ICT Training for Teachers

Talent Guide

Conference Area

Glossary of terms

Resources to Download

Evaluating ICT Resources to support learning and teaching

Module 3	Contents
	Introduction Evaluating Software, CD-ROMS and Web Sites Software CD-ROMS Educational Web Sites Task 3 Forward to Module 4 Back to Secondary ICT Map Back to T@LENT Web Site Map

Introduction

You will be teaching your pupils, in ICT focused lessons, to use software and peripherals, and to search for information on the Internet and on CD-ROMs. In subject lessons, these pupils will be given further opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in using ICT within the context of the curriculum subject. Pupils will of course have opportunities to continue to use the software you have taught them in other curriculum contexts, but they will also need to learn how to use additional software which subject teachers will want them to use to support the teaching of their particular subject. As an ICT teacher, you will therefore need to be aware of the range of software used by pupils in all subjects, although you will not be expected to be skilled in using it. This will be the responsibility of the subject teacher.

 

You may have a wide range of resources in your school. The ICT Centre at the Lewisham PDC has a wide range of ICT resources available to teachers. Find out more on:

 

http://ecs.lewisham.gov.uk/ICTAdvice/Resource.html

 

Lewisham City Learning Centre (CLC) also has a wide range of ICT resources. Contact them by e-mail on:

 

lewishamclc@lewisham-clc.org.uk

 

 

Return to the top

 

 

Evaluating Software, CD-ROMs and Web Sites

 

In order to make decisions about the most appropriate software for teaching your pupils, you will first need to evaluate its suitability. Click here for a set of evaluation criteria for evaluating software, CD-ROMs and web sites. 

Return to the top

 

Most of the software recommended in the previous module has tutorials and help menus. In order to find out more about what the software can do you might like to try some of these:

 

• Software:

HyperStudio: This has an inbuilt tutorial. It takes about 30 minutes and gives a good introduction to HyperStudio and the associated vocabulary.

 

AppleWorks: This has an inbuilt tutorial and provides an introduction to the different software elements of AppleWorks.

Microsoft Office: Clicking on Help on the Web from inside Word will take you out onto the Internet directly to the help page you have selected. The web based Word tutorial is in the form of frequently asked questions.

You may also want to have a look for other software. A comprehensive educational software database is available on the Virtual Teacher Centre (VTC) on: http://besd.becta.org.uk/

 Return to the top

• CD-ROMs:

CD-ROM evaluations have been written by teachers and are available on the web. If you are looking for a CD-ROM to aid ICT teaching you will find this web site useful: http://www.becta.org.uk/information/cd-roms/

 

• Educational Web sites:

  Web site evaluations have been written by teachers and include ideas for integrating web sites into learning activities. If you are looking for a web site to aid ICT teaching you will find this BBC web site useful: http://www.bbc.co.uk/webguide/

  You may also find the list of ICT web sites identified on the "Lewisham ICT Advice for Schools" website a helpful starting point when looking for web sites to help ICT teachers: http://ecs.lewisham.gov.uk/ICTAdvice/Internet.html#ICT

  There are also references, comments and evaluations of web sites posted by teachers and tutors on the Lewisham electronic conference:

Return to the top

Activity

Task 3 Choose a typical activity for an ICT project and identify which software you would use to meet particular teaching and learning objectives. Evaluate two ICT web sites and identify how you might incorporate their use into your teaching. Use the First Class conferencing system to discuss how ICT web sites might support the process of ICT teaching.

Next Module

T@LENT Web Site Map

Return to the top