The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

Using Computers
in American Primary Schools

Assisting with Teaching Tasks

• Explanatory Notes

• Domestic Aspects
  of the Fellowship

  • Purpose of the Fellowship

  • Success of the Fellowship

  • The Fellowship Grant

  • Suggestions for Future Fellows

  • Dissemination of the Report

• Professional Aspects
  of the Fellowship

  • Overview

  • Information & Communications Technology (ICT)

  • Delivering the ICT Curriculum

  • Other Curriculum Areas

  • Assisting with Teaching Tasks

  • School Administration
    and Management

  • Electronic Communication

• Conclusion

• Appendices

  • Acknowledgements

  • Itinerary

  • Technical Details

  • Internet Links

  • TELDEC Grant Project

  • Gates Foundation Grants

  • US Dept of Education
    Executive Summary

  • WebQuests

• Picture Gallery

In several classrooms teachers made considerable use of the computer as a teaching machine. It was an ideal way to present information to children on a range of subjects. Although it was possible to create complex Powerpoint presentations most teachers chose to use ready-made material such as Internet websites and CD-ROM software. It was also an easy way to demonstrate new software.

An essential requirement for this is a data projector and screen in the classroom so that all children can see easily. A document reader was also used to good effect. This could project anything placed underneath the ‘lens’ of the reader. This allowed the projection of original documents and 3D objects. The teacher could also use this an electronic blackboard simply by writing on blank paper placed under the reader.

Using the Document Reader, Barnes Elementary, Kelso

Teachers also used computers to access Internet-based teaching resources and to create a range of teaching materials such as pupil worksheets.

I saw little evidence of computers being used by class teachers in their planning or to manage and analyse pupil assessment data.

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