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NewsResearch finds ECDL for Educators significantly benefits teachersAn 18-month long independent research project has found the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) for Educators course to significantly improve teachers’ ICT skills. Of the 130 teachers taking part in the MirandaNet project, an overwhelming majority said the course had given them a greater ICT skills base and more confidence in their ability. With the Tomlinson report citing the need for ICT to be at the heart of education the findings are particularly relevant. Naacemark award winning courseware producer, Aston Swann, commissioned the project with the support of the British Computer Society (BCS), to analyse the effectiveness of its ECDL for Educators programme. International consultancy and research organisation, MirandaNet, tracked the participants’ progress from before they started the course until its conclusion, using questionnaires, concept maps and telephone interviews to gather information. According to the BCS, educators are one of the largest groups to undertake the internationally recognised ECDL qualification. Aston Swann is currently the only producer of an ECDL course that is tailor-made for educators in schools and colleges. Wendy Swann, Director of the ECDL for Educators programme at Aston Swann said, “This report investigated the effectiveness of ECDL for Educators – ICT skills training in context. We were delighted to find that the elements that differentiate our courseware from other generic ECDL programmes were so well received by the educators taking part.” The project participants found the ECDL for Educators exercises- such as creating timetable templates, sorting exam results and presenting animated slide shows for parents' evenings- to be relevant to them and more than 80% of the respondents claimed they were already using or would use their new skills in the classroom. Moreover, those whose confidence levels were lowest at the beginning of the course finished with confidence levels in the high range by the end of their training. With the recent Tomlinson report encouraging greater use of ICT in the classroom, and the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) finding a drop in confidence in ICT usage in schools, these findings are timely. On a personal note, participants cited time savings; improved presentation; personal enjoyment and the ability to share news and information with friends and family to be among the benefits of the course. The majority also noticed an increase in enthusiasm amongst their pupils when they put their skills into practice in the classroom. All those interviewed praised the clarity of instructions in the course, agreeing that it gave them everything they needed in order to gain the ECDL qualification. Furthermore, all participants said they would recommend the ECDL for Educators course to colleagues wanting to improve their ICT skills. In his Foreword to the research, Steve Bacon, General Secretary of Naace said, “The research findings in this report make an important contribution to our understanding of the professional development needs of our teachers. They also make essential reading for those who engage in providing professional development opportunities for teachers whether they work in LEAs or in the independent sphere.” Such has been the success of the ECDL for Educator’s courseware that Aston Swann has been inundated with requests for a similar course for students. Earlier on in January the company was pleased to launch its “ECDL for Students Courseware” ******************* National Association of Advisors for Computers in Education (Naace) is the UK professional association for those who are engaged in advancing education through the use of information and technology. www.naace.org |
