Breaking the cycle of ignorance: information technology and the professional development of teachers

Despite numerous national and local initiatives there are still many schools within the UK which have yet to take Information Technology (IT) on board in any meaningful way. For the majority, IT flourishes only in pockets of good practice within the school. Lack of resources both in terms of hardware and software and in terms of adequate training are often cited as the prime causes of this failure to advance. The research literature on teacher expertise, however, suggests that there is a more fundamental reason for the lack of progress: the inherent resistance to meaningful change within our profession. What is the nature of this resistance and how may it be overcome? Here evidence drawn from the formal evaluation of Integrated Learning Systems in UK schools will be used to illuminate our understanding of the process of professional development of teachers.