[Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures

Mon Oct 15 09:13:30 EST 2007

I agree with you Anne-Marie. Personally I think it is very much about the leadership in the school and the recognition that in order to ensure that ICT becomes fully integrated we must make sure that there is a true level of support to ensure that both teachers and students can be provided with the “just in time” support and PD that they need. I am in the very fortunate position to have most of my teaching time allocated to supporting the training and development of teacher skills in integrating ICT into their teaching programs in our school. I also teach dedicated ICT classes for Years 7 & 8 (one double period for each class per week)

I work in a P-12 school and this year have focussed a good percentage of support at Years 5,6, 7& 8. In this way I see that these students will enter their secondary schooling with a fundamental understanding of the way ICT can support their thinking and learning processes. I’m probably looking at it though from an ordinary teacher with interests in ICT rather than from a highly skilled and trained ICT teacher (which I’m not !) 

Cheers Anne

Anne Baird 
Leading Schools Manager 
Wedderburn College 
Hospital St 
Wedderburn 3518 
School 03 54943011 Mobile 0417 340276 Home 03 54911540
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From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Anne-Marie Chase
Sent: Friday, 12 October 2007 3:58 PM
To: 'Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures

Hi

I’m not sure that making ICT non-compulsory is a bad thing if subject teachers are supported by ICT specialists so they can integrate ICT into their subject area in a meaningful way.  All the schools I have ever taught in I have had periods allocated where I am not teaching but available to provide support to teachers.  I have then worked with teachers in the best way for them, team teaching, classroom support, PD, providing access to hardware or software etc.  I tired to keep an ear out for what was going on where in the school and make suggestion and encourage use of ICT.  Some subject areas see ICT as being irrelevant so this can take a lot time to build trust and confidence with some teachers, before they will consider anything new. 

I worked with a group of English teachers studying Romeo and Juliet with year 10’s.  We did web design and the combination of skills made it a fantastic project.  I was only able to attend one lesson a week, so the students had to wait to have technical problems dealt with at that one lesson or support each other.  I offered e-mail support to the students which was great to see them define problems and independently seek support.  Some of the teachers did something they had never had the confidence to do before.  Some students who had never previously been engaged really excelled.  The whole writing for a purpose and writing for a specific audience was covered much better by the English teachers than I would be able to do it.  Too many great things to list……………

Over the years I have worked with teachers from just about every subject area to deliver projects that have ICT integrated in a meaningful way. 

I think sometimes the leadership in schools needs to be offered ideas about how to deliver ICT.  Discreet ICT lessons do not have to be the way to go, many of the social and cultural issues related to ICT would be difficult to cover in a discrete lesson but fit perfectly into the context of a subject area.

Cheers

Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie Chase
Graduate School of Education 
The University of Western Australia
web HYPERLINK "http://digital-kids.wikispaces.com/"http://digital-kids.wikispaces.com

P please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to.

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From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Mclean, Rachelle L
Sent: 12 October 2007 12:30
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures

I’m at Hampton Park Secondary and there’s no compulsory ICT here either.  It is ridiculous.  The school’s attitude is that every teacher can teach ICT integrated with their regular units.  As if!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Rachelle McLean

Hampton Park Secondary

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From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Colin SUTTON
Sent: Thursday, 11 October 2007 8:59 PM
To: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
Subject: [Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures

Hi all

My school, Montmorency SC, has NO compulsory ICT!

A student can go through 6 years of schooling here and do NO formal IT.

No other school I have ever taught in (2 in Vic, 3 in QLD and 4 in the UK) have ever had this! 

It seems unbelievable that in the Information Age students are not formally taught ANY ICT.

They have to learn another language, do wood, metal, cooking and sewing - useful and even essential - but the ONE thing none of them can avoid is ICT! 

Sure, many can play games and surf to sites, but they are not formally taught a wide range of other useful or essentail skills.

Schools I have taught in elsewhere had at least one semester of ICT at Year 7 (Yr 8 in QLD as secondary starts in Yr8). 

Most had an elective system that required them to do at least ONE or more units at 8/9 or even again in Yr 10.

Comments anyone?

Regards

COLIN _______________________________________________ 
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