1 Introduction to ICT
Understanding ICT at Key Stage 1
The National Curriculum for England (NC) requirements for teaching ICT at KS1 can be found on the QCDA website [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] and in the programme of study.
Reflection
Are any of those NC requirements under-/over-represented within your classroom? Why might some areas be under-represented? Is this caused by lack of resources, lack of curriculum time, poor teacher confidence or something else?
Hard to teach areas
At Key Stage 1, an area which teachers typically find hard to teach is ‘Handling data’ (within ‘Finding things out’). Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses is also often an issue. Of course there is also that tricky bit about the ‘Use of information and communication technology across the curriculum’. The National Curriculum ‘General teaching requirements’ for the use of ICT state:
- Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capability through the use of ICT tools to support their learning in all subjects … [with the exception of physical education at key stages 1 and 2].
- Pupils should be given opportunities to support their work by being taught to:
- a.find things out from a variety of sources, selecting and synthesizing the information to meet their needs and developing an ability to question its accuracy, bias and plausibility
- b.develop their ideas using ICT tools to amend and refine their work and enhance its quality and accuracy
- c.exchange and share information, both directly and through electronic media
- d.review, modify and evaluate their work, reflecting critically on its quality, as it progresses.
Watch the following video clip from Teachers TV:
http://www.schoolsworld.tv/ videos/ data-handling-in-the-classroom
Reflection
- How did this school tackle each of the issues listed above? Has/could a similar approach work in your school?
- It might be interesting to note that in the first of the lesson plans provided the following learning objective was identified but not the subject area. Is this significant?
To know how to record temperature over a period of time, and use the data to plot a graph and draw conclusions.
- What issues might prevent you from adopting the ideas offered? Where are these issues located – for example are they to do with resourcing in school? Or to do with match to your curriculum? Or something else?
Other resources
Ictopus: Ictopus (ICT online primary user support) is a free web-based support service for primary education. Amongst the resources it provides are lesson plans designed to promote the use of ICT within the curriculum. The ‘Lessons2Go’ resources can be sorted by subject or age group once you are logged in.
ICT in subject teaching: this area of the National Curriculum website deals specifically with ICT across the curriculum.
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100823130703/http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/learning-across-thecurriculum/ictinsubjectteaching/index.aspx
National Curriculum in Action: these examples of pupils' work show how the programmes of study and non-statutory frameworks for Key Stages 1 and 2 translate into real activities.
http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/ key-stages-1-and-2/ assessment/ nc-in-action/ index.aspx
Background reading
Becta (2009). Pupil Entitlement to ICT, http://teachfind.com/ becta/ becta-schools-curriculum-pupil-entitlement-ict Accessed 23 July 2010
Resources