ICT Developments and Opportunities at St Peters - September 2010

ICT Noticeboard
This is situated above the computers in the staffroom. Please look out for updates and
write down any problems you have (ICT only please...) for our technician/NH to address
New System Server
The new server has been installed. This has been a major job, and there may be minor
problems to be sorted over the next few weeks, eg missing software. Please let NH
know of any issues to address. Nothing has been deleted since last term, but the folder
structure may be different. Please ask if you cannot find what you need. Your system
password has defaulted to 'teacher' Please ask if you wish to change this back, or to a
new one.
New Netbooks
We have taken delivery of 5 Netbooks (small laptops) for use in class/around the school.
They will take a little time to set up, but will be available as a portable extension to
the System, including internet access. Please consider how you could integrate these
into the teaching and learning in your class.
Interactive whiteboards
New whiteboard software - ActiveInspire. New and improved features, plus all of the
existing ones in a fresh look. Please see NH if you have any problems.
Visualisers
Each class now has a visualiser. three new ones have higher resolution/magnification.
One of each of these is based in Year 1/2, 3/4, 5/6. Don't forget to use them for taking
'Snapshots' and recording video clips. Use the menu in the top left to access these tools
Digital cameras
We will soon have one digital camera per class. Please download images/videos as soon
as you can and delete them from the camera. Please also delete any unnecessary
images from the system. A new DIGITAL DOWNLOAD section on the system has been
created to store all of these. Please do not store photos in any other area. Photos and
videos can also be uploaded to the MLE.
Video Flip cameras
We now have 6 cameras, which are kept centrally in the ICT Suite. Use the USB plug to
download clips to the DIGITAL DOWNLOAD area on the System.
Digital microphones (yellow)
These can be used in stand-alone mode to record and play back sound. This can be
downloaded onto the DIGITAL DOWNLOAD section on the system computer and uploaded
to the MLE if desired. Some are just for stand-alone use, like the ‘Talking Tin’
Fronter MLE - Learning platform
Please develop your Classroom/Curriculum room as soon as possible. You can use an
existing 'Front Page' as a template rather than starting from scratch. For some useful
video tutorials on creating pages, please visit 'Help' section, click on 'Courses' and
select the 'How to Create Learning Resources, Pages and Learning Paths' section.
The MLE Staffroom has also been substantially re-designed and extended. It should
now be used as your first port-of-call for uploading, viewing and adapting plans,
assessments, policies, timetables and other documents.
Robots
We now have 6 'Probots' and Software for delivering control technology. We will also
have 6 Beebots and software soon. There are additional mats and other resources to
use with these. Children can control the robot’s movement by programming in
commands either on the device or using the software on the system (Probotix)
Podcasts
A podcast is an audio or video file that you save on computer for publishing in some
form, for instance on the Internet. We now have software to help us to do this, and
will be receiving training during the year.
Blogs
What is a blog? Blogs are web pages created by individuals or groups and stored on the
internet. They usually include text and images. Blogs are an ideal space to write about
your ideas and opinions.… We will be receiving training during the year to help us
New School Website
The new Website is due to be coming online over the next few days. It will start 'small'
and gradually grow as time allows. If you have any ideas for this, please share them.
We are discussing the usefulness of a Parents' Area on the MLE as a base for information
connected with the school. This would mean having less day to day admin material on
the Website.

Planning - ICT and integration of ICT

Over the next term, the ICT curriculum is due for an overhaul, to ensure we are
fulfilling national requirements. We have had to back-track a little since the abandoning
of the Rose Review's recommendations. Please choose which ICT units will fit in best for
your topics as you complete your long term plan, and start to deliver the scheme of
work. Please consider embedding ICT into class work, as well as delivering discrete ICT
lessons. For the moment, here are a couple of very useful aids on the ICT page of the
MLE; Progression in ICT and ICT Applications in Literacy . Please take a look. PLEASE
DO NOT COMPLETE A MEDIUM TERM PLAN, OR START FILLING IN YOUR ASSESSMENT
SHEETS, BUT WAIT FOR ADVICE.
 ICT Level Descriptors plus Guides
(What we will be using from now on for assessment)

Level 1 Yellow shading is Finding

Pupils explore information from various sources, showing Things Out – this has several
they know that information exists in different forms. They aspects, finding information from
use ICT to work with text, images and sound to help them the Internet or CD ROMs,
branching databases, databases
share their ideas. They recognise that many everyday
and graphing programs.
devices respond to signals and instructions. They make Green shading is Exchanging
choices when using such devices to produce different and Sharing Information.
outcomes. They talk about their use of ICT. Level 1 is best described as
Level 2 exploratory use. Higher levels
Pupils use ICT to organise and classify information and to may incorporate art work with
present their findings. They enter, save and retrieve work. graphics programs, Word
They use ICT to help them generate, amend and record their Processing, Desk Top Publishing,
work and share their ideas in different forms, including text, E-mail, Web pages and
tables, images and sound. They plan and give instructions to PowerPoint.
Making Things Happen
make things happen and describe the effects. They use ICT to
consists of two aspects: Control
explore what happens in real and imaginary situations. They shaded blue and Modelling
talk about their experiences of ICT both inside and outside shaded grey. Control is the pupils
school. teaching the computer to control
Level 3 something.
Pupils use ICT to save information and to find and use Magenta shading denotes the
appropriate stored information, following straightforward Breadth of Study aspect. This is
lines of enquiry. They use ICT to generate, develop, organise understanding why pupils use ICT
and present their work. They share and exchange their ideas and making a choice to use ICT in
with others. They use sequences of instructions to control preference to pen and paper. It
also includes an understanding of
devices and achieve specific outcomes. They make
the role of ICT in the wider world.
appropriate choices when using ICT-based models or Teacher’s notes and observations
simulations to help them find things out and solve problems about discussions are likely to be
They describe their use of ICT and its use outside school. the most successful method of
Level 4 recording this strand.
Pupils understand the need for care in framing questions L3 Use is the key word here – use
when collecting, finding and interrogating information. They the information that they have
interpret their findings, question plausibility and recognise found for a specific purpose –
that poor-quality information leads to unreliable results. They finding it is level 2. Finding and
add to, amend and combine different forms of information using may be level 3.
L3 This is where spreadsheet
from a variety of sources. They use ICT to present information
modelling comes into the
in different forms and show they are aware of the intended curriculum – modelling, trying
audience and the need for quality in their presentations. They things out and solving problems
exchange information and ideas with others in a variety of is characteristic of this aspect.
ways, including using e-mail. They use ICT systems to control L4 Demands questioning and
events in a predetermined manner and to sense physical interpretation of the information
data. They use ICT-based models and simulations to explore obtained by using ICT tools.
patterns and relationships, and make predictions about the L4 This is using Flowol to control
consequences of their decisions. They compare their use of the lighthouse or similar mimics.
ICT with other methods and with its use outside school. LogIT Explorer sensing the
Level 5 temperature around the school to
find where to position a bench is
Pupils select the information they need for different purposes,
the sort of exercise required by
check its accuracy and organise it in a form suitable for the “sensing physical data.”
processing. They use ICT to structure, refine and present L5 Rigorous use is the key to
information in different forms and styles for specific purposes this level. High skills, confidence,
and audiences. They exchange information and ideas with etc. used to best effect in each
others in a variety of ways, including using e-mail. They piece of work. Pupils able to
create sequences of instructions to control events, and justify why all choices have been
understand the need to be precise when framing and made, explain why they have
sequencing instructions. They understand how ICT devices done all of the stages and create
with sensors can be used to monitor and measure external complex pieces of work often
incorporating the use of several
events. They explore the effects of changing the variables in
programs.
an ICT-based model. They discuss their knowledge and L5 Awareness of audience is vital
experience of using ICT and their observations of its use here – no spelling or grammar
outside school. They assess the use of ICT in their work and mistakes, font, size and colour fit
are able to reflect critically in order to make improvements in for purpose. Pupils need to try
things out and discuss options
subsequent work.
with their audience.
L5 Pupils write procedures in
Logo and then use those
procedures to create further
procedures e.g. using a square to
make patterns or houses.