Topic outline

  • ICT & Curriculum

    ICT & Curriculum

    • By the end of this unit you should be able to demonstrate how various ICT can be used to support the teaching of the curriculum.

                   Learning Objectives:

        1. Identify and understand the use of ICT to support the curriculum.
        2. Select digital resources to support curriculum and evaluate digital resources to support curriculum, develop ICT based learning activities / exercises. 
        3. Appreciate the support of digital resources and ICT based learning activities / exercises in curriculum.

      4 hours

      This unit is an example of online learning. The LMS will provide access to the unit resources and the tools required to complete the activities. It also provides you with a clear understanding of the learning pathway.

      Introduction

      Click on the video below to watch a quick introduction to Unit 09: ICT and Curriculum.

      Your facilitator has prepared the presentation above that provides an overview of how and where ICT can contribute to the teaching of the curriculum. The facilitator will provide you with some examples of how ICT can actively support the curriculum in ways not possible before such as visualizations in Science, data analysis tools in Mathematics and role play simulations in Social Studies. As an introductory activity investigate the examples below of how ICT can be used to enhance understanding.

      Minute Labs. (nd). Brownian Movement (Visualisation)URL

      Carpenter, H. (nd). Simulations in Social Science (on Pinterest)URL

      National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (nd). General Purpose tools (Data Analysis Tools)

      ICT & the Curriculum Part I

      75 minutes

      ICT can be used to help us assess and interpret the curriculum as well as get support on how to implement it. In this sub-unit lets have a look at just how computers can be of support.

      Now let us investigate how you might use ICT to support the teaching of the curriculum.

      1. Select a component or topic within the curriculum you teach and identify a particular syllabus specific objective you would like to address.
      2. Need to access the curriculum? Read the documents below to access our Competence-Based Curriculum Framework: A guide to the competence-based curriculum.

         3. Conduct an internet search for digital tools and resources that could add a new dimension to the way that section of work is taught.

        4. Use the web resources evaluation template below to assess the quality of the resource and evaluate its usefulness.

        Web Resource Evaluation Template File 45.5KB Word document

        ICT & the Curriculum Part II

        60 minutes


        We need to find a way to link the objectives as stated in the curriulum and or syllabus to the resources you have evaluated. 

        1. Once you have identified a set of digital resources write up a lesson plan that explains how these resources and tools help students achieve the specific objectives as identified in the official syllabus. Use the Model Lesson Plan template below.
          2. Consider, “Does the application of these tools & resources really add value to the lesson or could we have done the same without them? Are we teaching in the old way but with new technology?” This is the key to a successful integration of ICT in education.
            3. After reflecting revise your lesson plan, save the file with a filename that includes your surname and then submit the file to the facilitator by using the assignment tool below. You can check to see how the lesson plan will be marked by accessing the marking criteria document below.
            Lesson Plan Submission Assignment

            Assessment Criteria for Assignment Item #09File16.2KB

            Summary and Conclusion

            Hopefully you now appreciate that the possibilities are endless! There are just so many ways that ICT can be used to support the teaching of the curriculum. The trick, however, is not to let the digital tools and resources dictate how the lesson should be organised. ICT is just a tool to help you teach, and students learn, and therefore should support the objectives as stated in the curriculum. Make sure that you get the two to link up! Digital tools are only any good if they helps you achieve the curriculum's goals.

            Attribution

            The following Open Education Resources (OER) were consulted and/or adapted to create this unit

            1. COL/Guyana MoE. (no date). TL Module 2, Unit 1: Selecting ICT Resources to Support Curriculum Outcomes. (CC BY SA) Available online at http://colccti.colfinder.org/sites/default/files/guyana/pages/TL/Module02/Unit01/01.html
            2. UNESCO/Kenya MoE. (2016). ICT Supporting Curriculum Goals. (CC BY SA) Available online at http://kictcft.nba.co.za/course/view.php?id=3
            3. University Cambridge/OER4Schools (2013). Unit 1 - Introduction to interactive teaching and the use of ICT. 
              (CC BY SA) Available online at http://oer.educ.cam.ac.uk/wiki/OER4Schools/1_Introduction_to_interactive_teaching_and_the_use_of_ICT
            4. COL/SchoolNet SA. (2014). Professional Development with Technology - Web Evaluation Template. 
              (CC BY SA) Available online at http://cctionline.org/courses/professional-development-with-technology/

            Open License

            All materials in this ICT Essentials for Teachers Course unit is licensed by the Ministry of Education, Rwanda under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License