Bravo to Lee Davies for reminding us that digital social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter have a vital place in learning and that we must ensure staff have the skills to make best use of them (“Tweeters’ lessons must be welcomed in class”, June 4).

He is also right to say that institutional blocking of these resources robs teachers and students of informal learning opportunities, and I am concerned that 69 per cent of Institute for Learning members are not embedding these media in their teaching.

Ministers may have announced the closure of the education technology agency Becta, but it is beyond the power of Government to announce rapid acceleration in creative application of digital communications. Britain is well regarded globally for its practice with education technologies and has been especially good at opening these to adult learners and young people.

It is vital that we make sure our workforce in post-16 learning is equipped to deal with today’s technology and ready to adapt to the digital world yet to be announced.

Alastair Clark, Senior programme director, National Institute of Adult Continuing Education.