Drawing on socio-cultural theory, this paper describes how teams of teachers and researchers have developed ways of embedding information and communications technology (ICT) into everyday classroom practices to enhance learning. The focus is on teaching and learning across a range of subjects: English, history, geography, mathematics, modern foreign languages, music and science. The influence of young people's out-of-school uses of ICT on inschool learning is discussed. The creative tension between idiosyncratic and institutional knowledge construction is emphasised and we argue that this is exacerbated by the use of ICT in the classroom.

This article seeks to investigate the multimodal affordances presented by music software and how it can provide new opportunities for students to engage with composition work in the classroom. It aims to broaden the scope of current research into classroom composition using technology, through a study of students' environments and compositional processes as seen from these new perspectives. The authors believe there is a now a need for a reconsideration of the scope of multimodal enquiry in the field of creative music. 1 The overall aims of this project were to understand more about the relationship between ICT and learning and to find ways of using ICT in education to make teaching and learning more effective. Work in English, geography, history, mathematics, modern foreign languages, music and science was carried out with 56 teachers from 10 institutions: 4 primary schools, 5 secondary schools and 1 tertiary college. The research design included five strands each of which looked at ICT in relation to a specific aspect: (i) teaching and learning, (ii) policy and management, (iii) subject cultures, (iv) professional development, and (v) learners' out-of-school uses of technology. Music work discussed in this paper derives from strand (i), teaching and learning. See project website for further information: www.interactiveeducation.ac.uk 2 The music subject team comprised 3 teachers from 2 primary schools, 5 teachers from 3 secondary schools and 2 teacher educators/researchers (Gall and Breeze). The team worked together over a period of two years both together and in teacher/researcher pairs. 3 A Subject Design Initiative (SDI) is a unit of work in which the teacher explores the ways in which technology supports learning within the subject.

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Triads, a type of Peer Assisted Learning used in clinical education settings are documented in medical and health professions research, (Burkeet al.MT2007;29:577–82, Henninget al.JAT2006,41:102–8). Considering the rise in sports medicine curricula in the UK this pedagogical strategy is largely uninvestigated. This exploratory study aims firstly to implement a new pedagogy and secondly to evaluate student learning potential using triads within an undergraduate curriculum from a UK perspective. 21 Year 2 BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy students at University of Worcester, England completed a questionnaire survey answered in retrospect of classes in Sports Massage and Exercise Therapy in academic year 09–10. A mixed-methods research design employed a survey which focused on understanding the dynamics present within this single setting (Eisenhardt, 2002, 5–35). A Cronbach coefficient of reliability score of 0.93 demonstrated consistency of student responses. Highest mode values of 5 reveal that triad members learned effectively in the student-therapist role by working in a more focused environment and anticipating feedback; in the student-client role, by experiencing techniques and sample viva voce questions asked; in the student-examiner role by using the mark-sheet and gaining understanding of skills assessed and marks awarded in final exams. These findings are akin to positive qualitative comments towards group work and transparency of assessment procedures. Lowest mode values of 3 highlight how students did not learn effectively by answering questions on the spot and delivering a program without rehearsal. These results are reminiscent of comments on feeling nervous, unprepared and under peer pressure. Student responses suggest merits in the implementation of triads. Continuing research engaging more institutions in UK and global contexts could facilitate questionnaire validation, comparative studies and potential internationalisation of curricula.