References 2

‘They (pupils) learn by email communication with their peers in a mutually stimulating and supportive fashion. Dialogue arises more easily and more meaningfully between schools and homes via Web pages and email, promoting greater understanding between them, as the learner, the teacher and the parents establish an identity of purpose.’ OECD. Learning to Change : ICT in Schools. 2001. Page 14.

Research and politics are closely linked and the small scale politics of school life have an impact on research. Cohen, L. 2000. Research Methods in Education. P.41.

'Children’s understandings of ICT are central to the realisation of the potential of digital technology in education. OFSTED. 2005. ICT in Schools. The impact of government initiatives 5 years on. P.5.

'The informational and communicative connectedness evident in childrens out of school use of technology is not matched by their use of digital technology in school.' IMPACT2. 1997.

'Sadly most evaluation studies seem to be one off affairs – they neither look back and build on previous findings – nor look forward to further evaluations. If the purpose of evaluation is to feed into improvements in practice and policy then they need to be orientated towards cumulation.

Pawson and Trilley. Realistic Evaluation. P.115.

'(There is) a recurring theme in research on ICT in education and that is optimism – an unwillingness to give the bad news.' Selwyn and Gorard. The Information Age. Technology, Learning and Exclusion in Wales. P.94.

'For many educationalists the real potential of ICT in education lies in the ability to collaborate.' Chris Abbott. ICT: Changing Education. P.63.

'Up until recently most classroom tasks associated with ICT have been isolated.' Wegerif R and Dawes L .Thinking and Learning with ICT. P.2.

'We are convinced of and have proved the huge value that new technologies can offer in motivating under-achievers, stimulating and challenging the often forgotten middle-bands as well as the high fliers.' Imison & Taylor. 2001. Managing ICT in the Secondary School. P.7.

In 1997 the Labour Party sponsored Stevenson Report said that ‘the state of ICT in our schools is primitive and not improving’. Amongst the improvement strategies that Stevenson highlighted was the use of email. ‘Government should aim to give every teacher and every child over, say, nine his or her own e-mail identity.’ This would have a direct impact on teaching and learning. ‘It will enrich the learning process considerably by motivating children to communicate with counterparts and experts all over the world’ making the ‘communication process direct and much more appealing.’ 1997. Stevenson Report.

eModerators presenting at BETT 2006

‘They (pupils) learn by email communication with their peers in a mutually stimulating and supportive fashion.' ( OECD)