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Action
research for ICT in the classroom
certificate of action research
A key question about the whole collection is "why as a teacher might you bother at all, given how busy you are...?".
There may be several reasons:Firstly, in a quite elegant use of technology (!), once a contribution is posted by a teacher and their work has been moderated for the world to browse (see "how can I contribute?") the site automatically generates a certifcate of action research (as a pdf) with the teacher-researcher's name displayed centrally and a host of supporting bodies' logos fringing the sheet (where the stars are in the not-final example below). These supporting bodies will include the DfEE and the TES.
Secondly, a sense of audience is genuinely motivating. Knowing that fellow professionals are visiting, reading and learning from your ideas makes posting them worthwhile. This motivation is enhanced, we intend, by feedback from the TforT.net site showing how useful, and how visited, each contribution is.
Thirdly this is a project funded and supported by the DfEE and it may not unreasonably be assumed that what teachers contribute will help to shape an understanding of what happens with ICT in the classroom, so that contributions are clearly a part a chain that informs policy.
Fourthly, parents and students will visit the site too; their interest helps to inform the dialogue between institutions and home but also, we hope, help non teachers to realise the complexity and professionalism of a teacher's work.
Accreditiation, a global audience, an impact on policy and a better understamnding between home and school all add up to plenty of motivation ...but teachers all know (and those in the pilot confirmed) that it is the chance as a professional to exchange ideas with others that is the most welcome and indeed the most urgently needed.
Doing the work well is more about reflecting carefully on your ICT practice and processes than about making new work for already busy people, We do very much hope that the equation:
motivation + ease of use > effort needed to contribute will hold true and we have designed the collection and the collection's tools with this always in mind. If we can make it better yet, please tell us.
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