Case Country Study: United Kingdom Interview Report
Hartman, Holman & Liang
Country Case Study: United Kingdom
Interview Report
Stephanie Hartman, Ivan Holman & Amy Liang
UMUC EDTC 645
Instructor: Dr. Tamara Blesh
April 9, 2013
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Case Country Study: United Kingdom Interview Report
Hartman, Holman & Liang
Introduction:
The purpose of this interview report is to analyze and evaluate existing policies toward
information and communications technology (ICT) in schools in the United Kingdom. According
to a global report conducted by education firm Pearson, the UK ranks sixth in the world for
education and the United States ranks 17th (Huffington Post, 2012). United States policy
makers may benefit from examining some of the approaches to technology integration and ICT
of the higher ranking countries on this list, including the UK. This report aims to determine the
role of ICT which has enabled the UK to become a world leader in education.
In addition to research, Ivan Holman conducted interviews with Naim Shabir and
Mounazir Hamza in person in order to investigate why British schools are successful. Strategies
for finding potential interviewees, interview questions, and interview responses are also
included; the findings from the interviews were then analyzed and used to identify how initial
perceptions were changed based on the team’s research as well as the interview responses.
Overall, we found no direct correlation between ICT and school success. Though many British
schools have ICT available, utilization among teachers varies. The rich professional
development opportunities and resource support that teachers in the UK are afforded are, in
part, contributors to the success of schools.
Strategies for finding interviewees:
Our group decided to try to make our own contacts after our initial correspondence in our
study group area. We didn’t anticipate the lack of response as each of us were confident we
would find a teacher from the UK to interview. Our positive anticipation led us to wait to
formulate questions and as the window of time began to close, we developed our own interview
questions to try and expedite in case one of us secured a prospect. When Ivan was able to
secure two candidates for interviews, we collaborated over our posed questions via chat and
our final questions were formulated. In the beginning, each of us tried to make contacts in our
own way. Stephanie’s husband works for a global company very closely tied in the UK. She
thought it would be simple to locate a teacher through the many contacts her husband speaks
with on a daily basis. While initially, there seemed to be an interest and commitment from a few
of the contacts, nothing came through after additional pressure. Stephanie and Amy then went
to Edutopia, ePals, eTwinning, Classroom 2.0, and other global networks to locate possible
interviewees. Additionally, Stephanie posted questions on an online forum and Amy reached out
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to teachers in the educational organizations RECOUP and British Council but still, no response.
You will find screenshots of attempts to interview in the appendix of this report.
Persons Interviewed:
● Naim Shabir
○ Currently teaches grade 4 math in Saudi Arabia
● Mounazir Hamza
○ Currently teaches English in Saudi Arabia
Interview Questions:
The following questions were created to ask the interviewees. A rationale accompanies
each question to explain how the questions foster a deep understanding of issues relating to
technology in K-12 schools in the United Kingdom.
1. In your classroom, do you utilize any global networks to collaborate with
students/teachers from another country? If so, which networks (ePals, etc) do you use?
Rationale: Identify the utilization of specific global networks.
2. If you do not use global networks, do you teach about global awareness (global
perspectives) in your classroom?
Rationale: Identify the presence of global education elements in classrooms.
3. Do you feel it is important to teach global awareness (global perspectives) in the
classroom (global citizenship, global technology, 21st century workforce skills)?
Rationale: Understand teachers’ perspective of ICT as it relates to global education
and 21st century learning skills.
4. What type(s) of technology do you use to teach/learn with in the classroom?
Rationale: Identify what technologies teachers have experience with and use in the
classroom.
5. Do you feel your school system provides the appropriate infrastructure for technology
(i.e. Internet capabilities available in every school, computers)?
Rationale: Understand teachers’ perspective of school systems, policies, and
infrastructure.
6. What is your current position in the field of education?
Rationale: Understand teachers’ perspective and experiences
contributing to the information revealed through the question responses.
7. Please provide some brief information about yourself, such as your educational
background.
Rationale: Understand teachers’ background knowledge and experiences
contributing to the information revealed through the question responses.
8. What type of professional development training have you received to integrate
technology into the curriculum?
Rationale: Identify teacher experience and training that they have. Provide
comparative information to professional development trainings in the United
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States.
9. Describe your perspective on this training as it relates to your preparedness.
Rationale: Identify how qualified teachers feel to integrate technology based on the
professional development training.
10. What is your experience with ICT in your field of education?
Rationale: Identify what experience this teacher has with ICT to understand their
depth of experience.
11. What expectations are held in your school system to integrate ICT?
Rationale: Identify and understand the infrastructure of British schools as it relates
to ICT in education.
12. How does your school system address the equal access to technology for all
students?
Rationale: Identify strategies that the United Kingdom employs to address
the digital divide issues.
Possible Follow-up Questions for Interviewee:
1. What challenges do you face when integrating technology into the classroom?
Rationale: Identify some of the daily obstacles that may hinder ICT.
2. Describe how ICT and 21st century learning skills and integrated into the curriculum.
Rationale: Understand how ICT related to the curriculum.
3. What strategies are commonly employed by your school that support struggling
students? Students that are working above grade level?
Rationale: Understand strategies that help ensure the success of all students.
Findings:
Collaboration between educators in the UK is evident. Staff development
opportunities include “staff exchanges, formal training, joining networks, establishing
global learning committees and embedding learning into the curriculum” (Eustice, 2012).
In the article titled The role of global learning in staff development and school
improvement Eustice details how teachers often use global networks to share best
practices and resources with other British teachers (Eustice, 2012). Naim Shabir
confirms that she has used such networks including the British Council to connect with
other teachers and classrooms throughout the UK.
ICT in education is undoubtedly vital. However, it is important that technology
integration provides “real, relevant, rigorous links to the curriculum” (Eustice, 2012).
Naim Shabir’s recounts of the support systems in place for teachers mirrors this since
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she reports that consultants provide in-school trainings to teachers that align with the
curriculum. This is significant since the “learning of new pedagogies is most effective
when it is connected to the curriculum or technology” (Polly, 2011, p. 958). Naim Shabir
reports that technology in education is highly supported in England and is top notch,
differing from her experience in Saudi Arabia. Mounazir Hamza comments support
Shabir’s responses in that Hamza finds ICT is supported with professional trainings and
workshops except that Internet connectivity was slow and some Internet sites are
blocked. By and large, teachers and students in the UK have quality access to
computers in their schools. In an article by Carmichael and Proctor (2006), it was found
that most teachers had access to computers both at home and at school, greater than
70% in both primary and secondary schools. These schools with computers also had
Internet capabilities as well. Primary school teachers reported increased usage of
computers most likely due to having a computer within the classroom, while secondary
schools have computers outside of the classroom making them less accessible.
Carmichael and Proctor (2006) write, “personal access to computers is a major
contributor to improved teacher confidence and use of ICT in school (p. 278).
Interview 1:
1. In your classroom, do you utilize any global networks to collaborate with
students/teachers from another country? If so, which networks (ePals, etc) do you use?
I have used global networks in my teaching before. I was a community cohesion
coordinator at Holycroft Primary School, Keighley, England and we had a school linking
with a school in Quetta, Pakistan. We used the British Council for school linking. We
received funding to visit each other’s schools. The children communicated through
emails and many became pen friends.
2. If you do not use global networks, do you teach about global awareness (global
perspectives) in your classroom?
Yes we do, we teach children PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship
Education). In the Citizenship side we teach children their role as citizen in the UK and
the wider world. For example issues such as global warming, poverty in the world and
charity organisations around the world.
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3. Do you feel it is important to teach global awareness (global perspectives) in the
classroom (global citizenship, global technology, 21st century workforce skills)?
I think it is imperative that we teach our children about global perspectives. We live in an
ever increasing multi-faceted, multi cultural and cosmopolitan world, so children must
have global awareness to effectively communicate with the ever changing society.
4. What type(s) of technology do you use to teach/learn with in the classroom?
I have used netbooks in England, every child had one and using them as ICT tool was
integrated into the curriculum in every subject. I use smart notebook software on the
Interactive whiteboard, I have used Easispeak microphones in the past and video
recorders.
5. Do you feel your school system provides the appropriate infrastructure for technology
(i.e. Internet capabilities available in every school, computers)?
In England my schools had state of the art resources for technology. However here in
Saudi Arabia that is not the case. The internet is not wireless and too slow. The
resources need updating.
6. What is your current position in the field of education?
I am a Grade 4 Maths teacher at the moment.
7. Please provide some brief information about yourself, such as your educational
background.
I graduated from the University of Leeds having achieved a 2:2 in Political Studies BA
(Hons). I also have a PGCE Primary with QTS which I obtained from Leeds
Metropolitan University. My Political Studies degree had a lot of variety, an aspect which
I thoroughly enjoyed. This developed my analytical and critical thinking skills which I feel
are vital for any teaching position. I worked for three years as a class teacher and a
community cohesion co-ordinator in a Primary school in Keighley. I was also the Head
of Maths in a Primary school in Bradford, England. I am currently a Grade 4 teacher at
Manarat al Riyadh International School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
8. What type of professional development training have you received to integrate
technology into the curriculum?
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In my school in England we had many consultants from Education Bradford come to
help us as a school to devise a curriculum that integrates ICT. I worked heavily with
these experts to help me personally to integrate ICT in my own classroom.
9. Describe your perspective on this training as it relates to your preparedness.
It was fantastic as it got me prepared and motivated to integrate ICT in my own
classroom.
10. What is your experience with ICT in your field of education?
My experience with ICT is that I have fully been involved with education when the
technology boom began a decade ago. I have only ever taught using SMARTBOARDS,
children having access to their own laptops and wireless internet throughout schools.
11. What expectations are held in your school system to integrate ICT?
They are trying to make the school use a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), so things
can be more accessible to teachers, parents and students alike. The problem is that
VLE platform chosen is not fit for purpose.
12. How does your school system address the equal access to technology for all
students?
We have ICT lessons in the laboratory room which is divided equally amongst the
classes.
Interview 2:
1. In your classroom, do you utilize any global networks to collaborate with
students/teachers from another country? If so, which networks (ePals, etc) do you use?
No
2. If you do not use global networks, do you teach about global awareness (global
perspectives) in your classroom?
Yes, through critical reasoning using critical analysis
3. Do you feel it is important to teach global awareness (global perspectives) in the
classroom (global citizenship, global technology, 21st century workforce skills)? Yes
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4. What type(s) of technology do you use to teach/learn with in the classroom?
Smartboard
5. Do you feel your school system provides the appropriate infrastructure for technology
(i.e. Internet capabilities available in every school, computers)?
Slow Internet/Some sites blocked
6. What is your current position in the field of education?
English Language Teacher
7. Please provide some brief information about yourself, such as your educational
background.
5 Years experience teaching British and American Stream
8. What type of professional development training have you received to integrate
technology into the curriculum?
Pearson Training/ICT Workshops
9. Describe your perspective on this training as it relates to your preparedness.
Very useful and relevant
10. What is your experience with ICT in your field of education?
Very useful and resourceful
11. What expectations are held in your school system to integrate ICT?
High…Part of School Policy
12. How does your school system address the equal access to technology for all
students?
Lessons built into school schedule for each student
How Initial Perceptions Were Changed:
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Perhaps what was most surprising was how many organizations are involved in
the total educational process in England. Not only is the school board involved, but
other organizations like the British Council and universities play an integral role in the
integration of ICT in the U.K. An example is how the British Council serves as a global
education network to connect British students with classrooms around the world. Having
so many organizations working together eases the task of integrating technology into
the curriculum, and it seems that the teachers there find using ICT in the classroom is
just a normal part of the job, no different than using chalkboards and filmstrips in the
past.
Another somewhat surprising aspect of technology usage in the U.K. was how
long they seem to have been using it, and how deeply ICT has become a part of their
educational system. According to respondent one, who has been teaching for almost a
decade, heavy use of technology has always been a part of the curriculum, to the point
now that it is second nature for him. Because of a system wide emphasis of using ICT
across all subjects, this has made England one of the pioneering nations in this area.
Concluding Statement:
After conducting the interviews, it became clear as to why the United Kingdom is
one of the leading countries as it relates to integrating technology into the classroom.
There is a very thorough approach used in the U.K. to ensure ICT usage across various
curriculum. The approach is very inclusive, and teachers appear to be happy with the
resources that are made available to them. Wireless broadband and state of the art
software and hardware make the U.K. an excellent place for students and teachers to
learn and excel.
References
Carmichael, P. (2006). Are we there yet? teachers, schools and electronic networks.
Curriculum Journal, 17(2).
Eustice, K. (2012). The role of global learning in staff development and school
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improvement. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/teachernetwork/2012/nov/11/school-improvement-teaching- practice-global-learning
Huffington Post. (2012). Best education in the world: finland, south korea top country
rankings, u.s. rated average. Published November 27, 2012. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/best-education-in-the-wor_n_2199795.html
Polly, D. (2011). Teachers’ learning while constructing technology-based instructional
resources.British Journal of Educational Technology, 42(6).
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Appendix A: People contacted as potential interviewees
Stephanie Hartman:
Two emails sent through ePals with no response:
Sent to a colleague at work.
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Another contact attempted through a forum in Classroom 2.0:
Amy Liang:
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The following is the letter template that was used when contacting potential
interviewees:
Dear _______,
My name is Amy Liang, and I am a graduate student of University of Maryland
University College in Maryland, USA. I am pursuing a Master’s of Education in
Instructional Technology. My current course entitled “Integrating Technology: Global
Perspective” requires me to collaborate with three other group members to develop a
Country Case Study to learn about major issues relating to technology in a country in
the K-12 educational setting. In particular we are examining the role of global
perspectives and awareness in British schools.
Therefore, I am seeking your support in responding to interview questions to facilitate a
successful completion of our Group Country Case Study assignment. If for any reason
you are unable to provide adequate information on these questions, we will appreciate if
you could choose a Technology Specialist and forward this document to the person on
our behalf. I appreciate any response.
Thanks very much in anticipation.
Best Regards,
Amy Liang
The following people were sent the above message:
·
Tom Pike – Ednam Primary School via ePals
·
Clair Forshaw – Beechwood Primary School via ePals
·
Emma Pugh – Athelstan Primary School via ePals
·
Christopher Colclough – RECOUP via email (cc413@cam.ac.uk)
·
Karen Cleland – eTwinnings (Karen.Cleland@britishcouncil.org)
·
Florence Anderson – eTwinnings (Florence.Anderson@britishcouncil.org)
·
Rosalyn Kennedy – eTwinnings (Rosalyn.Kennedy@britishcouncil.org)
·
Kelly Horrigan – eTwinnings (Kelly.Horrigan@britishcouncil.org)
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