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Section 1: Teaching, Learning and Assessing ICT

How ICT influences, shapes, extends or enhances the 5-14 curriculum

ICT can be applied across the 5-14 curriculum and in a wide variety of ways.
 ICT can be applied across the 5-14 curriculum and in a wide variety of ways. Drill and practice, such as simple addition in mathematics, spelling reinforcement in language or recognition of musical notes on a stave, was the sort of use
that very much characterised the early use of computers in schools. These applications are most effective in helping pupils with a specific difficulty and require careful matching of individual pupils to particular pieces of software or the use of special equipment such as a concept keyboard.

There remains a place for such uses of ICT but it is important to think of broader learning goals and particularly of where ICT can be deployed flexibly and used productively with many pupils and in a variety of circumstances.

Language development

One of the most impressive features of ICT use is the amount of pupils' talk generated. A group of pupils working with ICT gives a natural focus for talk and all its features of participation, listening and reflection. The range of activity possible is significant and could include:

  • using software designed specifically to promote reading with early stages
  • work involving a word-processor and the dialogues necessary to correct and improve text
  • using a database to collect, analyse and discuss information in science or social subjects
  • discussion involving the use of a digital camera to illustrate a project or assignment
  • a collaborative investigation of an internet website or remote database in order to obtain information          for a study.

    The important ICT skill of word-processing offers significant opportunity for shared writing tasks, amending drafts and justifying the reasons for change. In addition it brings the development of presentational skills
    • One of the most impressive features of ICT use is the amount of pupils' talk generated
    		 and also the important reward of a well-finished document. The facility to illustrate documents with text and sound simply add to the creative potential of language and ICT working together. This is a creativity that can be employed from the earliest stages, with pupils enjoying reading their own stories, to the sophisticated personal research

    multimedia presentations that pupils at even a relatively young age can now achieve.

    exemplar.JPG (1K)
    One teacher used small, hand-held, dedicated word-processors with her infant class. These were used as preparation and practice to use later on the class PC system. The pupils worked in pairs.

    There was more value in this activity than I had first anticipated. I just hadn't appreciated how well the pupils worked together and shared out the work. When they use paper and pencil and work in pairs one usually does all the work while the second looks bored. Children discuss their work far more than when writing it by hand. Pupils have more pride in their work once it is printed off because it is neater and will show no rubbings out or crossings out. Pupils felt it was all right to make mistakes because no one would know what they had done once the final version was printed. It was also interesting how much more writing was produced, especially from less-able pupils.

    Background from NOF training provider


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