“ LESS IS MORE :
ITS PROFUNDITY LIES AS MUCH IN WHAT IT DOESN ’ T ASK AS IN WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES . “
“ HOW GOOD MIGHT OUR CHILDREN REALLY BE ? ”
It ’ s a simple question , one you are likely to hear from leading UK academic Professor Stephen Heppell , a figure synonymous with technology for learning . Less is more : its profundity lies as much in what it doesn ’ t ask as in what it actually does .
How good might they be , if we didn ’ t :
Narrow their horizons with prescriptive curricula ?
Limit their contributions with rigid , outdated assessment regimes ?
Hamper them from pursuing learning across subject confines , as they would in adult life ?
Stultify their creativity and engagement by placing them in unsuitable learning environments ?
Fail to exploit the power of technology to support , extend and improve learning and teaching ?
Education reform expert Professor Michael Fullan has brought technology into his work in recent years ( see “ A Rich Seam – How New Pedagogies find Deep Learning ”). His view is that while technology is not one of the key levers for education reform , it can accelerate all the ones he has identified in his writings .
Professor Fullan is committed to change at scale , and has already demonstrated how it can be done . So what ’ s the problem with education ’ s encounter with technology ?
Pundits have been fond of blaming teachers for failing to engage with technology , but here in the UK what has become clear is that technology for learning has virtually disappeared from the political agenda for schools in England . That ’ s not the case in Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland but the acme of schools strategy for England , where all were once encouraged to become academies , is seen by many as a backwards move , the reintroduction of grammar schools .
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