Hi All,
As we come nearer to the end of this journey, I wish to thank you all for your support over the past two years. We have had many challenges but we persevered to the end. Thanks to our tutors for standing beside us.
God Bless.
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Activity 7: Budgeting and Fundraising
·
Before you can really
plan effectively for future ICT spending you need to be aware of what ICT you
have currently in school and what it is costing you to maintain and what it will cost to replace. In other words, the the Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO) of a school's ICT totals all the costs associated with the purchase,
implementation, operation and maintenance of the ICT (equipment costs /
software and licences / technical support / broadband charges) must be considered when budgeting for ICTs. The
school must also have a realistic
training budget, in which ICT training for individual staff is an option, and training costs built into major developments.
Fundraising activities should also form part of the school's ICT budget so that a more realistic picture of the school's financial position can be seen.
Activity 6: ICT Action Plan
It was Yogi Berra who posit, "You've got to be
very careful if you don't know where you are going because you might not get
there."
The action plan that I created will help me to gauge the progression
of ICT throughout the school's curriculum.
Action planning is a
process which will help you to focus your ideas and to decide what steps you
need to take to achieve particular ICT goals that you may have. It
is a statement of what you want to achieve over a given period of time.
Preparing an action plan is a good way to help you to reach your objectives of
integrating ICT into teaching and learning. It involves:
- Identifying
your objectives
- Setting objectives which are achievable & measurable.
- Prioritizing your tasks
effectively.
- Identifying the steps needed to achieve your
goals.
- Being able to work effectively under pressure.
- Completing work to a deadline.
- Having a contingency plan
An effective action plan should give you a concrete timetable and set of clearly defined
steps to help you to attain your objectives and focus your ideas.
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Activity 5: Draft ICT Policy
An ICT policy helps to provide guidelines for action and highlights the interventions that the school hope to embark upon. This assists the school in the daily operations and is only meaningful when it is employed.This policy should be the driving force in guiding the school administrators and other stakeholders in addressing problems that may arise from time to time during the integration of ICT in teaching and learning. Once the policy is developed, adopted and shared with all stakeholders it will serve as a document containing firm and fixed guidelines that will propel daily operations involving ICT use at the school.
An ICT policy is necessary because of the increasing need for integrating ICT into teaching, learning, assessment and monitoring an d schools must ultimately have a vision and a sort of road map suitable to their ideal situation and would provide a clear picture of how ICT is used and managed in the school. Therefore it is imperative that all stakeholders form part of creating the ICT policy so that it would be easier to gain their buy-in and support fir ICT integration in the school.
Draft ICT Policy
ICT facilities
• The ICT resources that will be there include projectors, IWB, desktops, printers, digital cameras, laptops, one computer in each classroom, internet, and camcorder. These resources will be used to engage students in learning activities, conduct researches, collaboration, problem solving, teacher ICT skills, access teaching and learning materials on the internet.
• ICT resources will be housed in the classrooms, staffroom and library as well as in the computer resource centre.
• They will be secured using burglar bars on windows and doors as well as an alarm system. Virus protection and passwords will be placed on all systems.
• ICT coordinator will ensure that antivirus software are updated frequently and the onsite technician will provide quarterly diagnostics so that the systems will get an overhaul to ensure that they are not slowing up or having virus issues.
• $50 000 will be budgeted for ICT hardware and software annually.
• The ICT resources that will be there include projectors, IWB, desktops, printers, digital cameras, laptops, one computer in each classroom, internet, and camcorder. These resources will be used to engage students in learning activities, conduct researches, collaboration, problem solving, teacher ICT skills, access teaching and learning materials on the internet.
• ICT resources will be housed in the classrooms, staffroom and library as well as in the computer resource centre.
• They will be secured using burglar bars on windows and doors as well as an alarm system. Virus protection and passwords will be placed on all systems.
• ICT coordinator will ensure that antivirus software are updated frequently and the onsite technician will provide quarterly diagnostics so that the systems will get an overhaul to ensure that they are not slowing up or having virus issues.
• $50 000 will be budgeted for ICT hardware and software annually.
Curriculum integration of ICT
• The teacher will facilitate learning activities by providing activities that are meaningful and authentic for students to solve problem, collaborate with peers, conduct peer assessment and communicate with others in and out of the classroom while learners engage in active learning to construct their own knowledge. Students will also be able to monitor the progress of their own work and make improvements where necessary.
• ICT will be used in supporting teaching and learning by allowing the teacher to provide differentiated learning activities for students and giving access to those students and teachers who do not have many alternatives to access ICT outside of school hours. Varied assessment strategies and ICT tools and software will be created to monitor, assess and record students’ progress and inform teaching.
• All teachers will be responsible for ICT integration and the manner whereby ICT skills are developed.
• Access to ICT resources will be scheduled by ICT coordinator for the use of the computer lab, however; individual teachers will utilize ICT resources in their existing timetabled subjects.
• E-safety will be taught throughout the school so that students and teachers will be aware of how to stay safe and be more responsible while using the internet.
• $25 000 will be budgeted for curriculum ICT resources, including Internet access
• Administrative use of ICT
• ICT will be used to communicate with the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents and other stakeholders via e-mails as well as for record keeping and retrieval purposes and creating presentation tools.
• A total of $5 000 will be expended annually towards use of ICT in administration.
• The teacher will facilitate learning activities by providing activities that are meaningful and authentic for students to solve problem, collaborate with peers, conduct peer assessment and communicate with others in and out of the classroom while learners engage in active learning to construct their own knowledge. Students will also be able to monitor the progress of their own work and make improvements where necessary.
• ICT will be used in supporting teaching and learning by allowing the teacher to provide differentiated learning activities for students and giving access to those students and teachers who do not have many alternatives to access ICT outside of school hours. Varied assessment strategies and ICT tools and software will be created to monitor, assess and record students’ progress and inform teaching.
• All teachers will be responsible for ICT integration and the manner whereby ICT skills are developed.
• Access to ICT resources will be scheduled by ICT coordinator for the use of the computer lab, however; individual teachers will utilize ICT resources in their existing timetabled subjects.
• E-safety will be taught throughout the school so that students and teachers will be aware of how to stay safe and be more responsible while using the internet.
• $25 000 will be budgeted for curriculum ICT resources, including Internet access
• Administrative use of ICT
• ICT will be used to communicate with the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents and other stakeholders via e-mails as well as for record keeping and retrieval purposes and creating presentation tools.
• A total of $5 000 will be expended annually towards use of ICT in administration.
Staff development
• Staff development strategy: ICT professional learning focus on teacher capabilities and developing their ICT skills. Learning, Teaching, Assessing and Reporting – developing an understanding of how ICT can enable improved teaching, learning, assessing and reporting. Learning places and spaces- access to ICT resources and physical layout of the classroom. ICT-enabled learning communities- communicate, share, collaborate, investigate and co-create within local and global communities.
• Staff development activities will take place at break time, during lunch, after school and at mid term.
• Staff will be given access to the school’s wireless internet network so they can use their laptops in the classroom.
• All staff members will be provided with at least 12 hours of professional development per term.
• A total of $25 000 will be expended annually towards the school’s professional development activities.
• Staff development strategy: ICT professional learning focus on teacher capabilities and developing their ICT skills. Learning, Teaching, Assessing and Reporting – developing an understanding of how ICT can enable improved teaching, learning, assessing and reporting. Learning places and spaces- access to ICT resources and physical layout of the classroom. ICT-enabled learning communities- communicate, share, collaborate, investigate and co-create within local and global communities.
• Staff development activities will take place at break time, during lunch, after school and at mid term.
• Staff will be given access to the school’s wireless internet network so they can use their laptops in the classroom.
• All staff members will be provided with at least 12 hours of professional development per term.
• A total of $25 000 will be expended annually towards the school’s professional development activities.
ICT and
the community
• The administrative staff will make the school available to the community members so that they can be taught about ICT.
• The community will spearhead fundraising activities so as to assist the school in purchasing and maintaining ICT tools.
• The school website will be created as well as a Blog to provide community with access to information pertaining to the activities of the school and students.
• Create a learning network with teachers and students in other schools.
• The administrative staff will make the school available to the community members so that they can be taught about ICT.
• The community will spearhead fundraising activities so as to assist the school in purchasing and maintaining ICT tools.
• The school website will be created as well as a Blog to provide community with access to information pertaining to the activities of the school and students.
• Create a learning network with teachers and students in other schools.
Sustainability
• The Board of Education will in collaboration with corporate citizens will provide funding to help maintain the policy.
• This policy will be reviewed annually by the ICT coordinator and any necessary changes will be made.
• Major review of the ICT policy with staff at the culmination of every three years
• The Board of Education will in collaboration with corporate citizens will provide funding to help maintain the policy.
• This policy will be reviewed annually by the ICT coordinator and any necessary changes will be made.
• Major review of the ICT policy with staff at the culmination of every three years
Friday, 7 February 2014
Activity 4B: Staff Development in ICT
When
attempting to integrate ICT into teaching and learning, staff competencies must
first be assessed. Teacher professional development activities must be planned
to cater to the development needs of each teacher so that they will have the capacity
to use ICT for teaching and learning. Both in-service and pre-service
programmes can be organized to help schools achieve this. Most of these
programmes should emphasize the development of basic ICT skills and
occasionally include the application of ICT as a teaching and learning tool for
teachers. This is an important outcome since having resources without the
expertise on how to use them is a sure path towards wastage of investment. It
is also clear that there is a need to expand and intensify the professional
development programmes so that teachers can be challenged to perform at higher levels.
Friday, 31 January 2014
Activity 4A- ICT in the Curriculum
It is imperative that the school's curriculum drives the ICT and not the other way around. ICT capability supports and enhances student learning across all
areas of the curriculum. A carefully planned curriculum will enable students to
develop and apply ICT knowledge, skills and appropriate social and ethical
protocols and practices to investigate, create and communicate, as well as expand
their ability to manage and operate ICT to meet their learning needs. Learning
areas provide the content and contexts within which students develop and apply
the knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes that comprise ICT capability.
- · transfer knowledge learned in school into the wider community apply skills from situation to situation because of the authentic experiences they are given.
- · assume new roles as opposed to being the dispenser of facts and sole expert.
- · collaborate using wikis and blogs to solve problems or work on group projects.
- · learn skills and use tools not in isolation but with a basic understanding or rationale for their use in problem-solving endeavors.
Friday, 24 January 2014
Activity 3- Planning for ICT's in your school
A swot analysis is useful in
enabling you to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
that exist within your organisation so that proper planning and forecasting as
well as staff auditing can be conducted to ensure that all systems are in place
for the smooth integration of ICT into the school's curriculum. It is therefore important that schools make use of this vital tool when planning for ICT integration so they can get a better picture of what they have and where they need to go.
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