Part 2:
Teaching With ICT

a. Structuring Lessons

In the case study we are dealing with, the teacher has a fairly regular pattern to her sessions. She tends to start with a teacher-led introduction to the session, outlining the area for coverage in the session. In an hour-long lesson, she might restrict herself to just inputting text, finding relevant pictures or creating some order to the document the learners are working on. From the introduction she will set learners to work in pairs or small groups using printed worksheets, photographs or resources on the World Wide Web. This work is structured, and she monitors progress around the class until she can get them to report back to the whole group on their progress, or summarise their progress in small groups to feedback in the next session.

Again, you might not work in exactly this way, but you probably do have a pattern that you favour as a teacher. Characterise this pattern to yourself now, and consider how the use of ICT as a resource might fit into it.

Over something like a ten week period, spending about two hours a week on familiarising learners with the range of ICT resources, including symbols, graphics and photographs, the teacher introduces the idea of producing recipe cards at around week 3. This runs in conjunction with the relevant cookery sessions that are planned with the other teacher. After week 7 the teacher focuses on a group activity of collating the information on likes and dislikes as a means of presenting information. Where appropriate learners are encouraged to develop skills in sending their information to others in the class via e-mail.

First let's recall the main learning objectives the teacher has for her pupils in this area:

  • Find suitable pictures to relate to the activity.
  • Word process lists and instructions.
  • Share the learning experience with others via discussion or e-mail if appropriate.
  • Produce a visual display depicting the learners' preferences.

The summary that follows, shows how weeks three to seven are structured to use ICT to meet these objectives. Each session starts with a class introduction and the learners are assigned their tasks for the session. At the end of each session there is a class discussion on the activities carried out and feedback given to the learners from the teacher's observations.

In the table the tasks are outlined with objectives in detail under the Group 1 column. Each week Group 2 and 3 will carry out the tasks highlighted in the relevant box, for the objectives to these tasks refer to the information under the Group 1 column. This short cut has been carried out in order for the full table to be displayed on one page enabling you to see how the different groups tasks flow over the seven week period.

Take a look at this summary and then produce your own account, and your own lesson plans, showing how you would use the ICT resources we have been discussing to do the same job on producing recipe cards. You might wish to extend or contract the time, and to fit the plans, duration and work around your own experience of working with this or a similar activity.

Case Study Lesson Structure

Week Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
1

Select ingredients and equipment.

  • learners to input words associated with the food produced using worksheets or other relevant sources
  • learners to check spelling where relevant and save Word document
 Selecting photographs. Using Word to produce names of students for likes and dislikes.
2

Writing an account of the method used learners to input words/sentences associated with the production of the food using worksheets or other relevant sources.

  • learners to check spelling and save the document
 Labelling photographs and images. Searching the WWW for graphics.
3

Selecting photographs.

  • learners to view photographic images of themselves preparing the food
  • select images and insert into a Word document
  • provide a verbal description of the activity being carried out
 Searching the WWW for graphics. Selecting ingredients and equipment.
4

Labelling photographs and images.

  • learners to input words/sentences to describe the activity being carried out in the photo, using worksheets or other relevant sources
  • learners to check spelling and save the document
 Using Word to produce names of students for likes and dislikes. Writing an account of the method used.
5

Searching the WWW for graphics.

  • list the graphics that will be needed
  • carry out a search on the appropriate web sites
  • input the graphics into a Word document
 Selecting ingredients and equipment. Selecting photographs.
6

Using Word to produce names of students for likes and dislikes.

  • choose a style of writing in Word Art
  • input the names of the other learners using relevant worksheets
  • print the document
 Writing an account of the method used. Labelling photographs and images.
7

Arranging text and graphics in order on the document.

  • learners to produce a style of arrangement of graphics, words and photographs as outlined by the teacher

b. Managing Learning in the Classroom