Welcome to our ICT Workshop

1. Welcome to our ICT Workshop Tuesday 23rd March 2004 Christ Church (Church of England) Infant School & Nursery

2. ICT is the learning and teaching tool of the 21st century. By teaching pupils using ICT, you’re not only helping them learn more effectively; you’re preparing them for a workplace – a world – already dominated by the computer. This is today’s technology, not tomorrow’s.”(Curriculum Online, 2004)

3. Mrs Selby’s Diary The alarm bell rings… what will the day bring?

4. Mrs Selby’s Diary Saturday 20th March 2004 • 6:00: CD alarm rings. Get ready for school. • 6:30: Realise it’s Saturday. Throw alarm out of window. Return to bed. • 8:30: Get up. Eat breakfast. Check Teletext for latest news. • 10:00: Receive email and digital photo from friend in Barbados. Send one back of me preparing to go to Tesco for weekly shop. In the rain.

5. Mrs Selby’s Diary • 10:05: Fed up. Jealous of friend – decide to stay in. No food. Will starve. Do shopping online with Tesco. Order obscene amounts of chocolate to improve mood. • 13:00: After several ‘Galaxies’ have great idea. Will book holiday myself. • 15:00: Two weeks, all inclusive in Maldives! Get cases out. Email friend. • 15:05: Just checked email confirmation of booking. Thought it cost £400 each, just realised it was £4000. Mr Selby not home and will go mad.

6. Mrs Selby’s Diary • 15:10: Use online banking facilities to cancel payment to Thomsons. Email solicitors just in case conversation does not go well with Mr Selby. • 16:00: All sorted. No bills to pay. Everyone happy, especially me because mobile phone text alert has just announced that Wolves are beating Liverpool 3 – 0!!

7. Mrs Selby’s Diary • 19:30: Everyone happy. Husband home (unaware of earlier holiday fiasco) and in great mood – he’s switched on Sky TV and discovered a choice of 15 live European football games. All you need to do is press the red button on your Sky Digibox remote control. Red button pressed like mad for next two hours! • 21:30: Sky Digibox remote control thrown through window.

8. Why do we teach ICT? • You can email through your TV, surf the internet from a mobile phone, or do the shopping from your home computer. Modern technology is changing the way we live and work. Children need to learn how to manage it all – how to get hold of information, store it, share it with others and tailor it to suit their own needs. That’s why ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) is so important. At Christ Church Infant School and Nursery we teach the skills needed in this ever changing technological world.

9. How do we teach ICT? We aim to cover the requirements of the National Curriculum for ICT (Key Stage 1) and Early Years Curriculum (Foundation Stage). Our aim is to enable all pupils to use ICT equipment and software as confidently and purposefully as possible whilst enhancing learning in other curriculum areas. Throughout the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 children will have opportunities to: • Work with a range of information to investigate the different ways it can be presented • Explore a variety of ICT tools • Talk about the uses of ICT inside and outside school

10. ICT in The Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) Curriculum Guidance for ICT is included in the area known as Knowledge and Understanding. In this area of learning, children develop knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. Opportunities will be provided to allow the children to: • Show an interest in ICT • Know how to operate simple equipment • Complete a simple program on the computer and/or perform simple functions on ICT apparatus • Find out about and identify the uses of everyday ICT programmable toys to support their learning

11. Key Learning Objectives in the Foundation Stage • To learn how to safely and correctly use ICT equipment • To give simple instructions to the computer using the mouse or keyboard • To communicate an idea using letters, sounds and symbols • To ‘click and drag’ using the mouse • To alter images – using delete key • Change work – change thickness of brush on ‘Paint’ • Operate a programmable toy such as remote control toys/Roamers • Turn computer on and off and open/close programmes • Can print their work • Can save and retrieve their work • Can load a CD Rom • Can use a Talking Story activity • Can use correct terminology

12. ICT in Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) During Key Stage 1 pupils explore ICT and learn to use it more confidently and with greater purpose to achieve specific outcomes. They start to use ICT to develop their ideas and record their creative work. They become familiar with hardware and software. The National Curriculum for ICT provides Programmes of Study which we follow to plan activities to enable the children to develop important skills.

13. Areas of Learning in Key Stage 1 The National Curriculum for ICT provides Programmes of Study which we follow to plan activities to enable the children to develop important skills: • Finding things out • Developing ideas and making things happen • Exchanging and sharing information • Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work

14. Cross Curricular ICT and Resources • We aim to use ICT across all areas of the curriculum whenever appropriate. We see ICT as providing opportunities to stimulate, support and enhance all other areas of the curriculum. • We currently have 31 computers along with printers, Roamers, 4 digital cameras, 4 scanners, 3 televisions and 3 video recorders. Each classroom has access to a listening centre with headphones and a microphone. Reception and Key Stage 1 classrooms have Internet access and most classroom computers are networked. Nursery will be internet linked very shortly. • Each classroom has access to a wide range of software, including multi-media CD Roms and audio tapes. • Resources for ICT are continually being upgraded in response to new technological developments.

15. Internet Use at School • The internet is an invaluable resource which provides exciting, stimulating and high quality learning resources. • We use the Wolverhampton Grid for Learning which provides a safe environment for staff and pupils. A ‘Firewall’ filtering system is in place which prevents any unsuitable material being downloaded. • Internet use is supervised at all times by members of staff.

16. How Can I Help at Home? USING A COMPUTER: SAFETY FIRST • Make sure your child is sitting at the correct height • Take care with electrical equipment DISCOVER COMPUTERS AT HOME • Lots of stories are now available on CD-ROM and the internet. Look for story CDs in your local library, or search for your child’s favourite storybook characters on the internet. • You and your child should be able to play an active part in the story, making things happen by pointing and clicking. • Encourage your child to use the mouse to make characters move around, dance, sing or change shape • Ask them questions about what is happening, for example: ‘Where has the rabbit gone? Is he underneath? On top? Behind? In front?’ • Encourage them to think about the result of their actions and what will happen next, for example: ‘What happens if you click here?’ or ‘What do you think the rabbit will do next?’.

17. We don’t have a computer at home… ICT is not just about using computers. It is about handling information, gathering it, storing it, organising it and presenting it to others. These devices are particular useful for teaching ICT skills, as they all require a sequence of instructions in order to work: • Programmable toys • Television remote controls • Video recorders / CD players Asking questions about ICT is particular important. You may ask your child to look around in their everyday environment and ask themselves: • How many objects can you see that are controlled by computers? • Where do you think the computer is? • What do you think the computer does?

18. Links with Other Schools • We have liaised with local schools to make full use of a greater range of ICT resources. Year 2 children have made weekly visits to Tettenhall Wood Special School to participate in sessions which have used interactive whiteboard technology and enabled the children to work in a computer suite. • It is anticipated that we will make links with other local schools in the very near future. • We have participated in a Local Education Authority email competition which required children to write a class poem to be shared with many schools throughout the region.

19. Safe Surfing • Talk with your child about using the web. Have they used it at school? How has it helped them with their work? What websites have they visited? • If you have internet access at home, help your child to explore the web safely, as many sites are unsuitable for children. Supervise them as they search for information and encourage them to find sites for their age group. Talk to your internet service provider to find out if it offers a filtering service to prevent your child from seeing unsuitable materials. • You can find out more about safe surfing by visiting the Parents’ Information Network: www.pin.org.uk/safety/index.htm • Click on ‘Safety’ to find out detailed advice and information about using the internet with children at home.

20. Using the Internet at Home Smart Searching: Some Ideas Using the internet can be daunting and complicated. If you want to help your child locate information, then the best ways are: • Type in a web address. Ask your child to look around for web sites which may interest them. You can find these almost anywhere. Ask your child to type in the address and then you can explore the site together. • Use a specialist children’s site . There are thousands of children’s sites which will have content suitable for children to read. Try visiting www.yahooligans.com and www.parentcentre.gov.uk which have links to lots of high quality web sites for children.

21. Sites We Recommend For general help and information for parents: • www.parentcentre.gov.uk • www.safety.ngfl.gov.uk • www.parentsonline.gov.uk • www.pin.org.uk • www.learn.co.uk Web sites that children aged 3 – 5 will find educational and fun: • www.funbrain.com • www.nickjr.co.uk • www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/index.shtml (Little Animals Activity Centre) • www.primarygames.com Web sites for children aged 5 - 7: • www.funbrain.com • www.bbc.co.uk/schools/digger (Digger and the Gang) • www.sesamestreet.com • www.gridclub.com

22. How to Recognise Quality Home Software • Remember that you are not trying to replicate the classroom at home. Your child has the opportunity to learn in a different way at home and the software you choose should make that possible. Home software can be more relaxed than schoolwork and it should always be fun to use.

23. Questions to ask when buying software… • How could it help my child learn? • Does it look and sound appealing? • What is the depth and range of content? • Will my child find it easy to use? • Would my child want to use it? • Is there any feedback on a child’s progress? • Would my child want to return to it again and again? • Does it make links to the Foundation Stage and/or National Curriculum documents? • What support materials are included?

24. Hot off the Press… • We are currently establishing a school web site which we hope will be a useful means of communication between ourselves, parents and the local community. • What would YOU like to see included on the site? We welcome your suggestions! If you do have any, please jot them down on the evaluation forms at the end of this session.