What+is+ICT?

What is ICT?
BECTA []

The following definition is taken from the guidance in the QCA Schemes of Work for ICT: "Information and communications technologies (ICT) are the computing and communications facilities and features that variously support teaching, learning and a range of activities in education. Such ICT-related activities include, for example, the use of: The focus is on the subject being taught or studied, or the organisation being administered, rather than developing pupils' skills with, and knowledge of, the technologies themselves. Information technology (IT) comprises the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to employ information and communications technologies appropriately, securely and fruitfully in learning, employment and everyday life. IT is to ICT as literacy is to books, journals or screen displays. IT capability at school age includes: The focus of IT is on pupils' capability with ICT. This is why IT is the overall title used for the National Curriculum subject and qualifications. Not all IT learning will involve the use of computers. For example, teachers might ask pupils to:   **An ICT scheme of work should:** []
 * broadcast material or CD-ROM as sources of information in history;
 * micro-computers with appropriate keyboards and other devices to teach literacy and writing;
 * keyboards, effects and sequencers in music teaching;
 * devices to facilitate communication for pupils with special needs;
 * electronic toys to develop spatial awareness and psycho-motor control;
 * email to support collaborative writing and sharing of resources;
 * video-conferencing to support the teaching of modern foreign languages;
 * internet-based research to support geographical enquiry;
 * integrated learning systems (ILS) to teach basic numeracy;
 * communications technology to exchange administrative and assessment data.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">understanding of how information is structured in a database;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">skills in carrying out a search on the World Wide Web with sensitivity to meaning, accuracy of data and reliability of sources;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">understanding of how computers can simulate real processes eg predator-prey relationships;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">skills in using software eg word processing or e-mail to communicate effectively;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">understanding that ICT can be used to control things;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">knowledge of how to use ICT securely, with consideration of the feelings of other people, their rights to privacy and ownership of material.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">sort real objects into different categories as an introduction to databases;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">read a piece of printed text in order to identify the key words that might characterise it and help to retrieve it electronically if necessary;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">develop paper-based models and simulations of situations;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">consider the use of font sizes and print effects in newspapers and magazines as part of their work with word processors;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">give each other instructions as a way of teaching about precision and control;
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464646; font-family: inherit; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Tahoma,Ariel,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">compare the use of IT tools and software with other ways of undertaking a design, composition or analysis task."

The knowledge, skills and understanding for ICT are detailed under four headings: Each section details what pupils are to be taught. The contexts through which they will be taught are detailed in the section on 'breadth of study'. The scheme of work for each key stage must ensure that the specified content is taught through the types of opportunities referred to in the 'breadth of study' section. There are a number of schemes of work and some useful materials on the Internet. Local authorities have posted many of these, with individual schools and subject associations also contributing. See [|Lewisham Local Authority] website (primary and secondary). In all schools, teachers are best placed to judge whether the learning objectives meet the learning needs of individual children, and whether staff need to adapt these to provide appropriate opportunities for all children to succeed. Some of the teaching activities will need to be adapted to ensure that children with special educational needs of all kinds may participate fully and demonstrate their achievements.
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">provide long- and medium-term plans that show how and when pupils will acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding detailed in the programme of study and how the breadth of study will be covered
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">provide a secure basis from which teachers can plan lessons to meet the needs of all pupils in a class
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">detail the teaching and learning objectives of each unit of work
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">identify key ideas so that concepts are built up in an organised, systematic and rigorous way
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">identify what pupils are expected to learn, both within a unit and by the end of it, and how their learning may be assessed
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">provide opportunities to develop literacy, numeracy, thinking skills and key skills, where appropriate
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">have links with other subjects and curriculum areas
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">indicate the amount of time needed to teach each unit
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">encourage good practice in teaching
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">allow for some flexibility when used
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">identify key resources and how they might be used with pupils.
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Finding things out
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Developing ideas and making things happen
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Exchanging and sharing information
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses.

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