A study by NTL:Telewest Business has found almost half of British teachers would like to use the Internet more than they currently do in lessons.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
The study indicates thirty-seven per cent of teachers feel the Internet has made a dramatic impact on exam results, nearly nine out of ten felt pupils were more interested in lessons and a majority felt it helped both slow learners and brighter pupils. According to the report, the main use of the Internet in the classroom is for access to online learning and research, with just one per cent using the web to collaborate with other schools and businesses. The main barriers to Internet take up were an insufficient number of PCs, a lack of suitable online resources and a lack of time and specialist equipment such as interactive whiteboards. More than a third of teachers surveyed also felt there was a lack of access to the right Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills and training to support e-learning effectively. The report also revealed that 83 per cent of teachers recommended specific web sites to pupils to support studies and 15 per cent of teachers still do not have access to the internet in the classroom. The survey, which questioned over 500 teachers across the UK, was carried out for NTL:Telewest Business by public research group YouGov.
