Naked into the World: IT experiences on a final primary school teaching practice—a second survey

Abstract This study reports a survey of 103 student teachers who were asked about their experiences of IT on their final teaching practice. Data are related to those from an earlier survey of the same group of students on their first teaching practice. The use of IT was higher than before, but still unacceptably low. A large majority of students will graduate with no classroom experience of databases and other applications software; a significant number will graduate without any classroom experiences using IT whatsoever. The patterns of IT use in class were most disappointing. A predominant use was for pupils to work on tasks unrelated to lesson plans, often practising basic skills. Those students who had taken a course in computer studies were more confident in their use of IT, made more use of IT in class, and experienced fewer technical problems than students who had not taken this course. However, students who had taken this course were no more likely to use a computer in class than those who had not. Students who do use IT in class reported increased confidence and a desire to make greater use of IT in the future. It is concluded that compulsory courses on the educational uses of IT, and use of IT early in teaching practice will help improve the current unacceptable situation, so long as they address the problem of ensuring appropriate classroom use of IT by students.