The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency has said schools are not yet using technology to its full potential.
Its annual survey on the subject shows that they have made progress, but have yet to engage pupils fully through the use of new technologies.
The Harnessing Technology Schools Survey 2008, which was compiled by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), suggests community access to schools' ICT facilities is still limited and that, even where there are online communications with parents, these tend to be one-way, rather than interactive.
Stephen Crowne, chief executive of Becta, said: "It is clear from this survey that ICT is now firmly on the agenda and schools fully recognise its importance. However, we now need to make that next step and ensure that schools are using the technology available in an interactive and engaging manner.
"Technology can play a crucial role in creating a world-class education system for learners. We are seeing some schools use technology to engage more regularly and more effectively with parents, but we need to see all schools take advantage of the opportunities technology can provide."
Among the findings of the survey is an improvement in pupil-computer ratios. In primary schools there is one desktop PC for every 13.9 pupils and a laptop for 31.8, and in secondaries the figures are 4.3 and 61.4 respectively. The computers are connected to networks in 69 percent of primary schools, 94 percent of secondaries and 66 percent of special schools.
In addition, most schools have their own websites, and around four-fifths reported using this to provide information and resources for parents. Also, more interactive whiteboards have been made available at all levels, most schools have a written strategy or improvement plan for ICT and/or e-learning, and 90 percent of secondary schools offer their pupils a secure digital area for storing their work.
However, the report says most schools still need to look at how technology can be used for developing partnerships between parents and schools, and how to support teachers in making lessons more engaging for pupils.
It identifies a barrier to this in that teachers have often said they need more time than is available to try out digital resources. But it adds that this problem is not insurmountable.
There is also plenty of scope for developing the use of social software for learning. At present, it is reportedly used in only one in 20 schools.
Talkback
How many schools have got access to a skilled ICT Systems Engineer who can work with them to shape the kit into something that can actually be useful to them, rather than just sit on a desk and enable a tick in yet another government survey form?
Stephen Crowne is absolutely correct in summing up the report, I would go further and say that most schools have a stab at harnessing technology, most are just paying lip service to it though. They have a website which has a couple of calendar dates, updated once or twice a term. That means they can tick the box ‘providing information and resources to parents’. By giving their pupils a folder on the school network they can also tick the box that says ‘pupils have a secure digital storage area’.
Until there is a concerted effort by schools to engage the wider community by using proper home-school partnership tools nothing will change. It’s down to individual schools and specifically the Executive Heads to champion the technology, there are no excuses.