There were suggestions of pupils “enjoy[ing] seeing things done in a different way” [VC/Ma]; of “a
different style of work... going on” [TC/Ma], “a different way of doing things” [MC/Ma], and “a
different teaching and learning style” [VC/Ma]. Teachers emphasised the use of ICT tools to make
tasks less “laborious” [VC/En; MC/Ma; TC/Sc], less “tedious and repetitious” [SC/Ma]; so eliminating
“the drudgery” [SC/Ma], removing “the monotonous stuff” [GS/Sc], and “tak[ing] away the tedium”
[VC/Sc]. Reciprocally, working with ICT could take on the character of “playing around” and
“messing about” [SC/En; VC/En; GS/Ma; MC/Ma]; it was even dubbed “a motivating toy” [GS/Ma].
Teachers also elaborated how use of ICT could make activities more interesting, exciting and fun,
highlighting revision and reinforcement activities in this respect:
It’s very difficult when you’re revising to keep it interesting… But use computers and it’s… like
they’ve woken up again. [TC/Sc]
It does get boring, lesson after lesson, going through the tables in the same way, so I set up, on the
spreadsheet, part of a multiplication grid, and they had to complete it as quickly as possible. [VC/Ma]
Using PowerPoint to do quizzes… so the question comes up and then they can press and the answer is
revealed… is a good way in of reinforcing [detail]… in what to them is a more fun way. [MC/En]
Likewise, in English, editing texts with ICT tools was considered as “adding a little more fun”
[TC/En; similar SC/En]. In Science, CD-ROM resources were characterised as “amusing” and
“dramatic” as well as “interesting” to pupils [VC/Sc]. In Mathematics, ICT-mediation was seen as
making investigations more exciting, while preserving the important intellectual aspect:
It takes out all the laborious stuff… if you’re doing an investigation. It’s using it as a tool… to save
time, to make it more exciting… but you’re still having to do the mathematical stuff yourself. [MC/Ma]
In summary, teachers pointed to ways in which use of ICT could enhance the appeal of classroom
activity, not only in terms of novelty and variety, and of fun and excitement, but by reducing the
laboriousness of work –related to the effecting of working processes already noted– and introducing
a more experimental, playful style –related to the trialling and refinement already noted.