Background HANDOUT1
Broadly speaking, there are three aspects of ICT in schools that fall within the remit of this initiative:
Teaching and learning ICT as a discrete subject;
Teaching and learning ICT within other subjects;
Using ICT as a medium for teaching and learning.
Discrete ICT
The role of ICT in schools has been brought into sharp focus as a consequence of the introduction of the Framework for ICT in the Key Stage 3 National Strategy. The focus on the development of ICT capability in discrete lessons offers pupils and teachers opportunities to concentrate on the development of a range of knowledge, skills and capabilities in their ICT lessons and to apply these capabilities in a range of other contexts, and in other subjects.
Where schools have identified dear delivery plans for ICT taught discretely the focus of this document Will be to identify aspects and opportunities for consolidating pupils' learning in other curriculum areas.
ICT in other subjects
Where the delivery in schools is only cross curricular the challenge offered within this document is that of increasing standards of attainment in ICT and increasing the security of judgements made by teachers about pupil attainment in ICT.
It is important to recognise that the notion of discrete lessons which develop ICT capability is sacrosanct. There is no view here that ICT across the curriculum will work counter to the idea that discrete teaching in ICT is the route to increased standards in ICT capability.
ICT as a medium for teaching and learning
The importance of ICT as a medium for teaching and learning cannot be understated.
There are clear benefits in offering pupils a variety of opportunities to
learn with and through the medium of ICT. This document will highlight the
place of these opportunities when considering ICT across the curriculum and
will identify parallels to other initiatives in ICT of which school leadership
teams should be aware.
Implementing ICT across the curriculum
What makes good ICT across the curriculum?
There are four aspects of ICT across the curriculum in secondary schools:
A ICT used to support teaching and learning;
B ICT used to deliver subject objectives;
C ICT used to deliver ICT teaching objectives;
D ICT delivering both subject and ICT teaching objectives.
The relationship between these aspects of ICT is demonstrated in the following
diagram.
Your answers to these questions should tell you about the state of thinking about ICT.
An ICT capable school will:
• Plan effectively for the use of ICT across the curriculum;
• Focus this planning on the development of pupil capability in the use of ICT;
• Monitor the relationship between medium and short term planning;
• Encourage regular CPD and check the effect of CPD on teacher practice;
• Enable teachers to have immediate and regular access to pupil data;
• Use pupil performance data as an aid to planning, preparation and intervention;
• Have flexible models of delivery using ICT;
• Monitor the use of distributed ICT and take measures to ensure that resources are used effectively;
• Support creative uses of ICT in teaching and learning.