Learning for Life in a Changing World: England

Abstract

In recent years, in England, routes into teaching have been diversified, central government has taken greater control of the curricula of different subject areas and there has been a partial decentralization of schools with the introduction of academies which have a greater freedom in choosing their curricula. Against the tensions caused by increasing central control in one area and greater freedom in another which is inherent in this educational landscape, we will explore the competing demands made on school education in England, and the consequent impact on teacher education. While the government-led initiative of developing ‘managerial professionalism’ in teaching through performance management, and the demands of the school inspection system, provided by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED), may be seen by some as factors that can limit autonomy in the classroom, opportunities exist for innovative approaches to learning for both students and their teachers. We will draw on a number of projects and the case studies that they generated which illustrate new ways of using mobile technology to improve outcomes for learners. These exemplars have in common their origins in collaborative international projects involving schools and universities. They also represent a progression in strategies and methodologies over the past 5 years remaining in step with technological developments which have enabled the ownership of mobile devices to expand rapidly linked to new opportunities for interconnectivity between individuals and institutions.