Teachers fear computers in the classroom

Schools are failing to take advantage of IT in the classroom as teachers worry computers will interfere with traditional book-based learning, according to a new academic study.

The four-year University of Bristol study, InterActive Education: Teaching and Learning in the Information Age, backs recent reports by Ofsted and the OECD, which found the use of IT in schools was "sporadic" and "disappointing" in the UK.

Humanities and creative subjects suffer worst from a lack of IT-based teaching and, as a result, IT is used mainly for administrative and routine tasks in schools despite the government's £1bn commitment to increase the use of technology in the classroom.

The ESRC funded study focused on 10 institutions and explored ways in which IT could be used in English, history, geography, modern languages, science, music and mathematics lessons.

Professor Rosamund Sutherland, who led the research, said many teachers simply lack the confidence to take the risk of using technology in their subject areas despite having the facilities available at school and being familiar with using a computer at home.

In the report Sutherland said: "After working with our researchers they generally had a more positive view of technology and said that it enhanced their role as a teacher and had a beneficial impact on the learning environment."

She said the government needs to set up networks where teachers and researchers can work together to design and evaluate projects that use IT as a tool for learning.

She added: "If these resources are made available, teachers will start to embed ICT into classroom practices."

The study found a positive impact on learning from the use of search engines on language investigation in English, and the experience of spreadsheets influencing primary school pupils' learning of data handling.

But not all methods worked and the findings show that using computer game-style science simulations has a negative effect and makes pupils take the class less seriously because of their experience of playing computer and video games at home.

There are also wider benefits to society from the increased use of IT in lessons and the study highlighted the two-way traffic between home and school in which young people pass on IT skills such as PowerPoint to their parents.