What is Information Technology?

• Information Technology (IT) comprises of a variety of systems that handle electronically retrievable information. Computers are the most obvious of these but IT also includes programmable robots, tape recorders, calculators and video cameras, spellmasters, still cameras and scanners.
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Aims

Our aims in using IT are that all the children will

• enjoy using IT and tackle all applications with confidence and a sense of achievement
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• develop practical skills in the use of IT and the ability to apply these skills to the solving of relevant and worthwhile problems
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• understand the capabilities and limitations of IT and consequences of its use
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Principles for the use of IT

IT is important because

• its use is widespread in the technological world and likely to grow
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• it is an important medium for learning and study at all educational levels
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It is now a separate National Curriculum subject - previously IT was part of the Technology curriculum. It is subdivided into three areas:

1. The requirement for children to have access to a variety of IT equipment including microcomputers and various keyboards. Children must have opportunities to explore and solve problems, find out about the uses of It in everyday life and discuss their experiences;
   
2. Pupils will use It to communicate and handle information using text, tables, pictures, graphs and sound. They will have opportunities to enter, store, organise, reorganise and analyse ideas and information.
   
3. Children will use IT to control devices and use IT-based models or simulations to explore real and imaginary situations and change variables in such packages to enable them to ask and answer questions or the 'What would happen if ...?' type
   

IT is also seen as a cross-curricular strand in the National Curriculum and it is important that the skills developed in IT are used to support and enrich learning in other curriculum areas.

Strategies for the use of IT

• IT is integrated into the programme of topics followed throughout the school
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• all classes offer children experience in all three areas of the curriculum detailed above
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• computer use is carefully managed so that all pupils are given equal access opportunities
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• IT is not seen as a stick or a carrot (to be withdrawn as a punishment or offered as a reward for good work or behaviour) but is offered as an entitlement to all children.
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The main mode of working in IT is group work although computers are sometimes used by individuals for word processing or for practice of basic skills. IT is rarely used for class teaching.

Classroom helpers are used in IT particularly volunteer helpers who assist with

• the reading involved in some early years activities
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• data entry for information processing work
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• problem solving work
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• desk top publishing activities.
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Pupils with special needs have the same IT entitlement as other pupils and are offered the same curriculum. However, in addition particular applications of IT are used for

• pupils with difficulties in learning, who need to be motivated to practice basic skills regularly and intensively, and thus benefit from the use of programs in which skills practice is set in the context of a motivating game
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• certain pupils with a physical or communication handicap who have their own specially adapted machines for use in communication across the curriculum
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• pupils of high ability who may be extended through the use of programs which offer challenge and opportunities for investigation.
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The emphasis in our teaching with IT is on the use of computers as tools to support learning. Thus

• all pupils are made familiar with basic aspects of disc and printer management and efficient use of keyboard and mouse
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• word processing is the application most widely used throughout the school
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• many activities using It are allied to other work carried out away from the computer
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• as pupils progress through the school they are given increasing control over their use of IT
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• calculators are available to all classes.
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Continuity and progression

It is essential that children develop greater confidence and competence in the use of various programs as they progress through the school. They should be able to progress from simple instructions to more complex operations whilst still experiencing the same programs.

Before undertaking anything on the computer children should be given experience of activities that will naturally lead on to relevant programs. For example, before undertaking 'Logo' a child should enjoy activities that introduce and reinforce the concepts of direction and distance such as directing a blindfolded friend through a course of obstacles; or experiencing a 'Roamer' before attempting to program responses.

Communication programs should be used by children to experiment with and amend their ideas. Concept keyboards should be used as a ready means of giving children, particularly those in the early years, access to successful communication.

Progression through the stages should be reflected by greater demands and expectations upon the use of programs. For example, at Key Stage 1 children may be expected to express themselves upon the computer using First Word or Tiny Draw with or without the support of a Concept Keyboard and also be required to save, recall, amend and represent their work and be able to explain their reasoning. By Key Stage 2 they may be expected to make several drafts of their work and present it through more than one program in a collaborative or individual manner. Children should become more independent and confident in the use of I. T. and be able to use more sophisticated software as they progress through the school. It is important that progression is acknowledged by each teacher in their planning and assessment.

In their planning, teachers will also have to consider the balance they are achieving in the various strands so that children will not spend too much time with word processing or designing.

The IT Co-ordinator

The role of the IT Co-ordinator is to

• take lead in the policy development and the integration of IT into schemes of work to ensure continuity and progression within and between classes
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• support colleagues in their efforts to include IT in their work plans, in their implementation of those plans and in assessment and record keeping activities
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• monitor progress in IT and advise the headteacher on action needed
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• take responsibility for the purchase and organisation of central resources for IT
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• provide technical support to colleagues wherever possible or to seek advice when appropriate
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• pass on information to colleagues as appropriate.
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Health and Safety

Health and Safety issues in IT include taking care with

• setting up and moving equipment
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• establishing appropriate working conditions
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• general electrical safety.
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Other Documents written by the IT co-ordinator available to help and advise staff are:

1. Woodside School IT Scheme of Work (September 1996)
   
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3. IT Software maps showing the software to be used by each year group.
   
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5. Woodside JMI School Guidance for Staff on use of Computers - December 1995
   
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7. IT - The New Requirements (March 1995)
   
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9. COMPUTER NETWORK (July 1996)