: the survey findings show that overall both boys and girls are motivated by ICT but the lack of ICT toys for girls was thought to make a difference. Boys and girls are both motivated by the use of ICT but the effect on boys seems to make them work more like the work pattern of girls. Motivation appears to be independent of ethnic background, but socio-economic background has an impact.
Motivation appears to be independent of ethnic background, but socio-economic background has an impact.
The quality, authority and credibility of the resource:
The quality, authority and credibility of the resource are all high. The review of research was an independent commission by the DfES. Some of the contentions are based upon just a few responses and perhaps need further investigation to substantiate. The review was conducted by well-qualified and experienced educators and researchers. It would be appropriate for trainees to reference this work in their Masters level writing.
The implications for ITE tutors/mentors:
This report touches upon many areas of interest relating to the value of ICT in the subjects of the National Curriculum, school processes in general and activities beyond the school.
It would be a useful activity for trainees, when developing and practising skills of online research, to be given an electronic copy of the report and in groups of three around a computer, make searches of the document to identify the salient points made about: gender, life-long learning, attendance and safety.
By comparing the results found by different groups, trainees will be able to reflect upon the effectiveness of their own search, analysis and synthesis techniques.
This report touches upon many areas of interest relating to the value of ICT in the subjects of the National Curriculum, school processes in general and activities beyond the school.
The relevance to ITE students:
This publication is itself not essential reading for a teacher trainee with the burden of learning a great deal about education in a relatively short time (although the 8 page research brief provides a useful summary). However, the report touches upon so many important areas in the use of ICT that it is likely to support many trainees’ research activities. ITT tutors should be aware of the report’s existence and role in supporting trainees with a particular interest.
Table 2 - motivational measures (p14) is a useful focus for a whole-group discussion about and analysis of:
classroom strategies to keep pupils engaged;
the value of introducing particular technologies;
the impact of classroom management techniques;
Pages 29/30 contain a number of charts. They can be a useful focus for helping trainees interpret statistics and make presentations of their own findings. The discussion of the affordances and values of ICT become part of the “hidden curriculum”.
An extensive reference list is provided (p 75).
Reviewed by:
Dr John Woollard