Re-Schooling and Information Communication Technology: A Case Study of Ireland

Abstract

This chapter examines the place of information communication technology (ICT) in re-schooling; the authors discuss what re-schooling means and use Northern Ireland as a case study to explore how an entire school system is starting to be transformed through a combination of political change, curriculum development, and the integration of a managed ICT service. They argue that where ICT is being used to build social cohesion and social capital in addition to developing pupils’ employability and academic performance, it is helping schools to become learning organisations. The authors provide an analysis of the social, economic, and political context of Northern Ireland, but argue that the lessons that have been learned about the relationship between ICT and re-schooling have resonance on a global scale.