Again ideas from Ian Jukes:
Every time I discuss the effective use of ICT in the digital classroom with someone, I try to convey the gut feeling and passion that I KNOW it makes a difference, I know it excites, enthuses the students, I know that it empowers them. But with the distracyive nature of the technology currently at Joeys, it is an converstaion that does not truly inspire.

There are two issues here – one is for the most part we are replacing the pen and paper with the computer. Other than the fact it saves trees and for those few organised students a much better way for them to function (not having to combine the two), THIS does not excite. What we need to do is create learning that is different. This is starting to happen – the boys in Economics and Business Studies who are creating online business websites or the recent integrated study between RE, Science and Mathematics where students achieved way beyond expectation by creating a wide range of artefacts from iphone apps, websites, prezi presentations, brochures and much more ( most of them several items for the ONE project.)

Now to the key – did they enjoy the activites YES, were they engaged YES, will it change their final test grade compared to those students who learned in a more traditional way – well according to Ian Jukes Probably NOT. BUT here is the key. A study done in the USA between 2000 kids (1000 –  traditional learning control group and 1000 doing inquiry based learning)  showed that yes in fact for the test immediately after the learning the score results did not change much, but, one year later they were tested again and the retention rate of the content was 15% for the first  group (traditional learning) while the other inquiry learning group retained 70% of the content.

This new group also learnt social skills of collaboration, higher order thinking skills, increased their digital literacy and were engaged.

To me, there is really no question as to which one we should choose…