News in Brief

Teachers get £5.6 million technology training programme

New initiative will enhance professional skills of ICT and non-ICT teachers and help to transform ICT-related learning

An England-wide programme to help teachers bring technology more effectively into the classroom is launched today by The Open University and e-skills UK.

Funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), the £5.6million programme will help education professionals, from primary through to secondary and college level, build their information and communications technology (ICT) skills, stay up to date with the latest developments and meet the needs of an increasingly technology-savvy generation of young people.   

The new programme will help teachers of all subjects make effective use of ICT as an inspirational and effective learning tool and boost the technology skills of their students.

There will be a special focus on building the professional competence of technology teachers, providing them, among other things, with first hand experience of the ways in which IT is used in business and to drive innovation.

The programme brings together the world leading, virtual learning environment of The Open University with e-skills UK's extensive employer reach and innovative education and IT skills programmes. 

Professor Brenda Gourley, Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, said: "From Facebook and Wi-Fi, to iPods and YouTube, today’s school pupils are some of the most technologically savvy people in society. The Open University has been driving the use of innovative technology in education since it began 40 years ago and we are looking forward to helping teachers become even better at harnessing the potential of technology in their own classrooms."

Karen Price, CEO of e-skills UK said: "We live in a technology-enabled world. To prepare young people for successful futures we need to transform the way in which technology is taught and used in education. This places new demands on the skills and knowledge required of teachers. The UK already has many excellent technology teachers as well as teachers who are inspirational in their use of ICT in lessons.  We believe that this programme will raise the overall standard to that of the very best, enhancing and enriching education for young people and their teachers." 

The programme combines state-of-the-art distance learning that can be tailored to individual needs, with face-to-face learning at local venues or hosted by employers. It will be supported by a dynamic online community.

The aims and objectives of the programme reflect the recommendations of the recent Rose and OFSTED reports to create a world-class learning environment in the UK by transforming the approach to ICT in education.

More information about the initiative will be available on www.e-skills.com in the coming weeks.

Posted on 20 Jul 2009