Exploring the Secret Garden: the growing importance of ICT in the home

The use of ICT (information and communication technology) in homes is growi ng faster than its use in schools and colleges-and there are already more s ystems in homes than in educational settings. This article argues that we s hould attempt to enter the area which most research on ICT in education ten ds to ignore: the secret garden of the learner at home. It is based partly on two pilot case-studies of secondary schools and a small sample of their students. Given the paucity of research in this area the article poses more questions than it answers. What are the implications of ICT use at home fo r teachers in schools? Do home systems interfere with school education or c an they be used to enhance it! How should teachers respond to, and assess, work done using home ICT? Is the home situation widening the gap between on e set of pupils (the "haves" of ICT) and another? Suggestions for school po licies and action research for the future are put forward.