“What has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
Information about this issue
Issue 5 of Computers in Classrooms was published on 25 September 2020. Perhaps surprisingly, and somewhat depressingly, some of it is still relevant. Here is a quick guide to the articles.
An important announcement
This was about a competition I was running at the time. The deadline has passed now I’m afraid.
Subscribers' matters
This was a section in which I published emails received from subscribers – with their permission I hasten to add. Some of the questions people raised in their emails are very software-specific, and therefore dated now. But one, I think, is probably still an issue for some people:
“Have any of your subscribers found a way of getting head teachers to realise the value of having a professional-looking website, and so making the time available to maintain it?”
My feeling about this now is that probably most headteachers do realise the value of a professional-looking website. But do they make the time available to maintain it? And if so, who? It often falls to the school leader for Computing or similar, but one could argue that it would make more sense to have an English teacher take responsibility, or any teacher with an interest, or even pupils – with teacher oversight.
The ICT in Education website update
This was news about recent updates. These have long been superseded by many more updates since.
News
This might be of interest to historians of education technology. I cited some statistic about the proportion of schools connected to the internet, and the ratio of computers to pupils. For example:
“On average there was one computer for every 12.6 pupils compared to 13.4 pupils in 1999.”
There was also an item about the Learning Schools Programme. This was the offer of one of the providers of training under the “New Opportunities Fund”. In my opinion NOF was well-intended, but muddle-headed. Why? Because the funding could not be used for basic IT training, but teaching teachers how to use edtech in the classroom. But how could they be expected to apply skills that they didn’t have? My impression was that the most successful offers under the auspices of NOF were the ones who broke the rules and offered basic training first.
Website round-up
It’s interesting to see the amount of stuff the English department for education at the time was putting online. It was truly a pioneer in my opinion. In the early days, websites could even be given a badge of approval from the “National Grid for Learning”. (The ICT in Education website was one of them.)
The Virtual Teacher newsletter is still going strong! The website looks a bit dated now, but then who am I to judge!
Tips section: Email Tip, internet Tip, Classroom Tip, Admin Tip
I think you will find these tips amusing, as they seem rather quaint now.
Why do it?
In this section of the newsletter I looked at why teachers use computers in their schemes of work and lessons -- and what puts them off. I think some of this is still apposite. Book reviews
These were, erm, reviews of books. Amazingly, they are still available. However, one appears to have last been updated in 1997, and the other in 2013, so I don’t think I should recommend them now.
Scenario: High flying without the basics in place (a true story), plus
responses to last month's Scenario
In those days I used to describe a scenario and then invite readers to say how they would deal with it, or have dealt with it themselves. I think I might reinstate the scenario feature.
Feature (1): Cognitive dissonance
This, too, was the results of a question I’d asked readers.
Feature (2): ICT at Key Stage 3 -- by Niel McLean
This outlined the plans of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to produce materials to accompany the Key Stage 3 scheme of work for ICT. This eventually ended up being the so-called Key Stage 3 Strategy for ICT. Although some of the materials were very good, I’m afraid I regarded the Strategy as (a) too much like teaching by numbers (“After 7 minutes, go on to slide x…”), too teacher-led, and too much like a job creation scheme.
Feature (3): The Key Stage 3 ICT Scheme of Work
I wrote:
“I spent much of the summer vacation period going through the new Scheme of Work, and mapping it to the one I had already written. This raises an important issue in itself. The Scheme of Work is not compulsory in a legal sense, but there is little doubt that if you are inspected you will be expected to be working to something at least as good.”
This turned out to be remarkably prescient. When I became an inspector myself in 2004, one of the first things I was told by the person in charge was that I should ask the head of ICT/Computing if they were following the KS3 Scheme of Work.
Moot Point
In this section, someone vented their spleen about some schools not teaching pupils how to use computers. They wrote:
“There are people around now who are 17 years old. They started formal schooling when they were 5 years old -- in 1988. And some of them have come out of school not knowing one end of a computer from the other!”
There were a few extra bits and pieces, about the newsletter and its proofreader, but that’s about it for its substantive content. I hope you find something of interest in it from yesteryear!
Computers in Classrooms
===============================================================
ISSN 1470-5524
Edited by Terry Freedman
Home Page: http://www.ictineducation.org/compic.htm
Email: compic@ictineducation.org
Volume 1 Issue 5 *** 25 September 2000
===============================================================
In this issue:
---------------------------------------------------------------
* An important announcement
* Subscribers' matters
* The ICT in Education website update
* News
* Website round-up
* Tips section: Email Tip, internet Tip, Classroom Tip, Admin Tip
* Why do it?
* Book reviews
* Scenario: High flying without the basics in place (a true story), plus
responses to last month's Scenario
* Feature (1): Cognitive dissonance
* Feature (2): ICT at Key Stage 3 -- by Niel McLean
* Feature (3): The Key Stage 3 ICT Scheme of Work
* Moot Point
* Index of Tips and Features (Issues 1-5)
* Next issue's Features
* Surveys
* And finally...
* About the editor
* Jargon buster
* About the proofreader
* Subscription details
* Some facts about this newsletter
* Advertising rates
* Links summary
* Disclaimer
===============================================================
*** Important announcement ***
---------------------------------------------------------------
What does it mean to be an effective co-ordinator of ICT? If you think you
know the answer -- and can express it in 25 words or less -- enter the ICT
in Education competition. Five winners will each receive a signed copy of
"Managing ICT".
Full details of the competition are at
http://www.ictineducation.org/competition.htm, but for now the two
important facts you need to know are:
* entry is free
* the closing date is midnight (GMT) on 6th October 2000
*Do* enter: you have nothing to lose!
===============================================================
Subscribers' matters
---------------------------------------------------------------
1. Thanks to CBC, who pointed out to me that I had given
the wrong ages for a few of the Key Stages. How embarrassing! I must have
been falling asleep at the time.
Officially, the definitions are:
Key Stage One Infant School (3-7 years).
Key Stage Two Junior School (7-11 years).
Key Stage Three Lower Secondary School (12-13 years).
Key Stage Four Upper Secondary School (14-16 years).
2. SC wrote:
"Dear Terry
My school uses Apple Macs. We have Microsoft Office and need a relational
database, preferably Access. At present we are using Filemaker Pro, but
the A'Level ICT students have Access at home!!
Do you know of a solution to my problem?"
I made a suggestion but I thought it best to ask your good selves if
anyone has any thoughts on the matter. If you have a suggestion, email it
to me at sc@ictineducation.org and I will forward it on to SC.
I will also announce them or summarise them in the next newsletter, so
that everyone can benefit from this. (Please tell me if you don't want
your name mentioned.)
SC is rather concerned about the problem, and I am sure that others
have experienced similar worries, so please take the time and trouble to
respond.
Thanks in advance for your interest.
3. PG asks:
"Is there a way of making "AsK Jeeves" NOT automatically go to the UK site
even if you enter www.askjeeves.com?"
I haven't found a way of doing it. Has anyone else reading this? If so,
please email pg@ictineducation.org.
4. PS asks:
"Have any of your subscribers found a way of getting head teachers to
realise the value of having a professional-looking website, and so making
the time available to maintain it?"
If you have, please let us know. You can email it to me at
ps@ictineducation.org.
Note: I have not taken over these people's identities. The email addresses
don't exist as such, but they provide an easy and convenient way to filter
incoming email, as explained in Computers in Classrooms #1.
===============================================================
The ICT in Education website update
---------------------------------------------------------------
This newsletter is supported by the ICT in Education website,
http://www.ictineducation.org/. The two main concerns of the website are:
* managing the provision of Information and Communication Technology in
schools and colleges
* using computers to reduce teachers' admin burden.
The website is usually updated at least once a week. The "Managing for
Success" pages have been replaced by a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
section on the same subject matter. This section starts at
http://www.ictineducation.org/micts.htm.
I've also added a page of management-related links, to support
recently-published articles on the threshold payment and related
procedures, and sources of funds for purchasing hardware and software.
This is located at http://www.ictineducation.org/manguidenet.htm.
Finally, there is a new section on managing email communication between
the school and its parents, with a working example of an auto responder
simulating an out of office reply. If you are not sure what these terms
mean, check out the website.... The address is
http://www.ictineducation.org/email.htm.
If you have any comments on the website, or discover any glitches, please
let me know by emailing me at ict@ictineducation.org.
Website addresses
---------------------------------------------------------------
As you've probably noticed, if you have seen previous issues of this
newsletter, the address of the website has changed a couple of times. For
a long time it was http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~etfreedman. This is
neither memorable nor very typo-proof. It was especially frustrating to
see it misprinted in magazines, as occasionally happened.
The website now has two more addresses: http://www.terryfreedman.com/, and
http://www.ictineducation.org/. The rationale of the first is that, if
people can remember my name, they should be able to work out what my
website is, or find it by trial and error. The rationale of the second is
similar, in that the name of the website is ICT in Education.
The *real* address has not changed, however. Through a service known as
web forwarding, typing in either of the new addresses leads you straight
to the website at the same old address. So there is no need to change any
bookmarks that you may have related to the site.
===============================================================
News
---------------------------------------------------------------
Computers in UK schools: latest statistics
---------------------------------------------------------------
The DfEE recently published the results of its most recent annual survey
in this area. You can download the bulletin from
http://www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics/DB/SFR/s0188/index.html, and see a
summary table at http://www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics/DB/SFR/s0188/tab001.xls.
The key points from the bulletin are as follows:
Primary Schools in 2000:
86 per cent of schools reported that they were connected to the internet
compared to 62 per cent in 1999.
On average there was one computer for every 12.6 pupils compared to 13.4
pupils in 1999.
The average expenditure on ICT for teaching and learning was £6,800 per
school and £30 per pupil, compared to £5,800 and £27 respectively in 1999.
67.1 per cent of teachers reported that they felt confident in the use of
ICT within the curriculum compared to 67.8 per cent in 1999.
Secondary Schools in 2000:
98 per cent of schools were connected to the internet compared to 93 per
cent in 1999.
On average there was one computer for every 7.9 pupils compared to 8.4
pupils in 1999.
The average expenditure on ICT for teaching and learning was
£41,800 per school and £47 per pupil compared to £38,200 and £45
respectively in 1999.
65.3 per cent of teachers felt confident in the use of ICT within the
curriculum compared to 66.1 per cent in 1999.
Special Schools in 2000:
92 per cent of schools were connected to the internet compared to 60 per
cent in 1999.
On average there was one computer for every 3.7 pupils, the same as in
1999.
The average expenditure on ICT for teaching and learning was £9,600 per
school and £124 per pupil compared to £8,300 and £107 in 1999.
73.4 per cent of teachers felt confident in the use of ICT within the
curriculum compared to 67.6 per cent in 1999.
(Issued by Department for Education and Employment)
It's good to see that most of these figures are on the increase. A
noticable exception in both primary and secondary schools was the slight
reduction in teachers' confodence in using computers. It will be
interesting to see what happens to this figure as the New Opportunities
Fund (NOF) training progresses towards completion in 2002. (See the next
item also.)
The table also shows that since 1998 the number of pupils per computer in
primary schools has fallen from 17.6 to 12.6, which is very good indeed.
Learning Schools Programme
---------------------------------------------------------------
I was hoping to bring you more information about this, but alas I have
been unable to glean very much. From what I can see, the changes are to be
welcomed. The guidance to school organizers is much better, because it is
much more focused, and there are now "routeways" to guide teachers through
the huge amount of material they are given.
However, this assessment is based on something like a one hour meeting
followed by about 20 minutes' reading! I think it would be interesting to
hear about other people's views on the NOF programme in general and the
LSP programme in particular, or other training providers that you have
used.
Note to non-UK teachers. The NOF programme is explained in the section
called Current Developments in ICT on the ICT in Education website. The
Learning Schools Programme (LSP) is the training package provided by one
particular training provider.
===============================================================
Website round-up
---------------------------------------------------------------
Once again, there are several sites of interest courtesy of the UK's
Department for Education and Employment (DfEE).
Gender on the agenda
---------------------------------------------------------------
The first site worth visiting is
http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/genderandachievement/. The aims of the
site are:
"to help teachers by:
- sharing successful experiences of schools and LEAs;
- providing up to date information from the DfEE and its partners;
- offering an overview of recent research on gender and educational
achievement."
The site has been established (I presume) in response to recent concern
over boys' underachievement compared to that of girls. It consists of
several sections:
* performance data and research;
* school self-evaluation;
* developing a strategy;
* sharing good practice; and
* gender stereotyped subject choices.
Interestingly enough, I discovered a few years ago that in ICT (or IT as
it was called in those days), girls underachieved compared with boys. It
would be interesting to know if you think this is still the case,
especially as the DfEE is interested in people's views on gender
stereotyping in subject choices. Going back to my own findings and
recommendations, I published them in a magazine called InteracTive, and
have now reproduced the article on my website. The address is
http://www.ictineducation.org/artgender.htm
To keep up with the frequent changes and additions to the Standards site,
bookmark http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/new/. This page contains updates
about what's new on the site, as well as links to several areas, such as
the Schemes of Work home page, Excellence in Cities and sharing good
practice. Look out for a homework site to be announced (and linked to) on
this page soon.
Calling all parents -- yet again
---------------------------------------------------------------
The DfEE's Parents Online website has been up and running for some time
now, at http://www.parentsonline.gov.uk/. It certainly looks even livelier
than it did at the end of July (when it had more or less just been set
up). In particular, I would recommend the section on using the internet
safely. I have heard of schools whose idea of safe surfing is to ban the
use of the internet. That does work, but at what a cost! And part of that
cost is educating children to think and evaluate for themselves.
The aims of Parents Online week, which ran during the week beginning 18th
September, were:
* to prove to parents that the internet is a powerful tool for their
children's education;
* to encourage parents to invest in technology;
* to show that the technology is easy to use and non-threatening;
* to introduce parents to high quality educational websites and give
advice on how to avoid inappropriate material.
I think it's important to regard this event as a kind of kick start. If
you run a successful event for parents, it should not only have positive
effects in itself, but should lead you (or your management team) to
consider how what you did could become part of the normal routine. Having
parents enjoy a session in the school can be very valuable in terms of
support in other situations, such as disciplinary issues and raising money
for projects. Handled properly, a good relationship with parents just has
to be what is known in management-speak as a win-win situation.
Talking of win-win situations, it's nice to be able to recommend a couple
of other e-newsletters, one from the States and one from Australia.
Anna's Teaching Tips is a website and newsletter which both contain, er,
teaching tips. Not just about using computers -- but then I have always
maintained that lessons with computers are the same as any other lessons
in terms of what works and what doesn't. An example of a classroom
management tip is:
"Have the students write their response to these:
What in this classroom helps you to learn?
What in this classroom makes it difficult for you to learn?
What did you like the best this year?
The answers will give you much information about what is working and what
is not. This will help you plan for next year."
Visit the website at http://www.teachingtips.com/ and explore many other
articles, links, and "Dear Anna", a sort of agony aunt column for the
teaching profession.
The Virtual Teacher newsletter is, in contrast, concerned solely with
using computers in education. The website,
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/, contains some excellent resources that
you could easily adapt for use in the UK or USA (in some cases it's simply
a matter of changing the name of the subject).
Now, if you really want a fantastic resource, look in the section called
Webquests. These are lessons specifically designed for students to use
while on-line. If you're concerned about students wasting hours searching
the internet, this section will be useful, as will the guidance on
searching the net. In fact, why not get your students to make their own
webquest?
The newsletter itself is full of useful hints and tips, and websites, for
subjects other than ICT. It's a good complement to this newsletter in fact.
For an example of how good a website can be in providing information about
child care and children's activities in highly localised areas, try the
snazzy-sounding http://212.53.85.14/. This is, in fact, ChildcareLink
(another UK Government site), which enables you to drill down from a map
of the UK to your own area (more or less). It's well-designed, and fast to
download, with colours that are easy on the eye.
You're probably familiar with the usual search engines and directories
like Alta Vista at http://www.altavista.uk and Yahoo at
http://www.yahoo.co.uk respectively, but there are quite a few others,
including specialist sites, "out there". For an excellent round-up of
search engines and directories, including information on how to search the
internet, go to http://www.leidenuniv.nl/ub/biv/specials.htm.
Finally, if you're one of these people who like a quote of the day, have a
look at http://www.hellam.net/edquotes1.asp. This provides an educational
quotation which could provide food for thought. And if you are not too
inspired by the one which appears, just click on Refresh and a new one
comes up. All very clever, and who knows: you may find a quote that you
can use as a starting point for an in-service training session.
===============================================================
Email tip
---------------------------------------------------------------
If you're interested in language development you can't fail to be
fascinated by the influence of email and the internet. Faced with the
problems of how to communicate quickly using a text-based medium, and how
to convey emotions, the internet community has developed two main devices
which are now part of the ordinary language used in email and chat rooms
everywhere. These are:
* three Letter Acronyms, also known as (ie aka) TLAs; and
* emoticons.
The first thing we ought to get out of the way is the fact that TLAs are
not always three letters long. For example, ROFL.
Here are a few to get you started:
IMHO.... In my humble opinion
IMNSHO.. In my not so humble opinion
LOL......Laughing out loud
ROFL.....Rolling on floor laughing
Emoticons can take the form of letters or faces. Here, for example, are
the two main ways of denoting a smiling face:
<s>
:-) or :)
(Incidentally, if you use Word, typing :) followed by space will
automatically give you a smiley face, if the AutoCorrect feature is on.)
These emoticons are an absolutely essential part of communicating via the
keyboard. When we speak to each other we use all sorts of body language
and voice inflection to get across the meaning we want to convey. All of
that is absent when all you have is the alphabet. A comment that, when
spoken, would be hilarious, may come across as incredibly sarcastic or
churlish. So if you *do* crack a joke in email or in a chat room, make
sure you put a <s> or a <g> ("grin") after it.
If you decide to visit a chat room, you may well see lots of people typing
a/s/l? That means they are asking for your age, sex and location, ie where
you live.
OK, there are not many examples there, and there's a reason for that: the
internet is loaded with web sites giving you the complete lowdown on TLAs
and emoticons. Two which appealed to me are:
http://www.darkmountain.com/netiquette/emoticons.shtml and
http://www.acronymfinder.com/
The first of these is very well-organised and the pages download quickly.
It's also very extensive. The second one allows you to type an acronym in
a search box, so it's well worth bookmarking if you keep coming across
acronyms you've never heard of. Of course, it could be that the people
employing those acronyms have been using the acronym generator, which is
also available from the website. This is good fun, and should appeal to
anyone involved in education, where there seems to be an entire industry
devoted to generating new acronyms every week!
A final note of caution. Email communication is a sort of cross between
letter-writing and telephoning. Don't allow yourself to become complacent
in its use, though. A word spoken in temper on the telephone can be
forgotten later. Put something nasty in an email, however, and it could
come back to haunt you in the form of a libel suit. The golden rule in
email and the internet in general, including chat rooms, is this: if it's
illegal, immoral or downright stupid in real life (irl), then it's
illegal, immoral or downright stupid on the net. In a classroom situation,
constant vigilance is needed to ensure that the kids don't divulge any
personal information about themselves, whether in chat rooms, website
forms or email messages.
(For guidance on managing email between school and others, see
http://www.ictineducation.org/email.htm)
===============================================================
internet Tip
---------------------------------------------------------------
In a radical departure from the norm, here is an internet tip in addition
to the usual email tip. If you use internet Explorer, the "e" symbol to
the left of the URL in the address box can be used to create a shortcut to
that website. Simply drag the symbol onto the desktop.
Now, here is a variation on that tip. Again, if you use internet Explorer,
go to the ICT in Education website and add it to your Favorites. Next,
load the page from your Favorites list. You'll notice that the symbol to
the left of the address is not an "e", but the letters "ICT". You can drag
that symbol to your desktop to create a shortcut to the ICT in Education
website, accompanied by a nice colourful "ICT" icon!
===============================================================
Classroom Tip
---------------------------------------------------------------
If something works in "ordinary" lessons, it will probably work in lessons
where computers are used. It's important that we don't allow ourselves to
become mesmerised by the technology. The technology is no good by itself
-- it's the teacher's use of it that makes a lesson good or not so good.
The following tip was suggested to me some years ago by my wife, Elaine
Freedman, a specialist in the teaching of children with Emotional and
Behavioural Difficulties. Despite having taught for some 20 years, I was
having a tough time with a class of disaffected teenagers. I put this tip
into practice, and things rapidly improved to the extent that I was able
to do some *real* teaching with them.
One thing that everyone appreciates is being given a pat on the back. It's
often said that children are motivated by the use of computers, but even
when that's true, it's not enough. Pupils respond to being given credit
according to a well-defined and easily understood system (as opposed to
the teacher's mood). So here is a decidedly low-tech approach to making
kids want to work in your (computer-based) lesson.
Introduce a merit system, if your school doesn't have one already. Here's
what a merit system might consist of:
5 "very goods" = 1 bronze merit
2 bronze merits = 1 silver merit
2 silver merits = 1 gold merit
What should you give a "very good" for? Obviously, it's crucial not to
give them away willy-nilly, because that would simply debase the currency.
On the other hand, if earning a bronze credit becomes the equivalent of
one of the labours of Hercules, nobody (in their right minds) will bother
to try to earn one.
Credit need not be restricted to academic prowess. Good presentation, or
looking after the equipment, should also earn points. This is especially
important for children with special educational needs.
What about the differences between the various types of merit? Perhaps a
bronze merit could be given out by a middle manager, such as the Head of
Year. A silver merit, though, might be given out in assembly by the
Headteacher or Principal, with a letter home to parents. A gold merit
should have the same treatment -- but perhaps with the addition of a prize
such as a book token.
And where does ICT come in all this? Well, somebody is going to have to
design and print all those merits...!
===============================================================
Admin Tip
---------------------------------------------------------------
What's in a name? Quite a lot really. The amount of time wasted by people
looking for documents must be phenomenal -- especially if translated into
monetary terms. It's a good idea, therefore, to ensure that *you* don't
waste time, by adopting a sensible naming strategy -- and getting
colleagues and pupils to do the same.
A lot of people name their files by using their own name, such as
"terry1", "terry2" etc. This makes filing easy, but retrieval hard and
time-consuming. It's much better to devise a proper system, and stick to
it. Here are a few ideas to consider:
* Create folders for specific uses. For example, make a folder called Year
7 Scheme of Work, one called Year 8 Scheme of Work and so on.
* Use sub-folders. For example, in the Year 7 Scheme of Work folder,
create a folder called Worksheets, one called Tests, one called Homework
Ideas and so on.
* Don't use too many folders. If you do, drilling down to find the file
you want can be very time-consuming, making the whole thing somewhat
self-defeating.
* Give meaningful names to your files. For example, call a worksheet
introducing search engines to Year 7 pupils "Year 7 Search Engines
Introduction". Use made up codes if you like, but make sure you remember
what they mean!
* If your software allows, insert a header or footer which gives the name
of the file and where it is stored (the path name). That will make it
*very* easy to locate the file again in the future.
* Some programs have the facility to store keywords in a Properties
section. This can be very useful for finding files whose names you can't
remember.
* Save the file in the correct folder. Create a new folder if necessary.
Incidentally, there is an article about this on the ICT in Education
website: http://www.ictineducation.org/articlefind.htm.
===============================================================
If you have any tips you'd like to share with other teachers, please send
them to tips@ictineducation.org
===============================================================
Why do it?
---------------------------------------------------------------
In this section of the newsletter we look at why teachers use computers in
their schemes of work and lessons -- and what puts them off. This section
is, in effect, written by you. If you have any views on what makes
teachers reluctant or willing to incorporate computers in their curriculum
work, please complete the survey form at
http://www.ictineducation.org/cics. I won't use your name or position
unless you authorise me to do so.
SB, who is an ICT Co-ordinator at a school in London, England,
and MM, also from the UK, no doubt speak for many when they
mention that teachers may be somewhat daunted by the fact that the
children might be better at using the computers than they are, and not
knowing what to do when things go wrong. In fact, these are key concerns
that are voiced over and over again.
There are two separate issues here. First, do you think it matters if the
children know more than you do about computers? What, in fact, does this
statement mean anyway? If you took it to its logical conclusion, would it
mean that PE teachers should be Olympic gold medallists before they can be
allowed to teach children? My personal view is that what *really* matters
is how teachers get children to use computers in a critical way, and think
about what they are doing. What do other readers think?
This is all very easy to say, of course -- much harder to deal with.
Hopefully, the NOF training programme will help teachers to become more
confident in using computers in their classrooms. MM feels that
allowing teachers to have more time "hands on" helps them to develop their
confidence. Do you have a solution to this problem of teacher confidence?
The other issue is dealing with things going wrong. Obviously, there are a
number of things you can do to guard against disasters -- in fact I've
devoted a whole chapter to it in my book, Managing ICT -- but the truth of
the matter is that sooner or later something *will* go wrong, forcing you
to abandon your original lesson plans. Knowing this means that you can
plan for "disaster". Here are a few ideas:
* Have sets of lesson plans and worksheets which do not involve computers.
If several teachers teach ICT, and each one produces 2 "spare" lessons,
you will be able to build up a bank of contingency resources very quickly
and easily.
* Have sets of tests or games for use in such situations. For example,
word searches on a particular theme, such as databases, can be a useful
form of revision.
* Get the pupils to plan their next computer-based activity. This could
involve working out who is doing what in the next stage of their project,
making a list of things they want to find out from the internet or a
CD-ROM encyclopaedia, or planning the design of a database.
* Ask the children to write an evaluation of work they have been doing on
the computer.
Clearly, not all of these activities will be appropriate for all age
groups and abilities, but hopefully the list above will have given you
enough of a start to getting your creative juices flowing!
SB also says that having lovely work to display is very encouraging.
That's one of the great things about ICT: the child with the most awful
handwriting and presentation skills can produce something that looks good
enough to go up on a display board! (As a side issue here, using ICT for
the signposting around the school can really leave a good impression on
visitors -- and students and staff.)
SB goes on to say that she is inspired by the fact that their digital
camera photos make fantastic resources to incorporate into the children's
work. There's no doubt that digital cameras have really opened up doors in
both teaching and learning. The running costs are very low, and it doesn't
matter if you take a lousy picture: you can see the results instantly and
you haven't used up any costly film! Armed with a digital camera, I took a
picture of a London street scene, and then created a worksheet around it.
From start to finish the whole thing couldn't have taken more than 30
minutes, and I ended up with a useful standby resource (see above). You
can see the result at http://www.ictineducation.org/compinsoc.htm.
MF, in the USA, notices that teachers are encouraged when they
see how quickly he completes his reports. There's little doubt that
assistance with their admin is often a good incentive for otherwise
reluctant teachers to start to look more closely at ICT. Incidentally, if
you're looking for a good reporting program, visit
http://www.btinternet.com/~timn/report.htm. The program works in
conjunction with Microsoft Word, and is free.
*** A cautionary note:***
If you use Microsoft Word, you can use the AutoCorrect feature to assign
phrases to codes. For example, you can set it up so that when you type A1
followed by a space, the text "could do better" appears. However, remember
to turn off the AutoCorrect feature when you use Excel. I once spent 20
minutes trying to work out why every time I entered the formula =b2*c2 I
got "=has not completed all the set assignments*has improved greatly this
year"!
If you have any views on what makes teachers reluctant or willing to
incorporate computers in their curriculum work, please complete the survey
form at http://www.ictineducation.org/cics.
===============================================================
Book Reviews
---------------------------------------------------------------
Class sets of books are expensive, but it's quite feasible to buy one-offs
for staff use, or for student use in an ICT resource area. Also, don't
forget the school library option. Most school librarians welcome
suggestions from staff, and as long as the books you suggest are not too
esoteric-sounding you may be in luck.
This month we look at two fairly inexpensive books containing tips about
using computers.
500 Computing Tips for Teachers and Lecturers
---------------------------------------------------------------
This book aims to help teachers and lecturers improve their computer
skills and thereby raise their self-confidence. The tips are divided into
4 main chapters, each of which contains substantial sub-sections. The book
starts with a chapter on buying a computer. Although that seems logical at
first glance, it would probably be more appropriate to put it as an
appendix or something. After all, if you need a book like this, I doubt
that you would rush out and buy a computer straight away!
The first section of the book, called Getting Started with Computers, also
covers health and safety issues and "free" software.
The chapter on software has an interesting approach. There are chapters
called "First Steps with...", followed by chapters called "Where to go
next with...".This sounds promising, but sometimes there is more emphasis
on the actual skills than on their application in the classroom.
Most of the tips are very good, but it's always a problem knowing which
order they should come in. It's almost certainly true that if you put 10
ICT teachers in a room you'll get 11 opinions. Also, of course, the
problem with any general book is that the author can only point out things
to look for in the software, not how to do it. In this case, the challenge
is handled quite well, and the tips are organised in a way that avoids the
potential problem of the book ending up being just a ragbag of tips.
This book would not really be a substitute for hand-holding or a course,
but should prove to be an excellent aide-memoir to teachers who have
dipped their toe in the water and have decided that they have not been put
off trying to paddle.
500 Computing Tips for Teachers and Lecturers, P Race & S McDowell,
£15.99, Kogan Page, ISBN 0-7494-3150-4
500 ICT Tips for Primary Teachers
---------------------------------------------------------------
This is a similar book, but for a different target readership. The first
hint of this, and its up-to-date-ness, is the use of "ICT" in the title.
This takes a very different approach from the previous book. There is far
less emphasis on the hardware and software, and far more on management
issues. In many primary schools it is still the case that there is just
one, perhaps two, computers in each classroom. That means that devising a
scheme of work which ensures that all children become proficient at using
computers is more than just a matter of finding interesting work for them
to do. It's a question of managing limited resources as well.
Also, there are other issues to consider, such as assessing how well the
children are doing in their work, raising funds and the dreaded
inspection. On the whole these issues are covered very well, although some
of the advice in the section called Surviving inspection is open to
discussion. But that, of course, is partly what it's all about: you may
not agree with everything in this book, but there are enough tips to
stimulate thinking and discussion.
500 Tips for Primary Teachers, E Packard, N Packard & S Brown, £15.99,
Kogan Page, ISBN 0-7494-2371-4
Both of these books and others are available from Amazon via the ICT in
Education website at http://www.ictineducation.org/book_reviews.htm
===============================================================
Scenario: It could happen to you!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Each edition of Computers in Classrooms features a scenario -- some would
say a nightmare scenario. Please write in with your suggestions on how to
deal with it. The easiest way is to use the special form on the website,
at http://www.ictineducation.org/scenario.htm.
And now, here's this month's scenario. It is based on a real situation
that someone posted to a newsgroup. I will pass on your replies to that
person by email, unless you request me not to.
You work part time in a school as the network administrator. You are
getting an endless round of "buzzword projects" thrown at you for an
untrained staff to use, and with little understanding of what would be
needed to implement them - things like videoconferencing, digital video
editing, widespread use of e-mail, school website etc.
You are not allowed (despite repeated requests) to give basic network
orientation training, and "projects" are instigated without a framework
for staff understanding of what they are doing (eg website projects, use
of e-mail, and deadlines invented without staff ever being shown how to do
the basics). So most of your time is spent picking up the pieces for
trying to "run before you can walk".
How do you handle the situation?
Last month's Scenario:
---------------------------------------------------------------
The senior management team of your school are really committed to the use
of computers and the teaching of information and communication technology.
So much so that loads of money has been designated for spending on
hardware and software, and several staff training days have been set aside
for bringing the staff "up to speed".
However, on every training day the members of the senior management team
don't take part in the activities you've planned. Instead, they use the
time to work on the school development plan or the budget.
What do you do?
Interestingly, I received very few responses to this. I was wondering if
that is because nobody quite knows what to do about it, but then a
colleague made me think that perhaps there is another reason, when she
jokingly accused me of getting at her personally! Many subscribers to this
newsletter are in senior management positions, and perhaps the scenario
pricked their consciences!
I have put a few notes about this on the net, in the FAQ pages mentioned
earlier. Look at http://www.ictineducation.org/micts.htm.
===============================================================
Feature (1): Cognitive dissonance
---------------------------------------------------------------
Cognitive dissonance is a term used in psychology to refer to the
condition in which somebody holds two thoughts, one of which does not
follow from the other. In this situation, the individual will experience
an aversive state which she will try to reduce by changing one or both of
the cognitions. If, for example, a racist is shown statistics showing that
"our" jobs are not being taken by members of an ethnic minority, she can
change the cognition about her racism ("Some of my best friends are ...")
or perceive the data as Government propaganda and discount it.
So what does all this have to do with ICT? I posted the following question
to a newsgroup and other lists on the internet:
"a) Has anyone come across what I can only describe as a form of cognitive
dissonance in colleagues, whereby you tell them that certain pupils are
capable of a certain standard of achievement in ICT, you show them the
evidence, and sometimes they even agree that you are accurate in your
assessment of the pupils' potential --- but then they continue to behave
in the same old way as far as schemes of work, lesson objectives and so on
are concerned?
b) How do you make such people REALLY change?"
I had a wide variety of replies...
"Paul" said:
"Hey, Terry, you're forgetting that IT/ICT isn't a real subject, is it?
Some former colleagues seem to regard it as "playing". I always told the
kids that I was there to teach them how to think first and to act second."
Someone who would rather remain anonymous said:
"My senior management team vary in their response to training. The head
feels she is the strategist who gets others to do the ICT work. The Deputy
feels she has more important things to do. The Senior teachers vary --
some keen , others not so -- depending on their teaching commitments. If I
can't give them access to computers then no wonder they don't want to
consider using them. I accept part of the responsibility. Next year, I
hope to give access and then let's see what the response is then. I think
access to scarce resources is a major factor in their response ( plus lack
of knowledge)."
Someone else said:
"Hi Terry. In answer to your question -- it's a tuffy -- The only thing
that may help is to get the parents of these kids involved - stress to
them the pupils' capabilities and have the parents insist that the
teachers respond to it - parents can make noise to administrators and you
don't get involved "politically"."
(Could this type of thinking be partly behind the UK Government's efforts
to engage parents, eg through Parents Online mentioned earlier (See
http://www.parentsonline.gov.uk) and http://www.parents.dfee.gov.uk/?)
CS, Head of x, reminded me of a useful website run by James Mackenzie:
http://fno.org/sum99/reluctant.html.
JJ, a Technology Resource Teacher, commented:
"The fact is, many folks will not change, and it's not a "plot" - they
just don't use the tools themselves, and don't have the youth, vigour,
enthusiasm, or (most importantly) self-confidence to propel themselves and
their students forward into strange territory.
"PS Hope nothing "age-ist" was derived from the above. I'm, uh, er, well,
NOT young!"
KC, an ICT Co-ordinator at a primary school in Kent, UK,
thinks the answer is to:
"Make it relevant to them. One teacher at school refused to learn how to
use the computer until her daughter went to Australia and she found out
that if she learned how to use e-mail she could keep in touch with her
easily. She now uses e-mail with her class to ask her daughter about
aspects of life out there, and her daughter replies for the class to see.
She now wants to learn how to maintain her own class website. This comes
from someone who, a year ago, got the pupils to switch the computer on
because she didn't know how to do it."
(I think KC has been rather fortunate. One of the problems I keep
hearing about is teachers using email to keep in contact with the folks
back home, without having the slightest intention of helping the students
learn how to benefit from the technology.)
E, a teacher turned counsellor, wrote:
"Terry, I have been there, done that. As a newly retired teacher beginning
a new career as a school counsellor, I have found myself using those old
tired lesson plans just because I had already done the work and didn't
want to rethink anything. I was a burned out teacher. Now that I am
preparing for my new position, I have been doing a lot of research this
summer - I wish I had been so jazzed about my teaching. I worked with a
very at risk population of difficult inner city children, and frankly,
just getting through the day was an accomplishment in itself.
I'm not sure it is cognitive dissonance you're observing, maybe just
overworked, tired teachers! One book I would recommend for your teachers
is Harry Wong's The First Days of School. The book by Lee and Marlene
Canter, Succeeding with Difficult Children, was also an eye-opener for me.
Give your teachers hope. Help them integrate their lessons with
Technology. Do the work for them until they get the hang of it. When
they see the results they may be willing to change. Good Luck."
JT, On-Call Substitute and frequent poster to a US newsgroup,
said:
"My question to you is as follows:
"What if someone came to you and said that your Algebra student had the
"potential" for Calculus, yet the State curricular framework says that you
will teach them Algebra, the school curriculum says that you will teach
them Algebra, and Algebra is on the pre-graduation exam?"
(This is a fair point. But non-UK readers need to be aware that in the UK
state schools are obliged to teach to the National Curriculum, which
contains a substantial amount of ICT, including the use of computers in
other subjects.)
So, in summary, we have these reasons:
* some teachers don't regard it as a real subject;
* some senior managers don't think they need to do it themselves, just
organise it;
* lack of access to computers;
* lack of parental involvement;
* lack of youthful enthusiasm;
* lack of relevance;
* lack of energy; and
* the need to teach another subject.
I have produced only a sample of the replies here. Thanks to everyone who
gave permission to be quoted. If you have comments on these replies, or my
original question, send them to compic@ictineducation.org.
===============================================================
Feature (2): ICT at Key Stage 3
---------------------------------------------------------------
Niel McLean writes...
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) in the UK has now
produced its Key Stage 3 scheme of work, which complements its
previously-introduced (and recently updated) Key Stages 1 and 2 Scheme of
Work.
Most people now recognise that ICT is both an essential skill for
supporting learning and a worthwhile area of study in its own right.
However, evidence from Ofsted and QCA suggests that standards in ICT at
Key Stage 3 are still modest. There are a number of reasons. While
levels of resourcing obviously play their part, many schools simply do not
have teachers with the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to teach
ICT. NOF training will help teachers of other subjects use ICT more
effectively, but this use will be hampered if the pupils do not possess
the necessary ICT capability. Teachers of geography want pupils to use
data in meaningful ways to extend their knowledge of place and skills of
enquiry. They do not want to be distracted by the need to teach the ICT
capability itself. This is particularly true when we look at the higher
levels in the level descriptions for different subjects that demand higher
order thinking skills - which in turn demand a higher degree of ICT
capability. So not only is key stage 3 ICT an issue in its own right, it
also impacts negatively on the teaching of other subjects.
The recently published QCA scheme of work for ICT at Key Stage 3 makes a
significant contribution. It will help ICT teachers plan more
effectively. However, given our starting point, something more needs to
be done. As part of government's wider work on key stage 3 (being
developed in 17 LEAs) BECTa and QCA will be working with DfEE to develop a
pilot aimed at raising standards in ICT at Key Stage 3. The pilot, which
will take place in 5 LEAs, will have three aspects.
Firstly it will develop a curriculum and associated materials based on the
QCA scheme of work. These will be trialled in participating schools and
their manageability and effectiveness evaluated. We want feedback from
the ICT teachers on how well they work, and there will be an independent
evaluation over the two years of the pilot. Secondly we want to explore
different ways of providing schools with the ICT curriculum support they
need. Thirdly we want to develop materials which help teachers assess
pupils in ICT at Key Stage 3.
Niel was Head of Schools Directorate, British Educational & Communications
Technology association (BECTa), when he wrote this.
Check out the QCA website at http://www.qca.gov.uk/.
===============================================================
Feature (3): The Key Stage 3 ICT Scheme of Work
---------------------------------------------------------------
Note to primary teachers: please take some time to look at the KS3 Scheme
of Work, as it will give you information about what ICT skills and
understanding pupils are expected to have by the time they reach the end
of their primary school.
I spent much of the summer vacation period going through the new Scheme of
Work, and mapping it to the one I had already written. This raises an
important issue in itself. The Scheme of Work is not compulsory in a legal
sense, but there is little doubt that if you are inspected you will be
expected to be working to something at least as good. If you already have
a scheme of work, the QCA scheme should provide a useful benchmark by
which to evaluate it. Hopefully, you will not need to throw your one out,
but will be able to do what I did: take ideas from it, and cross-reference
the two schemes of work.
The QCA Scheme of Work has a number of features worth adopting. First, the
individual units have been produced in a tabular format. What this means
is that it is very easy for the hard-pressed teacher to read across the
sheets to find out what s/he is supposed to be doing. The headings used
are Learning Objectives, Possible Teaching Activities, Learning Outcomes
and Points to Note.
You might consider adopting this kind of approach in your scheme of work.
The format allows you to see several lessons at a glance, which makes it
easier to avoid the problem of not being able to see the wood for the
trees.
Each unit starts with 5 very useful sections: About the unit, which
summarises the activity that the students will be doing; Where the unit
fits in, which indicates the skills that the unit assumes, and giving the
unit number in the Key Stages 1 and 2 Scheme of Work where the skills are
taught (which means that you can, if you wish, use the earlier unit to
bring the students up to the requisite level); Language for learning,
which lists key words (which should go up on the wall IMHO) and Resources,
which tells you what you will need in the way of materials, hardware and
software.
That's only 4 sections, I hear you say. The main section is called
Expectations. This reads, "At the end of this unit...", and goes on to
state what most pupils will have achieved, what some slower pupils will
have achieved, and what some faster pupils will have achieved. Adopting
something like this in your own scheme of work could be an excellent move,
because it enables you to have high expectations without turning your back
on reality.
Some of the activities suggested in the units are quite imaginative, and
as you might expect there is a healthy emphasis on using the internet.
Mind you, in one activity, which I unfortunately cannot find at the
moment, I did have the impression that the emailing activity was somewhat
artificial.
The Scheme is accompanied by an excellent booklet which contains, amongst
other things, a grid showing which aspect of the ICT Programme of Study is
covered by which unit.
The units are also available as PDF files and, potentially more usefully,
as Word files.
The Scheme of Work has a number of not-so-good aspects. First, some people
will be disappointed by the lack of lesson plans as such, although
personally I think that's a good thing. The Scheme of Work provides a
framework, and shows you what a group of experts believe is attainable by
students at particular stages of their schooling. It is for you to fill in
the gaps according to your own set of circumstances. Besides, filling in
the gaps so to speak will mean that you have customised the Scheme or, in
short, to use another buzz phrase, taken "ownership" of it.
Some of the homework activities seem rather pedestrian, and in any event
do not seem to have been given enough emphasis: why not a column or
section called Homework?
The format of the pack itself is rather odd. Each unit comes in its own
little booklet. I should have thought a ring binder format would have been
more user-friendly. Still, if you think that too, you can always download
the Word or PDF files from the website, as mentioned earlier.
On the whole though, the Scheme is good. It certainly makes it pretty
clear what is expected of students and therefore, by extension, their
teachers. There is certainly enough in it to make it worth your while
looking through it if you already have a scheme of work, and to consider
adopting it if you don't.
The Scheme of Work may be found at
http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_ICT/
NB If you decide to purchase a Scheme of Work "off the shelf", remember
that no Scheme is going to fit your circumstances completely. It must be
both adaptable and, ideally, updateable to be of real use. That means that
it should be available in a text format that you can change in a word
processor, and, preferably, come with updates, such as via the internet.
===============================================================
Moot Point
---------------------------------------------------------------
This is a new feature of Computers in Classrooms, in which a guest writer
puts forward his or her point of view. You are invited to offer an article
yourself, but send a query in the first instance to
mootpoint@ictineducation.org.
Disclaimer:
Please note that I do not necessarily agree with any of the views
expressed in this column.
DC writes:
Why is everyone in this country so reasonable? Being reasonable seems to
me to mean doing nothing -- and doing nothing when everyone else does
nothing. What prompted this line of unreasonable thought was a sudden
realisation that came to me out of the blue...
This is the year 2000, right? And the National Curriculum was introduced
into the UK in 1988, yes? So that means it's been around in one form or
another for 12 years. In that case, how come there are still some schools
that just haven't got their act together? How come OFSTED are still
reporting that the subject is badly taught on the whole?
Now, there are all sorts of reasons (excuses) I am sure, but cogitate on
this for a moment. There are people around now who are 17 years old. They
started formal schooling when they were 5 years old -- in 1988. And some
of them have come out of school not knowing one end of a computer from the
other!
If the DfEE were really serious about ICT and about parent power, they
would publish a list of searching questions for any parent to ask of any
school regarding their ICT provision. In fact, why not go the whole hog
and publish the results in the form of league tables? That should
concentrate a few minds.
If you wish to comment on this article, please email your thoughts to
dc@ictineducation.org.
===============================================================
Index of Tips and Features (Issues 1-5)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Topic.......................................................Issue
Book review: 500 Computing Tips for Teachers and Lecturers.....5
Book review: 500 ICT Tips for Primary Teachers.................5
Book review: Facts in a Flash..................................1
Book Review: How Teachers Learn Best...........................2
Book Review: The Color Printer Idea Book.......................3
Classroom management in a computer classroom/lab...............1
Cognitive dissonance...........................................5
Competition....................................................5
Copying and pasting............................................1
Could do better -- the state of ICT in UK schools..............2
Emoticons......................................................5
Filtering email automatically..................................1
Hiding long lists of names in email messages...................3
ICT at Key Stage 3.............................................5
Key Stage 3 Scheme of Work.....................................5
Making use of multiple email accounts..........................2
Managing the marking...........................................2
Merit system...................................................5
Naming files...................................................5
Planning the use of computers..................................3
Planning the use of the internet..............................3
Preparing for inspection.......................................3
Reducing the admin burden through the use of templates.........3
The Motivation Effect..........................................3
The UK Education System........................................2
Three letter acronyms..........................................5
UK-USA Education System comparison.............................2
USA Education System report....................................3
Using PowerPoint -- without the technology spoiling things!....3
Website shortcut...............................................5
What do ICT Co-ordinators REALLY want?.........................1
What to do if the network crashes..............................2
Visit the Computers in Classrooms home page for an issue-by-issue guide.
It's at http://www.ictineducation.org/compic.htm
===============================================================
Next issue's Features
---------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Shabajee has been conducting some interesting research into ICT
"heresies". He and I are working together to summarise his research in
time for the next issue, due out around mid-October.
Also, a practical article on giving a PowerPoint presentation without
tears. If you can't wait, there is a wider-ranging article appearing soon
in the UK magazine InteracTive.
===============================================================
Surveys
---------------------------------------------------------------
There are four main surveys running on my web site at the moment, these
being the ICT Co-ordinators' wish list, one on why teachers do or do not
use computers in their lessons, the response form to this month's Scenario
and your horror story about a management aspect of ICT. Details of all of
these can be found on my web site at
http://www.ictineducation.org/surveys.htm and
http://www.ictineducation.org/scenario.htm
===============================================================
And finally...
---------------------------------------------------------------
1. Don't forget to enter the competition! Details at
http://www.ictineducation.org/competition.htm
2. Just to remind you of the dangers of making predictions, here is a
quotation from Popular Science, 1949:
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
===============================================================
About the editor
---------------------------------------------------------------
I work in ICT in education. You can find out more by going to
http://www.ictineducation.org/tfcv.htm, or by sending any email to
tfresume@fastfacts.net.
My most recent book is Managing ICT. My previous book was Make Time With
IT.
Managing ICT looks at all aspects of managing ICT in schools and colleges,
and provides checklists to help the busy ICT Co-ordinator. A satisfied
reader recently said:
"This book needs to be read by every senior manager and education
minister!"
Managing ICT, Terry Freedman, £9.99, Hodder and Stoughton, ISBN
0-340-75334-X.
Make Time With IT considers numerous ways in which teachers and
school/college administrators at all levels can use computers to reduce
their workload. The tips contained in the book are summarised on my
website. The review in InteracTive said:
"...it tackles the complexities of computing across a wide range of
technicalities and procedures and does all this with a lightness of
approach and welcome snippets of humour..."
Make Time With IT, Terry Freedman, £19.95, Questions Publishing, ISBN
1-898149-54-2
Both of these books are available from Amazon via
http://www.ictineducation.org/buybooks.htm
===============================================================
Jargon buster
---------------------------------------------------------------
Some of the terms used in this newsletter may seem a bit arcane to anyone
living outside the UK, so here is a quick guide:
DfEE...............Department for Education and Employment
ICT................Information and Communication Technology
OFSTED.............Office for Standards in Education
Primary school.....Elementary school
Public school......Private (ie fee-paying) school
QCA................Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
State school.......Public school
===============================================================
About the proofreader
---------------------------------------------------------------
MA works as a primary mathematics advisory teacher/numeracy
consultant. He is married to an ICT advisor and enjoys proofreading a
variety of documents. (Please send comments/suggestions to
x.)
===============================================================
To subscribe to this newsletter...
---------------------------------------------------------------
Send any email to compic-subscribe@listbot.com
Please feel free to pass on this newsletter or extracts from it to anyone
whom you think might gain some benefit from it, but please acknowledge the
source.
If you like the ICT in Education website, please click to Recommend-It
(r): http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=677651
===============================================================
Some facts about this newsletter
---------------------------------------------------------------
The purpose of this newsletter is to provide a means of looking at issues
which affect teachers of Information & Communication Technology (ICT), and
teachers who *use* ICT in their lessons. We look at what works and what
doesn't, and the day-to-day challenges involved in using computers in
classrooms. Also included are hints and tips for teachers new to using
computers, and items that I hope will be of interest to ICT co-ordinators.
Any contribution you can make will be invaluable. You can contribute in a
number of ways, such as:
* completing the survey at http://www.ictineducation.org/compicsurvey.htm,
and encouraging others to do the same;
* responding to the "scenario" poser;
* sending in your own hints and tips (I'm gradually learning that what may
seem old hat to oneself is quite often a revelation to someone else!);
* passing this newsletter along to anyone whom you think might gain some
benefit from it;
* sending me your comments on any aspect of the newsletter, including
features you'd like to see, via email to compic@ictineducation.org
This newsletter now has a large and growing subscriber base. Most of the
people who subscribe are from the UK and USA, and range from new teachers
of ICT to "old hands".
===============================================================
Advertising rates
---------------------------------------------------------------
Please send any email to compicads@fastfacts.net
===============================================================
Links summary
---------------------------------------------------------------
Acronym Generator
http://www.acronymfinder.com/
Anna's Teaching Tips
http://www.teachingtips.com/
Book reviews
http://www.ictineducation.org/book_reviews.htm
Buy books
http://www.ictineducation.org/buybooks.htm
ChildcareLink
http://212.53.85.14/
Competition
http://www.ictineducation.org/competition.htm
Computers in Classrooms email
compic@ictineducation.org
Computers in Class
http://www.ictineducation.org/compic.htm
Computers in Soc
http://www.ictineducation.org/compinsoc.htm
Computers stats
http://www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics/DB/SFR/s0188/index.html &
http://www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics/DB/SFR/s0188/tab001.xls
DC
dc@ictineducation.org
Educational quotations
http://www.hellam.net/edquotes1.asp
Emoticons
http://www.darkmountain.com/netiquette/emoticons.shtml &
http://www.acronymfinder.com/
Finding files
http://www.ictineducation.org/articlefind.htm
Gender
http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/genderandachievement/
Gender issues in ICT
http://www.ictineducation.org/artgender.htm
ICT in Education
http://www.ictineducation.org/
Key Stage 3 ICT Scheme of
Workhttp://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_ICT/
Management-related links
http://www.ictineducation.org/manguidenet.htm
Managing email communication
http://www.ictineducation.org/email.htm
Managing for Success FAQ
http://www.ictineducation.org/micts.htm
Parents Centre
http://www.parents.dfee.gov.uk/
Parents Online
http://www.parentsonline.gov.uk/
PS
ps@ictineducation.org
PG
pg@ictineducation.org
QCA
http://www.qca.gov.uk/
Reluctant teachers article
http://fno.org/sum99/reluctant.html
Report-writing program
http://www.btinternet.com/~timn/report.htm
SC
sc@ictineducation.org
Scenario response form
http://www.ictineducation.org/scenario.htm
Searching: AltaVista
http://www.altavista.uk/
Searching: collection.http://www.leidenuniv.nl/ub/biv/specials.htm
Searching: Yahoo
http://www.yahoo.co.uk/
Surveys on ICT in Education
websitehttp://www.ictineducation.org/surveys.htm
Terry Freedman's CV (Resume)http://www.ictineducation.org/tfcv.htm &
tfresume@fastfacts.net
Virtual Teacher
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/
Website problems
ict@ictineducation.org
Why do it? Survey
http://www.ictineducation.org/cics
Disclaimer:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this newsletter, T
Freedman cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information
within it or for any consequences arising from it.
(c) 2000 T Freedman email: compic@ictineducation.org
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