Learning Technology is an essential component of any good educational organisation. Every one of the learning providers in the East Midlands has made large investments in a variety of learning technologies: laptops, active whiteboards, cameras and much else beside. Some of it has been taken up and used effectively, some languishes in a cupboard, unloved and unused.

Everyone agrees that technology can make an important contribution towards learning – the question is how and under what circumstances it does this. How can an organisation know that the investment is going to pay off? How can effectiveness be measured anyway?

One American report concluded:

‘“There is no magic formula that policymakers can use to determine if the return on technology use is worth the investment. Rather than asking, “is technology worth the cost?” the better question is, “under what conditions does technology offer the most benefit for students?” ‘

This course will:

• look at the findings of reports which have studied this problem in this country and the US.
• suggest strategies which can be employed to ensure that equipment is used to benefit students and further the educational aims of the organisation
• provide examples of good practice in the use of technology.

Introducing new technology