Technology and computing is an important aspect of modern schooling and education, as technology has been embraced by society and is now an active part of our everyday life. However, computing and the use of technology was not embraced as part of the wider curriculum in my BSE 1. Computing was taught exclusively in the computing suite and did not relate to any wider curricular links. The placement school did not have portable computers, so the pupils found it challenging to integrate computing in their work e.g. researching information online.

The teacher did not feel particularly confident in teaching computing, and the sessions were kept short (20-30 min) as a result of this. The teacher were consistent in following the National Curriculum, but delivered lessons were the children mainly worked independently with little support. As I personally think that computing and technology is such a prominent part of our every day life, I wish that I could have observed more cross curricular links, and more active use of technology on a daily basis.

The Interactive White Board (IWB) has become a well known attribute to the primary classroom. Gone are the days of black boards and chalk, the endless cables and numerous breaks while waiting for the projector to turn on. Now, everything is efficient and smooth, fast paced and wonderful. Or is it?

Even though there are good things about using an IWB, such as practicality, as you have everything you need in one place, there are some aspects of the the IWB that I personally question;

1.The constant exposure to light. Children spend a lot of time in front of different computer screens, and are being exposed to extremely bright light because of this. Do they need more screen time than what they are already getting?

2.The handwriting function on the IWB seems rather clumsy; learning to write properly by hand is something I consider as extremely important.

3. Group work and talk. If everyone is sitting facing forwards, there will be little room for talk in the classroom, something that is considered extremely important for optimal learning.

4. Some aspects of the IWB seems rather unnecessary, and there are several features that would take longer to operate than just writing by hand or doing it verbally or with physical resources.

However, there are aspects of teaching I personally feel that the IWB can contribute towards; Whole class projects. In our ICT class, we paired up and made the start of a project aimed at KS2 in Geography called: Contrasting Cities. The IWB aided in this project by offering hyperlinks and hotspots to create a visual context on the IWB, letting the children interact with maps, directions and distance, without having to change from the board, to a computer and searching for the right things. By one click, the children would be able to read about two contrasting cities: London, UK and Sitka, Alaska. Using hyperlinks and hotspots, live maps and flight radar apps, the project would further go on to explore three types of pollution: air, noise and light. The IWB would have been extremely helpful for this purpose.

So what I am trying to say is: The IWB can be very helpful in whole class projects, as it can provide a collective point for everything: visuals, internet links, and hotspots in an efficient way, possibly also engaging the children more and providing connections to real life in a way that “old fashioned” resources can not. However, everything should be used in moderation, and I think that the white board or black board, the hand puppet and the physical resources still has an important place in the classroom, and plays a role that the IWB cannot replace, yet.

Today, blogging and vlogging (video blogging) is a widely used term around the world. It can even be classified as an occupation! As web sites such as YouTube, WordPress, and other platforms for social interaction online, has emerged, the blogger has risen. Young children today are growing up in a society where a major part of social interactions are happening online. They watch famous “Youtubers” talk about their day as they were talking to a friend or family member, while recording themselves, their homes and their friends, and putting it online for the world to see. The safeguarding of young children in relation to the use of social media is important to address here. Children look at videos on Youtube, and read blog posts where people put their life online. The difference, however, between these people and children, is that professional bloggers and vloggers are adults. They can take responsibility for their own actions, children can’t. Technology and computing is the future, and there is a lot of research going on that can change the world for the better. It is therefore more important than ever, to teach children how to use technology and multimedia properly. By watching people put their life online, one can argue that a change  in online role models, or a more present parental intervention is necessary, as well as proper education on the subject in school. This means that the focus on ICT in teacher training should increase, and not just be considered a minor subject within the wider curriculum.