ICT and Schools

Phillip Capper (pcapper who-is-at actrix.gen.nz)
Tue, 9 Feb 1999 16:44:42 +0000

We are currently working on a research contract from the New Zealand
Ministry of Education which is examining the basis on which New
Zealand schools make decisions about the purchase and deployment of
ICT. the purpose of the research is to try and provide useful
analytical tools to schools to help them make better decisions,.

One of the significant emergent issues in this study is that
decision making is based on very poor levels of analysis about the
context in which the technology is to be used. Tool mediation and
tool appropriation questions abound, but largely remain unanswered.

As this project develops I am struggling to understand the ways in which ICT mediates learning
processes, and the ways in which different approaches to software
design might stimulate different patterns of classroom activity -
with uncharted implications for the design and organisation of
schools as workplaces.

I would be very interested to monitor any discussion on these issues
on xmca, and would be delighted to make private contqact with any of
you who are working in these areas.

As an indication of where we are gouing with our project I am posting
two further messages. The first consists of the conclusion to a
scoping report on our present project, and the second is the
conclusion to a literature review for our project.

Phillip Capper
Centre for Research on Work, Education and Business (WEB Research)
PO Box 2855
7th Floor 142 Featherston Street
Wellington
New Zealand

Ph: (64) 04 499 8140
Fx: (64) 04 499 8395

pcapper who-is-at actrix.gen.nz