From ‘Posh Pen and Pad’ to Participatory Pedagogies: One Story of a Netbook Implementation Project with 108 Pupils in Two Primary Schools

This paper looks at the implementation of wireless netbooks within two primary schools in the UK for all children at key stages 4 and 5. It looks at current concepts of ematurity and technological implementation and offers a new model based on three interlocking factors, the educational status of the technology, the capacity for innovation of the organisation, groups and individuals and how far the technology can be aligned with the needs and concerns of individuals and teams and their prevailing pedagogical approaches. This model is examined in the light of an action research project and illustrates how pedagogical reframing is important in any technological intervention. It also examines role, identity and practice changes required by both learners and teachers in order to improve the learning experience within a school.