We ask education experts for their verdicts
Sam Dutton at Google says: 'Kids are very knowledgable as consumers, but they don't necessarily know how the technologies work.' Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian
Rob Appelby, art teacher, Herne Bay high school, Kent
It's not necessarily that teachers know less about IT – it's just that they don't know how to teach it. The curriculum always seems to be lagging behind. My students don't want to learn how to make Excel spreadsheets or PowerPoint presentations – they want something far more eclectic that really taps into their individual interests.
Karen Davies, head of learning resources, Science Museum
Kids are very experimental and really push boundaries, but adults tend to be more cautious. That's why students often seem to know more than their teachers – it's a confidence thing. Yes, there are lots of things we can learn from young people, but children need frameworks and structures to help them learn – and that's what teachers provide.
Sam Dutton, developer advocate for Chrome at Google
Kids are very knowledgable as consumers, but they don't necessarily know how the technologies work. There is this sense of computers being like a mysterious black box. It's quite a passive way of looking at technology, so this is where teachers come in. I'd love to see schoolsbeing a lot more proactive, teaching kids skills like computer programming.
Russell Hobby, general secretary, the National Association of Head Teachers
Nowadays the average teenager does know more about IT than their teacher but that has its plus points. When students have to help out their teacher, it can be a big boost to their self-esteem. But technology can't be taught as a standalone subject – it should be integrated in all lessons.
Julie Thorpe, head of school and youth programmes, Co-operative College, Manchester
My own sons spent three years learning about Word, Excel and PowerPoint. It seems a shame to invest so much time and energy in teaching students how to use applications they could probably work out for themselves. I'd like to see children involved in activities that would stretch both teachers and pupils, for example, taking PCs apart and rebuilding them with new components.
• Janet Murray was talking to delegates at the Guardian's Innovation in Education annual summit. See reports from the event at EducationGuardian.co.uk
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