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Benefits of home access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

How we know that using ICT from home can help

There have been many studies in the UK and across the world on ICT's effect on learning and teaching, and on the importance of having access to computers and/or the internet at home, both for children and parents. Here are some of the key findings:

  • used effectively, ICT can improve attainment
  • using ICT at home and at school develops a key life skill
  • pupils with supportive and involved parents and carers do better at school
  • pupils enjoy using ICT and find it both motivational and fun
  • parents like to use ICT to communicate with and learn more about school, and want to use it more
  • using ICT provides access to a wider and more flexible range of learning materials

How does learning from home using ICT and the internet benefit pupils/students?

Home use of ICT by pupils:

  • improves their ICT skills
  • provides more options for what they learn and how they learn it
  • supports homework and revision
  • provides increased motivation, and more efficient and improved presentation
  • connects learning at school with learning at home
  • makes learning more fun

All this can lead to better performance at school and an imporved standard of work in assessments and tests.

What about parents?

Parents can:

  • find out information about current and prospective schools through websites, etc.
  • keep in touch with educational and social events being organised by the school
  • play a more active role in school life, find out about the work of the governors, the parent-teacher organisation and more
  • get details about their child's lessons and homework, and where to get help and useful background information
  • keep in touch with the school, individual teachers, clubs and other parents
  • access - from some schools - information about how well their child is doing, behaviour and attendance information, sporting and creative arts success, and details of personal assignments and homework

Next Steps

Parents' Views

Sometimes speaking to parents and carers who have experienced the same issues as you can be a great way to get valuable advice and information. Read, respond or ask a question in the 'Using computers and the internet' Opens in this window  section of the ParentsCentre forum.

Experts' Views

Benefit from the advice and tips given by our experts by reading or asking a question in the Experts' views forum.

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