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Welcome to ICT in the Primary Classroom

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.media type="youtube" key="_A-ZVCjfWf8?fs=1" height="349" width="425" The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) has accelerated rapidly in the first part of the 21st century. ICT has become woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. This new reality needs to be reflected in our classroom environment and in our teaching practises.

As primary teachers we are responsible for preparing children “who will seize the opportunities offered by new knowledge and technologies to secure a sustainable social, cultural, economic and environmental future for our country” (NZ Curriculum, 2007, p8).

When used in an educational setting ICT creates a new realm of teaching and learning, E-learning. It has the ability to transform the way people learn and has the capability of reaching learners of all levels (Ager, 2003). ICT equips teachers with new platforms such as iPads, interactive whiteboards and multimedia devises to enhance the learning environment. Web 2.0 tools including blogs, wikis and social networking sites along with a range of software programs can be utilized to engage students.

Although the use of ICT has the potential to provide new and exciting learning it can also "teach the same old stuff in a thinly disguised version of the same old way" (Papert 1980, p40). Like any other teaching area, the teacher has to be knowledgeable, skilled and confident in order to teach with ICT successfully.

Little Kids...Big Potential! ( A Grade One Class shows us the possibilities of children learning to use ICT) media type="youtube" key="IvPZtTej0jQ?fs=1" height="349" width="560"