A Partnership Approach to Information Technology in Initial Teacher Training

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the changes to the IT element of the secondary Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course at the University of East Anglia, in the light of the government initiatives requiring a shift to a partnership approach to initial teacher training. This shift means that only one third of the 36 week course is now delivered at the University. The paper describes the recommendations of a joint working party representing partnership schools and university staff. The implementation of the group's suggestions involved a fundamental revision of the IT component for both university and school based elements and a re‐definition of the roles of all staff involved. This paper concludes with a discussion of the evaluation of the new scheme, including the results of a student questionnaire, after it had been implemented for one year. This found that our move to deal with IT as a subject specific issue was successful and highlighted the level of IT use in school subject departments as the single most important factor determining students’ use of IT in the classroom.