The Effect Of ICT On school life

ICT has hugely affected education. There are many different sites on the internet focusing on online learning and aim to help children and adults with absolutely any subject. One of the main things are online education sites such as BBC bitesize. These types of websites can help you with nearly any subject. From work for KS1 to GCSE. They are brilliant for revision and i know many people that rely on websites such as this to revise for exams. They contain tests activities and explain to you everything that you need to know. The knowledge that is in BBC bitesize is amazing and you are able to get really in depth information if you want it. There is no longer a need to go out and purchase book as we are now able to learn nearly everything we want through the Internet. By this we are able to save a lot of money instead of buying endless supplies of books. The internet has an endless supply of resources and you are certain to find an answer to your problem somewhere.

Sites such as BBC bitesize has made it so much easier for people personally they are now able to use these sites to find out information for things they don't understand do online test to make sure they are on track and work on any subject you want. As it is on the computer as well this appeals more for young people instead of writing down endless amounts of class notes. They are also able to play games making learning fun and making sure that they do not get bored while working.

Advantages and disadvantages of online learning

Advantages
There are lots of advantages about online learning firstly it has to be the amount of resources. The internet truly gives us an endless supply of resources, there are specific websites focusing on certain subjects such as mymaths, there are website such as BBC bitesize that have loads of different subjects to choose from and with school based websites such as fronter you are able to download many different resources that your teachers may have put up for you. The internet has no limit to knowledge you are almost always able to find the thing you are looking for. With websites such as Yahoo Answers we are also able to ask specific questions and get other people help you. You don't even have to pay for lots of different books as all the information you need is in one place. We are also able to access the internet all over the world meaning you are not limited to a classroom; you are able to learn on the go. Websites such as BBC bitesize also have tests which can assess your learning so you can find your strengths and see the places that you need to focus on. As they are on the internet most of the websites are free to use with the exception of very few which you have to sign up for.

Disadvantages
There are also some disadvantages towards online education. One is the spelling and grammar, as many of the website on the internet were made in other countries such as America they spelling may be different. Also the schemes of work may be different on the website you are looking on thats why it is important to make sure you are looking at work under the right examining board otherwise you may be looking at false information and spending extra time learning things that you do not actually need to know. One of the other disadvantages of Online education includes actually having false information on the internet, websites such as Wikipedia actually include a lot of information that is wrong as anyone is able to edit what it says on there, so if you do not check the work you may find out the things you are writing are completly wrong. One disadvantage is that the whole experience off learning of a computer is impersonal, lots of people find it hard to learn of the internet as there is no one there to help explain it if you do not understand it. Many people also get distracted and end up playing games instead of actually working.

[JING VIDEO ON BBC BITESIZE]

Interactive Whiteboards

It was not very long ago when each classroom had a chalkboard but now Interactive whiteboards are a new aspect in Online Education.  Interactive whiteboards are large touch sensitive screens that connect to a computer and a projector and as the name sugests they are interactive. SMART Boards (from SMART technologies) are the main provider for interactive whiteboards and they are common in most schools aswell as places such as the work place. Each smart board is fitted with four pens (a red, blue, blakc and green one) and an eraser.  You have to sync the board up to make sure that the board works and once you have done that you are free to go. With the whiteboard being attached to the computer and projector you are able to show documents, presentations and many things on the screen the pictutre on your computer scene i. Also instead of having to sit at the computer and control the screen you are able to control the whiteboard using your finger or a pen. Making it even easier to navigate around the pages. You are able to write on the screen by usng one of the pens on the SMART board meaning you dont need a normal whiteboard or chalkboard to write on. The board realises when you pick a pen up from the holder and so knows which colour you are using enabling you to write in any colour you want. The pens use Zero Ink technology which mean they actually contain no ink but react with the sensors on  the smart board letting you write. The interactive whiteboard recognizes touch from fingers, pens or any other solid object.
 


Advantages And Disadvantages of Interactive Whiteboards


Advantages

• Any computer can be fitted with an interactive whiteboard
• Can make classes and work more exciting with the interactive aspect
• Board will always look clean because of the Zero-ink
• Presentations and work on the computer can easily be seen 
• Notes that you make on the board can be stored and saved for future reference or to show to another class making work easier.

Disadvantages

• One disadvantage of Interactive Whiteboards are the cost. They are very expensive much more than a projector and a normal whiteboard
• Damage is quite usual in interactive whiteboards as many people have picked up the wrong pen and have ended up staining the screen resulting in costly replacements.
• Obviously interactive whiteboards require electricity so if you have a power cut then you are not able to do anything on it.
• If not synced up properly your writing may end up in a completely different place to where you want.
• It is not a multi-touch surface which means you are only able to touch one thing at a time