Information and Communication Technologies and the Changing Role of the Teacher

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the changing role of the teacher in the use of educational Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Several key issues are explored, including the effects of ICT on teaching and learning, the changing role of the teacher in constructivist learning environments, and the new skills teachers may be expected to acquire in order to make fruitful use of the new technologies. The author argues that the introduction of ICT into schools is raising fundamental questions about the nature of teaching and learning, and may even be challenging our conception of ‘time and place’. The paper offers evaluation of ICT uses in elementary schools in the USA and primary schools in England. It concludes with descriptions of emerging technologies (including relevant website addresses) and the possible contribution these may make to promoting ‘any time, any place’ learning opportunities for the future

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Steve Wheeler

Steve Wheeler is Senior Lecturer (Distance Education) in the Faculty of Arts and Education at the University of Plymouth. He has worked in media and education for over 25 years, predominantly in teacher training and nurse education. During his teacher training he researched into the uses of satellite teleconferencing and broadcasting in education. Steve is currently completing his doctoral thesis at the University of Plymouth, entitled: ‘Transactional distance and the mediating effects of telematic technologies in distance learning’. He is a member of several international scientific committees and works as a consulting editor for several academic journals