ICT
Training
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Using Generic ICT Resources
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Module 4 |
Contents |
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The range of generic ICT resources has been identified in the first module (Introduction) of this course. Subsequent modules have encouraged you to evaluate resources to help you make informed judgements about the most appropriate resources for learning and teaching. This module will focus on using ICT resources in the context of the National Curriculum (NC) 2000.The National Curriculum 2000 Programmes of Study (POS) for ICT outlines that pupils should have skills, knowledge and understanding in four key aspects:
Pupils will also need to be given opportunities to develop confidence in using ICT resources so that they too can make informed choices about what is appropriate in different situations. The following are some ideas and links to material which may help ICT teachers design curriculum activities:
- Internet
Pupils carry out a search on a recent news item of their choice. They keep records of search results and compare the effectiveness of different search engines for their particular purpose.
Links with other subjects:
- This activity could be extended to be part of a Media Studies activity comparing information obtained on the Internet with other media such as newspapers. It could also be part of an English research, writing and newspaper publishing activity. Click here to see an activity plan for this.
- Database or Spreadsheet
Pupils carry out surveys in school into, for example: healthy eating; attitudes to stereotypes; how pupils spend their leisure time; how pupils spend their pocket money. They design data collection sheets on the computer and enter the data collected into a database or spreadsheet, such as AppleWorks or Excel, for subsequent analysis and discussion by the class.
It's a good idea, if the whole class is doing the same topic, to agree the field headings for the database so that data can be more easily combined. When the data has been analysed, the results can be presented using word processors or presentation software such as HyperStudio or PowerPoint.
Links with other subjects:
- This activity could be part of a Maths topic on data handling. It could also be part of a Statistics course where issues of sample size are considered and the statistical features of the package are used to analyse results such as mean, median, mode and standard deviation.
- Spreadsheets
Problem solving with spreadsheets can be fun if pupils are familiar with the contexts for the problems. Economic problems such as Weekly Budget, Refreshment Stall, Attendance Register, Fast Food Menu Calculator, School Stationery Shop and School Fete Game can provide such contexts. Gill Deadman, with the maths team at Crofton School in 1994, wrote up these activities into a booklet called "Spreadsheet Modelling Problems". This booklet is most suitable for pupils in KS3. The activities in this booklet are available on the Secondary ICT Conference (ICT Resources Folder) Click here for a sample of one of the activities. Further examples of spreadsheet activities can be found in the secondary geography materials.
Another example of using spreadsheets for handling and exploring data is the School Meals problem which is written up as part of a case study for the TTA Needs identification materials for ICT teachers (p32 p48). It is suggested the material is suitable for Yr 8 pupils but it would also be suitable for a KS4 GCSE project. There are further good ideas in these materials for planning and teaching ICT lessons.
- Datalogging
ICT Suites are popular with pupils and can often be hot and overcrowded! This problem provides an ideal context for teaching pupils about datalogging and control in a real life context. Pupils plan, set up and record temperatures and numbers of pupils in the ICT Suite. Pupils develop simple programs which set off a small alarm when the temperature or number of pupils in the ICT suite goes above a reasonable limit. The results could also be used to write a report about what is causing the problem and offering strategies for improvement. This problem could be extended as part of work being done in D&T or Science.
- Logo
Logo can be used to engage pupils in problem solving activities. Provided the activities are pitched at a level that pupils can understand, and support is on hand when they need it (this can be from their peers if pupils are working in collaborative groups), pupils will enjoy the activities. Pupils can be set problems to help them develop an understanding of procedures as sets of instructions, variables, recursion and so on. It is also likely the maths department will include Logo as part of their teaching units, particularly at KS3. However, as an ICT teacher you will focus on programming with Logo whereas the maths department will focus on using Logo to teach maths. Lots of materials have been written to support classroom Logo activities. One such booklet has been written by Gill Deadman. Click here for a sample.
Further logo activities can be downloaded from the Secondary ICT Conference (ICT Resources folder)
Exchanging and sharing information
- Desk top publishing
Pupils plan, write, edit and publish a school newspaper in collaboration with others. The Internet, CD-ROMs and other sources could be used for background research for articles. The newspaper could be published once a term and sent home to parents. As such, this provides a real life context with deadlines and issues to deal with before, during and after publication of the newspaper. Material could be drawn from lots of subject areas in the school and the copy put together with the help of the English department.
- Hypermedia
Pupils should have their own pages on the school internal web site (Intranet) where they can post and share information on ICT related topics. For example, a frequently asked question page might be helpful to other pupils learning to use the school network of computers for the first time. You should allow and encourage pupils to contribute to the ICT department pages of the school web site, and encourage your colleagues to allow pupil work to be published on other departmental pages. The school newspaper can be published in this manner as well.
Links to web sites and guidance on producing web pages can be found on:
Your pupils should e-mail pupils in other schools in their own borough and further afield and compare local area amenities for local young people. They could then use word processors to write reports and publish on a web page to share findings. The Young Citizens project engaged pupils in just such an activity. The materials for this project are available on this server on:
- Electronic Conferencing or Video Conferencing
Teachers could set up electronic conferences or video conferences to enable pupils to talk to each other in schools locally, nationally and internationally. Again, pupils could write summaries of the discussion and publish these either on the conference site or on a web page. The outcomes of a number of conferences set up as part of the Lewisham Young Citizens Project can be found on this server on:
Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses
- Word Processing or Hypermedia
Pupils enjoy reflecting on their work provided they are given a supportive structure in which to do this. Many pupils find writing difficult and blank pages can put them off. Writing frames containing prompt questions can help pupils in the process of critical reflection on their use of ICT.
Writing frames for Key Stage 1, 2, and 3 pupils in the form of "Computer Diaries" have been published as part of the two Lewisham publications in the series "Ideas for integrating ICT into the primary and secondary classroom". These are available on the Secondary Curriculum Area Conference (SecICTProformas folder).
GCSE pupils also find writing frames helpful to reflect on, and to write critically about, their use of generic ICT resources to solve problems. Gill Deadman, as part of a research project, has produced a set of 5 writing frames in HyperStudio software. These are available on the Secondary ICT Conference (SecICTResources folder).
Task 4
- Design a simple survey to find out how other subject departments use generic ICT resources in their teaching. Use a database or spreadsheet to analyse the results and create a set of slides in presentation software to present your findings to a staff meeting.
- Develop a simple web page to promote the work of the IT department.
- Plan an activity for KS3 pupils which includes using generic ICT resources. Click here to download an "ICT Activity Planning Pro forma" to help you plan the activity.
Activity