What is Four in Balance? - PDST

2 - Benefits of using ICTfor example, they must be able to use the words they have learned in alanguage-rich context (Suhre, 2008; Corda, 2010).In short, it is precisely when ICT enables pupils to work moreindependently, that pupils in fact need the teacher’s input more than ever.ICT does not replace the teacher but rather creates new relationships,between the pupil, the subject matter, the ICT application itself, and theteacher. It raises questions about the balance between pupils workingindependently, the amount of control exercised by the software, and theamount of control that the teacher has over the learning process.2.5 Inquiry-based learningInquiry-based learning means teaching methods in which pupils are moreor less free to look up the answer to a question, search for informationabout a topic, study a concept, or develop skills. The problems they aretold to investigate are often complex ones that can be answered in severalways. The process – that is, how the pupil arrives at the solution – is oneof the learning objectives.ICT can offer considerable advantages in this respect, but as in the caseof practice programs, applications that support inquiry-based learningrequire at the very least a precise, professional, and pedagogicallyrelevant design…as well as the constant attention of the teacher.Computer simulationsComputer simulations enable pupils to experiment in an environment –a model – that imitates reality. They give pupils the chance to developpractical skills, for example learning about dredging with a dredgingsimulator (Oomens, 2011), or to familiarize themselves with the basicprinciples of research, such as developing a hypothesis (De Jong, 2009).Games may also be classified as computer simulations. Some games aredeveloped especially for the education sector, but pupils can even learnfrom store-bought games if they have a good teacher (Van Rooij, 2010a;Verheul, 2009; Claessens, 2011a).25