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Secondary Geography - Planning and Managing the Integration of ICT in Secondary Geography

Module 4

Contents

  1. Planning the ICT in a Geography Scheme of Work
  2. Long term planning: Planning a Year’s programme
  3. Planning for Progression
  4. Planning for Differentiation
  5. Medium term Planning: Planning a unit of work
  6. Short term Planning: Planning a lesson
  7. Planning for Assessment
  8. Integrating ICT into the Geography Curriculum
  9. Task 6
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Planning the ICT in a Geography Scheme of Work

Long term Planning: Planning a Year’s programme

    As a department you will need to plan for the use of ICT in the delivery of the geography scheme of work. To help this process prepare a curriculum map for Geography, identifying the units of work to be covered in each year group and the main ICT activity being used. Click here to see a sample mapping-grid (in Word). Of course there will be some units that do not use ICT.

 Discussion 

 

What topics will your department be teaching at key stage 3 next term? As a department decide on those topics in which ICT will enhance learning.

What planning Proforma do you use? Consider sharing these with colleagues via the conference site.

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Planning for Progression

All pupils use ICT in their primary schools, in geography you can build on these skills from the start of key stage 3. These skills will have been assessed at the end of key stage 2. (See Module 5 for descriptions of the types and ranges of performance that pupils working at a particular level should characteristically demonstrate. To see a copy now click here.)

 Discussion 

 

How does your school record the ICT levels of pupils on entry?

What are the opportunities for progression in pupils’ use of ICT in geography?

Use the Programme of Study for geography, particularly the opportunities for ICT printed in the margins. Pupils’ progression must be planned both in terms of their development of skills, knowledge and understanding of geography and their development of ICT capability. There are implications for tracking, monitoring, recording and providing evidence for progression when pupils use ICT in their geography work.

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Planning for Differentiation

"Differentiation is a planned process of intervention in the classroom to maximise potential based on individual needs."

Maximising potential is central to the notion of differentiation, and is the aim of the intervention. It is not the difference between students – these will show themselves anyway. It is the difference between where a student is now and where he or she has the potential to be.

(Adapted from: Differentiation: A Practical Handbook of Classroom Strategies, published by NCET in 1993)

You can download a checklist for reviewing your classroom practice related to the following strategies for differentiation.

 Discussion 

 

Discuss with colleagues in your department how you (and they) are managing differentiation in the Year 7 geography classes. What effect has the class size, frequency and length of lessons had? In which groups would you wish to increase differentiation?

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Medium term Planning: Planning a unit of work.

Using the QCA scheme of work for Geography will provide guidance on identifying the learning outcomes for the pupils. To download a unit of work go to the DfES Standards site: www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_geography/

Click here to see some examples of where ICT can support the Schemes of work: Secondary Geography

The key questions to cover in your planning of a scheme of work are:

Click here to see a possible planning Proforma, based on the above questions, for use in your department

Sample Schemes

Click here to see an example scheme of work for a unit on Measuring Development. In a different format is a scheme of work on: People and weather - Year 7

When introducing a new approach to your teaching strategies, careful planning is required. You will need to think about what tasks need to be done, by whom, when, what the success criteria will be, what internal and external support you will need and what additional resources are required and their cost. Click here to see an Action Plan Proforma to help you in this planning process..

Short term Planning: Planning a lesson

Sample Lesson Plan: ICT TASK - Using a database to store and analyse weather

You can download a blank ICT TASK sheet for your own planning

Using ICT to help with lesson planning might include the creation of a lesson plan Proforma using a word-processing package. Two different lesson plan Proformas can be downloaded, Lesson Plan 1 and Lesson Plan 2

 Discussion 

 

Discuss in your department the planning Proforma you use. Critically evaluate the two samples above and identify the strengths and weaknesses of each. Review your own method of recording your lesson plans and create a template for your use. E-mail a copy of it to the course tutor.

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Planning for Assessment

The focus of the assessment will always be subject specific teaching objectives. How might the use of ICT affect this assessment process?

You will need to collect and record some evidence to show that the pupil has achieved the level required. Evidence can take a variety of forms, for example:

  • two or three print-outs of a pupil's writing or drawing, showing developments that have taken place
  • a tape-recording of pupils in conversation with each other or with the teacher
  • photographs of pupils' work
  • a brief note of the pupils' comments or answers to questions
  • the pupils' own written comments on what they have done.

Sample questions to ask when planning for assessment

  • In what way does the ICT activity enhance the learning objective?
  • What other subject specific aspect can I assess at the same time? (if any)
  • What aspect(s) of ICT will I want to use?
  • What software and hardware will you be using?
  • How familiar are the pupils with the application or program?
  • How familiar are the pupils with the IT concepts covered?
  • Will I have access to the computer(s) when it is needed?
  • Will a classroom assistant be available at the same time?
  • Will the pupils be doing the activity in groups, pairs or individually?
  • How will I carry out the teacher assessment?
  • (Observation / Teacher and child discussion / Pupil reflective record / printouts)
  • What evidence of pupil progress (in the subject) will I need to collect?
  • How will I record the assessment(s)?

Click here for a sample assessment scheme for a lesson, ICT Assessment Sheet

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Integrating ICT into the Geography Curriculum

There are many opportunities for integrating ICT into aspects of geography. It is important that ICT is used thoughtfully, that is in order to enhance learning in geography, to introduce or consolidate ICT skills knowledge and understanding, to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate success in attainment and to support progression and improved standards of teaching and learning.

Activity

 

Task 6

Using the various planning Proformas, including the sample lesson outline sheet, plan an ICT-rich lesson or series of lessons.

Consider using ICT advisory teacher support

Publish a report of the activity on the web

Include your lesson plan and assessment scheme, and your lesson evaluation

Use the conferencing software to discuss issues of integrating ICT in geography teaching.

 

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Further Resources:

For other areas of geography also see:

Teacher Training Agency (1999) Identifying ICT training needs - Secondary, CD-ROM London: TTA

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