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Project Directors |
This is a research study funded by Becta (the British Educational
Communications and Technology Agency) looking at the use of learning
platforms and associated technologies in primary and secondary schools
in England. Most schools now have extensive infrastructures of management information and learning technologies ñ including electronic registration systems, management information systems with timetabling modules and virtual learning environments. These are deployed separately, or increasingly integrated together in a single ëmanaged learning platformí. These learning platforms are used along with a range of other communications tools such as email, mobile technologies and SMS to aid the teaching, learning and management activities of schools. This project aims to review current use of learning platforms in UK primary and secondary schools, seeking to identify best practice and evidence of effective use. The project is concentrating on learning platform use in six primary and six secondary schools in a range of different local authorities in England. It takes a mixed-method case study approach ñ involving in-depth individual interviews with senior staff; group interviews with parents, students and teachers; content analyses of online content; basic quantitative analyses of website traffic data; and observation of student ICT use. Fieldwork is taking place from October 2009 to January 2010, with a range of dissemination activities to policy and practitioner audiences at the beginning of 2010 |
