Tracking the Development of Student Information Technology Capability: IT in a primary postgraduate certificate of education course over three years

The current state of the teaching of information technology competency within postgraduate teacher training is summarised from existing literature and weaknesses are identified. Development work in the Loughborough University Primary Postgraduate Certificate of Education course over three successive years is examined and discussed, focusing on the apparent gap between student achievement in the institution and application in classrooms while on school placements. It is argued from qualitative and quantitative evidence that a major factor is the failure of some school placement teachers to provide encouragement to their teaching practice students, and that this is a feature not of schools but of individuals. The conclusion attempts to analyse further that gap and suggests some ways forward.