Research Reviews

In order to distinguish teaching in the classroom from educational administration or research, terms such as teaching at the coalface or the chalkface were often used as a metaphor. Metaphors like coalface and chalkface were used to emphasise the everyday practice of teaching with an emphasis on the teacher. However, the use of digital technologies has changed the practice of teaching and learning to become more student-centred, so the use of the term chalkface as a metaphor is really no longer appropriate.

In a number of countries, efforts are being made to provide a common school curriculum. For example, in the USA, a partnership between states has developed the Common Core Standards which has been adopted by a large number of states. In Australia, development of a nationally mandated school curriculum is under development with a literacy and numeracy assessment program already in place. However, curriculum needs to be coupled with assessment because both are integral to education programs.

The use and experience of digital technologies by teachers, educational administrators and librarians may shape how digital technologies are used in the classroom. Today, there are a multitude of choices for technology tools, online content and digital infrastructures that can be deployed in education. The experience of educational leaders may be an important factor in determining how digital technologies can be used for learning.