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Preface
In October 1998 Scottish CCC - now Learning and Teaching Scotland - began an extensive consultation exercise following a Ministerial request to review the 1993 Guidelines for Environmental Studies 5-14. Primary and secondary schools, teacher education institutions, local authorities, professional associations and relevant interest groups were all given the opportunity to participate both in a preliminary consultation and in the later consultation on the draft revised guidelines. The aim of the review was to help teachers implement the guidelines by making them clearer and more manageable and to enhance pupil attainment. It was therefore decided to remove the ICT and health education components from environmental studies and to issue separate guidelines for these two important aspects of the 5-14 curriculum.
As a consequence of removing ICT from environmental studies the guidelines differ to a greater extent than other revised guidelines. These guidelines therefore replace the Information Technology (IT) component of the environmental studies 5-14 guidelines issued in March 1993. The decision to publish guidelines for information and communications technology (ICT) reflects a widespread view that its importance across all aspects of the curriculum is such that it merits a separate coherent curriculum framework.
Although the structure of these ICT guidelines is not obviously similar to the IT component of the environmental studies 5-14 guidelines of 1993, it does reflect changes in technology and ICT practices in schools. Much of the content, however, is familiar and schools should be well placed to begin relating existing provision in ICT to the new framework.
These guidelines are set within the context of other 5-14 developments: other national guidelines also contain advice on the contribution of ICT within specific curriculum areas. They provide a revised structure of strands and attainment targets on which schools can plan effective ICT provision.
In the world at large, it is acknowledged that ICT is growing at a rapid pace, with emerging technologies continuing to develop. The impact on education has been fairly significant but is likely to increase more dramatically over the next few years as schools develop greater ICT capability. This will happen through an increase in the numbers of computers in schools, connection through local and wide area networks and the development of teachers' awareness and skills in ICT. The pace of change in ICT means that an ongoing programme of support will be required, and that the curriculum guidance contained in these guidelines will require review and updating as a matter of routine practice. ICT itself will prove to be a valuable tool to assist in this.
These guidelines are commended to all concerned with the education of pupils aged 5-14.
Mike Baughan Chief Executive, Learning and Teaching Scotland [RETURN TO 5-14 ONLINE] [INDEX] [NEXT]
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