Introduction
The use of information and communication technology is an integral part of the curriculum at Totsland Schools, and it is a key skill for everyday life. Computers, tablets, programmable robots, digital and video cameras are a few of the tools that can be used to acquire, organise, store, manipulate, interpret, communicate and present information. At Totsland Schools we recognise that students are entitled to quality hardware and software and a structured and progressive approach to the learning of the skills needed to enable them to use it effectively. The purpose of this policy is to state how the school intends to make this provision.
Aim
The Schools’ aims are to ensure that as it has integrated ICT as a main part of its program, we
- use ICT and computing as a tool to enhance learning throughout the curriculum
- respond to new developments in technology
- equip students with the confidence and capability to use ICT and computing throughout their later life
- In research
- In communication
- Collaboration
- develop students’ understanding of how to use ICT and computing safely and responsibly.
The curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all students:
- can understand and apply the fundamental principles of computer science, including logic, algorithms, data representation, and communication;
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems;
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology;
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems;
Rationale
The School believes that ICT and computing:
- Gives students immediate access to a rich source of materials.
- Can present information in new ways which help students understand access and use it more readily.
- Can motivate and enthuse students.
- Can help students focus and concentrate.
- Offers potential for effective group working.
- Has the flexibility to meet the individual needs and abilities of each pupil.
Objectives
Early Years
It is important in the foundation stage to give children a broad, play-based experience of ICT in a range of contexts, including outdoor play. ICT is not just about computers. Early years learning environments should feature ICT scenarios based on experience in the real world, such as in role play. Children gain confidence, control and language skills through opportunities to ‘paint’ on the whiteboard or drive a remote-controlled toy. Recording devices can support children to develop their communication skills.
By the end of Grade Three, students should be taught:
- that programs execute by following a sequence of instructions
- write and test simple programs
- use logical reasoning to predict and computing the behaviour of simple programs organise, store, manipulate and retrieve data in a range of digital formats; and
- communicate safely and respectfully online, keeping personal information private, and recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.
By the end of Grade Five pupils should be taught to:
- design and write programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs;
- work with variables and various forms of input and output; generate appropriate inputs and predicted outputs to test programs and use logical reasoning to explain how a simple algorithm works and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world-wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration; describe how internet search engines find and store data; use search engines effectively; be discerning in evaluating digital content; respect individuals and intellectual property; use technology responsibly, securely and safely
- Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
Resources and access
The school acknowledges the need to continually maintain, update and develop its resources and to make progress towards a consistent, compatible ICT infrastructure by investing in resources that will effectively deliver the strands of the national curriculum and support the use of ICT and computing across the school. Teachers are required to inform the ICT and ICT coordinator of any faults as soon as they are noticed. Resources are classroom based.
Every child in the grade school is provided a Chromebook(Chromebook policy) school network and each class has interactive whiteboard facilities
Planning
As the school develops its resources and expertise to deliver the ICT and computing curriculum, modules will be planned in line with the curriculum and will allow for clear progression. Modules will be designed to enable pupils to achieve stated objectives. Student progress towards these objectives will be recorded by teachers as part of their class observation/recording system. Staff will follow medium term plans with objectives set out in the curriculum and use the same format for their weekly planning sheet. A minority of children will have particular Teaching and learning requirements which go beyond the provision for that age range and if not addressed, could create barriers to learning. This could include those with SEN. Teachers must take account of these requirements and plan, where necessary, to support individuals or groups of pupils to enable them to participate effectively in the curriculum and assessment activities. During any teaching activities staff should bear in mind that special arrangements could be made available to support individual pupils. This is in line with the school inclusion policy. These children should be identified and discussed at student progress meetings to ensure appropriate provisions or interventions are put into place.
Assessment and record keeping
For ICT, teachers regularly assess capability through observations and looking at completed work. Key objectives to be assessed are taken from the national curriculum to assess key ICT and computing skills each term. Assessing ICT and computing work is an integral part of teaching and learning and central to good practice. It should be process oriented – reviewing the way that techniques and skills are applied purposefully by pupils to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts of ICT and computing. As assessment is part of the learning process it is essential that pupils are closely involved.
There should be an opportunity for Student review and identification of next steps.
Monitoring and evaluation
All ICT is ingrained into the entire school curriculum: every subject intertwined. The Homeroom teacher is therefore responsible for monitoring the standard of the children’s work and the quality of teaching in line with the school’s monitoring cycle. This may be through lesson observations, work book scrutiny of looking at other data for the subject. The teacher is also responsible for supporting colleagues in the teaching of computing, for being informed about current developments in the subject, and for providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school.
The role of the coordinator
- There are ICT and computing coordinators who are responsible for producing an ICT and computing development plan and for the implementation of the ICT and computing policy across the school.
- To offer help and support to all members of staff (including teaching assistants) in their teaching, planning and assessment of ICT.
- To maintain resources and advise staff on the use of materials, equipment and books.
- To monitor classroom teaching or planning
- To manage the ICT budget.
- To lead staff training on new initiatives.
- To attend appropriate in-service training and keep staff up to date with relevant information and developments.
- To have enthusiasm for mathematics and encourage staff to share this enthusiasm.
- To keep parents and management informed on the implementation of ICT in the school.
- To liaise with all members of staff on how to reach and improve on agreed targets
- To help staff to use assessment to inform future planning.
Security
- The ICT and computing technician /coordinator will be responsible for regularly updating antivirus software.
- Use of ICT and computing will be in line with the school’s ‘acceptable use policy/E-safety policy’.
- Parents will be made aware of the policy’ at school entry.
- All students and parents will be aware of the school rules for responsible use of ICT and computing and the internet and will understand the consequence of any misuse.
Cross curricular links
Staff are all aware that ICT and computing capability should be achieved through core subjects. Where appropriate, ICT and computing should be incorporated into all subjects. ICT and computing should be used to support learning in other subjects as well as develop ICT and computing skills.
Parental involvement
Parents are encouraged to support the implementation of ICT and computing where possible by encouraging use of ICT and computing skills at home during home-learning tasks and through the school website. They will be made aware of e-safety and encouraged to promote this at home
Using ICT in teaching and learning may be approached in three ways:Learning Learning about ICT: teachers and children develop skills and knowledge in the potential uses of ICT to support learning.
Learning with ICT: teachers and children use ICT resources to support the classroom curriculum.
Learning through ICT: teachers and children use ICT to transform the process of teaching and learning, learning in new ways.
Specific aims for ICT use in the grade school includes:
- to enable the child to use a range of ICT tools in a relevant curriculum context
- to enable the child to develop and use ICT skills in the attainment of curriculum learning objectives
- to foster the child’s confidence in his or her use of ICT, through enjoyable learning experiences
- to develop the child’s understanding and practice of the safe use of ICT
- to enable the child to overcome barriers of access to learning resources caused by geographic location, culture, or language
- to enable the child to use ICT to support his or her learning effectively and creatively
- to inform the child’s attitudes regarding the role of ICT in society, including the benefits and challenges of ICT use
- to support the development of the child’s social skills through cooperative learning and problem-solving.
ICT and the principles of learning in the Grade School Curriculum
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PRINCIPLE OF LEARNING |
TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES USING ICT |
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The child’s sense of wonder |
The child’s sense of wonder and natural curiosity may be engaged by using content-free software. For example, programming software and LOGO with their potential for the dynamic representation of real-world phenomena, can enable children to experiment with procedures and outcomes in a controlled context Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
WWW, e.g. NASA site, the classroom of the future, www.cotf.edu
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The child as an active agent |
ICT tools can promote active learning by enabling the child to find, manage, evaluate and use information retrieved from CD-ROMs and websites. By providing access to a range of information resources, ICT can be used to support the child on a journey of discovery that requires decision-making at numerous junctures in the learning experience. The child can discuss his or her findings, and share them with others using presentation and authoring software. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
Learning quests
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The developmental nature of learning Conceptual development is more of a cyclical than a linear process for the child. The Primary School Curriculum recommends that children receive regular opportunities to revisit concepts, information and skills that have already been acquired. |
ICT can support children as it offers opportunities to revise concepts and skills embedded in game-like situations. Content-rich software, that offers tutorials, simulations, and practice problems, can be used effectively for the reinforcement or the revision of concepts. Additionally, children can use ICTs at different levels, dependent on their stage of development. |
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The child’s knowledge and experience as a base for learning |
ICT extends the range of classroom learning tools it offers the teacher and the child. It affords the opportunity to select learning experiences that begin with each child’s knowledge and experience, and are thus most meaningful to the child. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
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Environment-based learning The classroom environment is a vital determinant of the range of learning experiences accessible to children. |
ICT extends the child’s immediate learning environment, offering opportunities to push learning beyond the confines of the classroom. Uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
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Learning through guided |
ICT tools can support the teacher in scaffolding each child’s particular path to learning. For example, curriculum-rich software offers the teacher and the child opportunities to structure both the level and sequence of content presented. These software programs typically include options for practice problems or workouts, and provide varied levels of feedback to children based on their performance. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
for projects and learning quests, through the use of Webquests, and other guided Internet searches supported by the teacher
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Learning through language The Grade School Curriculum stresses the vital role of language in children’s development, and incorporates the use of talk and discussion as a central learning strategy in every Curriculum are |
ICT offers the child a motivational context for his or her engagement with content, and thus serves as a powerful stimulus for the child’s talk about his or her learning experiences. When the child is given regular opportunities to discuss with peers and teachers what he or she knows and can do when using ICT, technology- enhanced classrooms can provide a powerful catalyst for a child’s learning in the primary school. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include: |
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The aesthetic dimension Valuing children’s creative response to, and expression of, their own knowledge and experience is an important principle of the Primary School Curriculu |
ICT extends the range of opportunities for children’s creative expression by offering a variety of content-free software tools, such as multimedia and art and design software, that support multiple methods of constructing, exploring, and representing knowledge. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
for publishing children’s work on the school website, for viewing by parents and collaborating schools
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The social and emotional |
ICT can offer children increased opportunities to experience success with learning. It extends the range of learning experiences afforded to children, offering opportunities to learn through visual, audio, and kinaesthetic media, as well as through text. For example, content-rich software typically offers the child control over the level of information presented, the rate at which it is presented, as well as the formats for presenting information (image, text, audio). Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
develop social skills through turn taking, sharing resources, and helping other children in collaborative project work
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The integration of learning The distinctions between subjects are not relevant to young children, and neither do subject demarcations characterize the nature of learning in the real world. The Primary School Curriculum emphasises the importance of providing opportunities for children to make connections between their learning in different subjects. Authentic learning activities engage children in real-world tasks that transcend the boundaries between subjects. |
ICT facilitates authentic learning by offering opportunities for children to experience the outside world within their own classroom. This experience is facilitated by using the Internet to find information, as well as providing facilities for the child to share their findings with others, using a range of communication tools – e-mail, threaded discussions, chats, and video-conferencing. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include: |
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The transfer of learning Children’s ability to apply what they have learned to new situations is one key indicator of the success of their learning. By cultivating each child’s ability to transfer learning, the teacher enables the child to overcome the problem of inert knowledge (knowledge that can be recalled when the child is prompted to remember it, but which he or she does not spontaneously use to solve problems). This is a central feature of the Primary School Curriculum. |
ICT can support the child’s appropriation of new knowledge by offering him or her a range of knowledge representation tools such as concept mapping software, presentation software and database software, which support the child’s efforts in structuring his or her learning for later retrieval and application. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
style of much of ICT support software can support children’s different learning styles
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Higher-order thinking and problem-solving and so forth. The Grade School Curriculum promotes these learning experiences for all children across subjects. |
The Internet offers teachers and children a wealth of authentic learning resources which, when pre-selected by the teacher, can support the development of children’s abilities to question, to analyse, to investigate and to think critically. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
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Collaborative learning While recognising the importance of learning in a variety of classroom organisational structures, the Grade School Curriculum notes that opportunities for collaborative learning significantly contribute to the child’s social and personal development. When children collaborate, the interactive exchange involves sharing the same goal, and engaging in shared decision-making. |
ICT can extend and elaborate the possibilities for collaborative learning. It provides opportunities for children to construct knowledge collaboratively when working together on tasks using one computer. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning:
they use communication technologies such as e-mail and video-conferencing to collaborate with partners in learning in different schools or countries The teacher can organise the classroom to facilitate cooperative learning, by organising children to work in pairs, by promoting turn taking, and group work on different aspects of a project, with some groups completing tasks using ICT. Collaborative work in this way has the advantage of |
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Taking account of individual difference The Grade School Curriculum recognises not only individual difference in learning, but factors that pertain to the child’s home and community life, and it recommends that children benefit from differentiation in the selection and sequencing of curriculum content. |
The multiple pathways to learning which different ICT tools offer the child may enable the child to experience success with learning, and thereby positively influence the child’s interest in the relevant curriculum subject. The possibilities for differentiation can be particularly supportive for the child with Special Educational Needs. Additional uses of ICT to support this principle of learning include:
represents information through more than one format (text, audio, image, etc.), and provides options for the pacing and sequencing of information, so that instruction can be tailored to each child’s individual learning needs and learning style
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