Teachers get £5.6m to swot up on how to use tech

Teachers in England are to get help to learn more about technology thanks to a £5.6m training programme, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The programme is aimed at increasing teachers' tech skills to help them make better use of ICT in their lessons, as well as improve the IT skills of their students.

Teachers of all subjects from primary level through to secondary and college will be able to get access to face-to-face learning, at local venues or hosted by employers, to enable them to get to grips with using technology as a teaching aid.

The Open University - which launched the programme yesterday alongside IT skills sector body e-skills UK - will also make its virtual learning environment available for teachers to use distance learning.

e-skills UK added the programme will have a "special focus" on technology teachers, who will be given first-hand experience of how IT is used in business.

In separate news, the government has announced it's making an extra 10,000 university places available this year for students who choose to study science, technology, engineering or maths.

The government said it will pay student support costs, including maintenance grants and loans to cover tuition fees, for full time undergraduate entrants over the life of their course.