Benefits of Information and Communication Technology Materials and Sources of Information and Advice - Assignment Example

Rita Luise 12 April Topic :Identifying the benefits of ICT materials and sources of information and advice K8 There is a designated ICT Co-ordinator who oversees ICT planning within the school, so do consult the him/her or the local authority, ICT consultant on the benefits of particular software. AT present, there are several organisations such as BECTA and TEEM that provide appraisals on software. Lewisham LEA has provided some tips that come in handy when deciding which software or resource is to be used. Planning The Design Process should look into the following: 1. Is there room for a wide range of strategies to be employed in order to differentiate ICT tasks at various ability levels? 2. Ease in terms of manageability and use by pupils 3. Is Data entry or instructions given uncomplicated? Examples of these are: same activity but different outcome same theme but different levels of input does it allow different pace of working? does it cater to different groupings of pupils? Does it allow for the development of different modules of work, at different times of the year, for different abilities. Does it provide feedback of any sort and if so in what form? Content Consider carefully what you need – does the system deliver what you require? Are there useful support materials that complement the package? Is the language and information appropriate for the age range and special needs of the pupils you are working with? Is the content discriminatory? Do pupils take an active or passive role when learning? Is the lesson subject attention-grabbing and inspiring to both gender? Does it promote cultural diversity? How relevant and appropriate are the materials to your scheme of work? Are there any web-links offered to specific websites? K8A Teaching and Learning Planning generally operates on three levels. most pupils will learn some pupils will progress further and learn some pupils will not make so much progress but will achieve. Planning has to ensure that a wide range of strategies are employed in order to differentiate ICT tasks. Examples of these are: same activity but different outcome same theme but different levels of input different pace of working different groupings of pupils developing different modules of work, at different times of the year, for different abilities. Determining to what extent each task is able to hold the pupils attention, interest as well as motivation Does it allow for group work of mixed and similar ability, individual work or whole class teaching? Are there opportunities for work away from the computers that are intended to compliment the ICT activities? Topic : Policies and procedures for obtaining, adapting and using ICT programs and materials. K9 Every school is unique and some schools have a higher expenditure budget than others in the purchase of ICT programs and materials. Listed below are some ICT elements and equipments that can be found in most schools. Computers / Laptops Calculators Concept keyboards Data projectors Electronic keyboards Digital cameras Floor robots Digital audio recorders Interactive white boards Listening centres Monitoring sensors Overhead projectors Photocopiers Scanners Television Video cameras & recorders There are some general guidelines to keep in mind when obtaining, adapting or using ICT programs. They are : 1. Staff and pupils are reminded not to bring software or electrical equipment from external sources without the authorization of the ICT co-ordinator for a simple reason: to prevent the spread of virus which may infect the school system. 2. Ensure that all electrical equipment brought into the school is assessed by a professional electrician and documentary proof in the form of a signed certificate is available on hand before it is used on the school premise. 3. Evaluate and assess the suitability of any new software that is purchased to ensure that it fits the purpose for which it is intended and that it is non-discriminatory. 4. Ensure that the proper licences’ or permission documents are available for all software that is used within the school premise. Topic : How can you adapt the use of ICT for pupils of different ages, genders, needs and abilities? K11 To ensure that the use of ICT in no way unduly disadvantages any students, it is important the software chosen is non-discriminatory and promotes equal opportunities for all users. It should also not only enable greater learner autonomy but also unlock the hidden potential of students with varying abilities. This is possible only when the programs can be adapted to cater for low achievers, mid-level achievers as well as high achievers by: 1. Setting realistic achievement goals 2. Designing lessons that are progressive in nature such that it builds the self esteem and confidence of the student as they move from one stage to the other. 3. Allowing through lesson plan and program design for students with varying abilities to demonstrate achievement by tailoring tasks to suit individual skills and abilities 4. Incorporating a range of activities and programs by using multimedia techniques, combining photographs and scanned images generated by the student or taken from outside sources that can be combined with recorded sounds and personal writing to create powerful images. In this way students can reflect their own culture, enhancing their credibility with their peers and reinforcing positive self-images. 5. It may be necessary to also monitor and ensure that no single gender group is dominating any particular activity by ensuring that there is a wide range of programs available. 6. Depending upon the needs of the students, a choice of word processor fonts can ensure that learners can select the most suitable letter shape and size while the opportunity to select text and background colors on screen can assist to make viewing more comfortable. Topic : Why is it important for children to be given time to explore and become familiar with ICT activities and equipment? K24 Children can be overwhelmed by the complex range of equipments around them. They may be hesitant at first to try or even explore the equipments fearing that they might mishandle the gadgets or equipments. But this is not a problem, mainly because what pupils need is reassurance. When children are given sufficient time, they will learn 1. how to operate the equipments competently 2. what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior 3. to try out the various options on the keyboard and screen 4. to open their minds to exploration This is only possible when they are given clear objectives and the reassurance that nothing can go wrong. Once students gain competency, they are most likely to face the tasks at hand more confidently and investigate the task further and not be overly distracted or put off by new equipments or gadgets. Topic : How can ICT be used to implement equality of opportunity and inclusion? K25 Through specific applications of ICT, it is possible to implement equality of opportunity and inclusion to students who may be otherwise disadvantaged as a result of an inherent learning disability. They can be categorized as follows: •          Compensation uses •          Didactic uses •          Communication uses. Students who poor handwriting skills are capable of producing work that is legible and well presented with the aid of multimedia. By being able to present information in a variety of ways with graphics and sound as well as text, students see an increase in self esteem as well as self confidence. Children suffering from dyslexic can now make use of spellcheckers and speech feedback to gain support in the development of literacy. Apart from this they can use word banks with graphics clues that can be presented either on screen or on an overlay keyboard. This provides them with instant access to specialist vocabulary. They are now able to choose whole-word, whole-phrase or even whole-sentence insertion and in doing so concentrate on content. ICT can also be of significant value to students for whom English is a second language. The translation mode provide an opportunity for these students to extend their use of language in order to describe, compare and contrast objects - skills that underlie effective information handling. There are also numerous opportunities for students to dabble in ICT activities that require them to work on visually appealing pictures, signs or texts on screen. This allows pupils who otherwise find it hard to stay focused an opportunity to complete the tasks at hand. And in doing so, achieve a sense of satisfaction. Topic : How can you monitor and promote pupil participation and progress through ICT? K26 It can be a rather daunting task to monitor students’ progress when they are involved in an ICT activity as it is impossible for you to visit each and every child. However, by pairing up a less able child with one who is more confident, this problem can be addressed to a certain extent. The only issue to take note is to ensure that the more capable child is not dominating the activity. The only consolation is that there is less number of groups to visit. Apart from that, the following can also be used to monitor the progress of the pupil through ICT: 1. Assign level descriptors that reflect the student’s overall achievement 2. Assess work carried out in other subjects as part of ICT assessment 3. Monitor student’s progress through each unit of work Like any other activity, it is essential for the teacher to have a progress chart of individual students. This can then help to keep track of students who have fallen short of meeting the learning objectives and assist them appropriately. Topic : Problems that may arise when supporting pupils’ learning through ICT K27 Despite the various benefits to be gained, a fair share of problems may arise when supporting learning through ICT. They are: 1. Technical Errors -It may be difficult for you to load and run the programs if the equipment is faulty. 2. Having students whose abilities vary may also be a problem as it would be difficult to search for a single program that is suitable to accommodate the needs and requirements of these students. 3. The ICT is more than a teaching tool. Its potential for improving the quantity and standards of pupils’ education is significant. However, if teachers are not familiar with the use of the equipments or have had little or no experience, then problems are likely to surface especially when surrounded by children who are more experienced and exposed. 4. It is imperative that as teachers, you take into consideration the above issues and ensure that you have explored the programs before introducing them to your students so that you appear confident when delivering the lesson. 5. The lack of sufficient equipments for all children is another issue at hand as the budget for schools varies. Though in recent times, most schools have a reasonable provision. In instances where there is a lack of equipments, then it may be necessary to divide the children into groups. While some students are using the computers, the rest can be engaged in alternative activities and then after a certain time the groups can be reversed for the next ICT session. 6. In a class where students vary in abilities, it may be possible to find a program that provides the same learning outcome but is targeted at different levels so that students of varying abilities are able to complete the tasks assigned. 7. Finally when planning an ICT activity, ensure that the ICT suite is available. Prior to the lesson, make a trip to the suite and ensure that the equipments are in working condition. If an internet connection is required for the task at hand, ensure that there is no problem with it. 8. Should the ICT suite not be available, ensure that an alternative facility is available at hand. Topic : How to evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of ICT resources for promoting pupil learning? K28 These are the following questions that you have to ask yourself when evaluating the effectiveness of ICT resources. These include: 1. Were the resources comprehensive such that they helped to achieve the learning objectives? 2. To what extent was the task successful / unsuccessful? 3. How was ICT used to support learning in other areas of curriculum? 4. Are you confident about using the resources or do you need additional training in how to use them? 5. Were/was there sufficient resources/software available for all pupils to use? 6. What might you do differently if you were to use the resources again? 7. Would you recommend use of the resources to others? 8. You could also ask your pupils to evaluate the resources and activities to help you with this. Topic : Useful online and offline resources that support the appropriate use of ICT K29 1. Make a list of online and offline resources that you can use while in school. Seek the help of the ICT co-ordinator and the class teacher with regards to this. 2. You can also consult the local authority ICT consultant for further advice. 3. For those of you Teaching Assistants who have friends in the profession, feel free to discuss and find out what programs and equipments they have already used to deepen your knowledge. You will be surprised to hear of softwares and equipments that you may have not heard of as yet. 4. A list will be provided to you at the end of this unit. Together we will make a comparative list of programs that have been already used in schools in which you are working. Topic : How to keep up to date with developments in ICT K30 ICT is often perceived as a catalyst for change. A change in teaching style, change in learning approaches, and change in access to information. Anyone involved in supporting children with ICT activities has to make sure that they keep abreast of the fast moving developments in this field. ICT needs to be an integral part of in-service and pre-service professional development. 1. It is imperative that you take part in any training that may be offered in your school 2. Learn how new equipments are to be used 3. Be confident of delivering the lesson content to your class 4. This may require you to work through lunch hour or even after school but remember, it is highly essential that you are familiar with all the equipments and programs that you plan to use in your teaching. 5. Although regular discussions with the ICT co-ordinator can help to a certain extent, getting hands-on is the answer. Only when you learn to operate the equipments yourself will you learn the ropes and get over the hiccups. Read More