Michelle Selinger

Cultural and pedagogical implications of a global e‐learning programme

An eleven country internal evaluation of the Cisco Networking Academy program across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, revealed a number of issues related to the globalization of e‐learning. The Academy program is a 280‐hour web‐based course that teaches students to install, maintain and troubleshoot computer networks. It was developed in the US by educators and Cisco network specialists and is taught in educational institutions in over 150 countries worldwide. Hitherto research on cultural influences on teaching and learning have been limited to overseas students being taught in an unfamiliar culture or online by teachers with unfamiliar pedagogical strategies. Through interviews with both students and teachers and observation in classrooms, this study reveals how important local tutors are in helping students adapt to the style of the material and to make a course developed in another country both culturally and pedagogically relevant.An eleven country internal evaluation of the Cisco Networking Academy program across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, revealed a number of issues related to the globalization of e‐learning. The Academy program is a 280‐hour web‐based course that teaches students to install, maintain and troubleshoot computer networks. It was developed in the US by educators and Cisco network specialists and is taught in educational institutions in over 150 countries worldwide. Hitherto research on cultural influences on teaching and learning have been limited to overseas students being taught in an unfamiliar culture or online by teachers with unfamiliar pedagogical strategies. Through interviews with both students and teachers and observation in classrooms, this study reveals how important local tutors are in helping students adapt to the style of the material and to make a course developed in another country both culturally and pedagogically relevant.

Learning information and communications technology skills and the subject context of the learning

Abstract There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that information and ccommunications technology (ICT) can support, enhance and extend learning potential. Yet this all presupposes that students are confident and competent users of technology based on assumptions that presume they are conversant with basic applications. This article seeks to explore the tensions of teaching ICT skills in ways that enable students to perceive the benefits and potential of using computers to support their work. It also considers how much direct instruction is needed in order for sufficient competence to be acquired which will subsequently enable students to learn to use other features of the application to maximise these benefits. ICT as a cognitive tool is described and the development and design of ICT resources and lessons are also considered.

A Comparison of the Influence of Governemnt Policy on Information and Communications Technology for Teacher Education in England and Northern Ireland

Abstract This article examines the introduction of national standards and guidelines for the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in initial teacher training in England and Northern Ireland. The context for the increased focus on ICT in teacher education is described for each part of the United Kingdom (UK). Comparisons are drawn between the two areas of the UK to show how schools and teacher training institutions have attempted to meet the standards within each political context by examining the positive features of three case teacher training courses, two in England and one in Northern Ireland. From this, inferences are drawn about the level of intervention by Government and whether greater government control has reduced or increased the integration of ICT into the cycle of teaching and learning.

National Educational Technology Standards for Students and Teachers

In many countries in which ICT is becoming pervasive in schools, govemments are developing a range of similar standards or benchmarks for both students and pre- and in-service teacher training. But are these the appropriate standards? Why should there be standards for the use of this tool? Developments in what it is we should be teaching, and what how knowledge is defined for the information age is also important, but not often recognised in these frameworks.

Teacher Training in Sub-Sahara Africa

Imfundo was set up in May to consider ways in which ICT could be used in education, particularly teacher education, in developing countries with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. It has three objectives. First, the establishment of pilot initiatives to find out what the main issues are in using ICT for teacher training in the developing world. Then development of a ResourceBank, a repository for private sector commitment of project management skills and resources in kind or at cost; and the KnowledgeBank, a web site of information and discussion about ICT use in education in developing countries.