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.

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.

Activity 2:Policies and ICT

It is imperative that schools have ICT vision and policies so that all stakeholders can be aware of their roles and responsibilities where ICT integration in schools is concerned. Despite precautions at school, open access to the Internet has become an integral part of many children’s lives. A growing danger is presented by the ease of uploading material to the Web. There are some social networking sites which allow children to set up an account and create a web page in minutes. Information given by users is not checked and there are very limited safeguards. Children are being told (often by teenagers) to look at their sites and can end up in dangerous situations. Therefore, it is our responsibility as custodians of these students to ensure that they use ICT tools in a safe and responsible manner.

Vision: The vision is for all students and teachers to acquire the highest quality training, skills and knowledge in using ICTs across all areas of the school’s curriculum so they can be productive and lifelong learners and feel safe when using ICT.

In ten years’ time, I visualize teaching and learning with ICT

J  ICT is fully incorporated into school’s Curriculum

J  Student’s individual ICT capability and understanding are developed

J  Students know how to stay safe online or there is an e-

safety policy

J  Enhanced teaching and learning in other areas of the curriculum by cross curricular use of ICT

J  ICT is used as a tool for learning and investigation

J  Students are confident and capable of using IT throughout their education, home and further work life.

J  Teachers and students’ interests in new technologies are stimulated.

J  Improved communication between school and parents, corporate citizens, donors and other social groups.

J  Access to qualified and competent technical support.

J  Students are assessed in multiple ways.

Module 10 : Activity 1-Where is your school in this world of technology?

Schools have differing views about ICT integration; hence the reason for the different levels of ICT integration that were observed from different schools. Several factors have hindered some schools from advancing their ICT programmes. These including lack of training, reluctance on the part of teachers to use ICT in teaching and learning as well as lack of infrastructure and resources. My school is currently in the emerging stage of ICT integration and I am optimistic that in the not too distant future, we will be in the applying stage once we get our ICT vision created and all stakeholders come on board.