Teachers must 'keep up with latest technology'

19:00 10th October 2008

Teachers should be trained to ensure that they have a good grasp of all the technology used in their school.

That is according to the National Union of Teachers, which has asserted that educators and pupils alike benefit from new technology.

However, there is some anxiety among staff members about how to use it, a spokeswoman for the NUT said.

She explained that it is very important for teachers to understand the IT at their disposal, and as such they should be given the opportunity to get to grips with it.

The spokeswoman said: "IT is of course highly beneficial for pupils and teachers. However it is imperative to combat anxieties amongst teachers who are worried about not being up to speed with the latest packages."

Schools are spending £644 million on IT in 2008-9, a report published by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) found.

This is an increase of £40 million compared to the previous school year.