Bigpond Technologies

Numerous studies show that classroom use of whiteboards, internet and computers can improve education, create another dynamic teaching and increased student participation in the learning process, improve self-esteem of students and faculty collaborative work. And those same studies show that the mere computerization of homework involves only a superficial change in the acquisition of knowledge if there is no real behind change in the educational system and a good teacher training in information technology and communication ( ICT) in classrooms.

ICT, which are presented as a supplement to traditional teaching, are starting to land in Spanish classrooms with promises and challenges. The slate of life becomes one that works linked to a computer and a projector, notebook and pen are replaced by the computer or a tablet PC, which is portable, has wi-fi and recognizes handwriting. Paper books give way to digital ones. Internet is a very important source of information.

But that requires a different approach to classes, to be in them, to direct and coordinate the work of students, to correct the exercises and assess the acquisition of knowledge.

Various projects and tests are underway in Spain help to portray the depth of change that involves jumping to a school with a commitment to daily use of technology in the XXI century. It’s a change that will take time and that here, as in many other countries are exploring some centers.

Matic, a study on children’s learning by Toshiba 3 years and La Salle Bonanova, a facility that already incorporates many elements of technology in some classrooms, evaluated and compared for three months, the evolution of 52 children in learning numbers with students who followed the traditional system and others who learned only with ICT, a Tablet PC per student, an interactive whiteboard and a specially prepared teacher. The ICT classroom students, who started with an average rating of 3.4, killed an average of 8.5. Small without ICT started from an average rating of 4.7 and ended at 6.9. All ICT passed the final assessment. Of the others, approved by 83%.

The study concludes that students demonstrated a more Matic given to school activities and worked more motivated and attentive, students became more independent, adventurous and curious. Miquel Angel Barrabeig, director of the La Salle campus, concludes that “with all the data analyzed, we can say that new technologies are useful and allow to achieve the training objectives in less time and better way.”

The digital board, the item to be introduced gradually in the classroom, as part of a larger project initiated by the Government of Aragón, which began in 2002 and which have invested ten million euros. Over two hundred infant and primary schools, ten and fifteen secondary aided schools daily classroom use Tablet PC. A remarkable and pioneering commitment to the world that has become known to the school of Ariño (Teruel), who earlier this year sent a delegation of students to Berlin, where Bill Gates attended a meeting with European leaders to demonstrate school use of the Tablet PC, a gadget powered by Microsoft co-founder.

“ICT producing little impact if there is behind a project that includes changes in the methodology. If a teacher just follow the syllabus of the textbook, ICTs have little impact. May be more attractive classes, but the teacher still telling all you have to learn. The ICT is a transformative if the teacher uses the Internet and the possibilities of communication with other students and with the same teacher to gather information and transform it into knowledge, “says Jose Antonio Blesa, chairman and professor of mathematics rural school-Alloza Ariño.

To Pere Marques, Department of Applied Education at UAB, “the arrival of ICT means a new era in education” and lists advantages and infinite amount of information that is accessible, more interaction between students and between and the teacher, and a change of habits.

It also puts a graphic example: “There are schools that do not let students give elaborate computer work for fear of being copied from the Internet. If we think in an ICT classroom work jointly evaluate all students and the teacher, This is removed because everybody realizes when something copied. ” And more changes: “We work to work synthesized dossier type is explained and defended to the class. When a student does that is he has learned what he had to learn.”

According to Pere Marqués: “We are at the beginning of change. In Spain using ICT in around 10-15 percent of the centers. The percentage should grow. Politicians, teachers and society begin to understand that the use of technology in the classroom can be very positive and can help to improve education, create another dynamic teaching and reduce school failure. “