Apple Accolade For USW Lecturer
STUDENTS across the world are benefiting from research into better ways to teach IT in schools, thanks to a University of South Wales (USW) lecturer.
Mathew Pullen revealed the results of his Gwent-based study at a special event in Germany recently, where Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs) shared their knowhow.
The #ADE2016 Conference in Berlin saw 400 ADEs from across the globe gather to discuss the latest developments in IT support for education, and heard how Mathew has worked to improve student teachers’ grasp of IT, and how they can better support school pupils.
Mathew’s research has been put together in a volume that is freely-available on iBooks.
Apple Distinguished Educators are a global community of around 2,000 education leaders recognised for their expertise in using the company’s technology to develop teaching. Mathew’s work as a PE teacher, on special technology secondments and for private education companies, saw him gain ADE accreditation in 2013.
His project involved 11 students on the USW BA Primary Studies course, working with three of the university’s partner schools in Gwent – Rogiet Primary, Rhws Primary and and Llantarnam Primary.
Mathew explained why he carried out the research.
“I have long been interested in using technology in teaching, and digital competence is now a key skill in the school curriculum following the publication last year of the Donaldson Review into education in Wales,” Mathew explained.
“At USW, we don’t simply want to be equipping our students with the basic skills they will need, we want to be ensuring that we are leading the way on how to successfully integrate technology in the classroom so that it develops the learning and teaching and enhances the opportunities for the students.”
Through the research, Mathew and his volunteers were able to look at a how to approach the teaching of technology.
“What we found was that the traditional way of training students to become teachers may not have worked as well as other approaches,” he said. “They often suffered from being in the spotlight, and could get nervous.
“The book documents what we discovered while carrying out the research, how schools may not have all the skills needed to give the students full training in technology, and how a more collaborative approach – in planning, teamwork, and accountability between the class teacher, the student teacher and the University tutor – could work much better.”
Spotted something? Got a story? Email News@News.Wales
