c. Selecting ICT Resources

The teacher in the case study is completely at home with the skills behind most of the options we have looked at above, though she has never used e-mail as part of the drafting process. She has used stimulus material from a variety of sources, she already has some word processed materials, and she knows how to use a CD-ROM.

You may not be in the same position as she is, so we shall look at the options in the context of your school and your experience. Think about the following points as they apply to you:

Using oral instructions only, and not using any ICT (or other technology) at all.
I have a bit of a problem with this (I would say that, wouldn't I?) in as much as my own experience of working with this kind of writing is that pupils can produce very flat mechanical work if not given a variety of stimuli to work from. Especially in terms of the objectives set for this case study, there is such a wealth of possibilities in what can be done with CD-ROM that I really would want to get the most out of the coursework, the technology and the pupils by combining some of the options.

Using a word processor package to create worksheets on the text, with product simulations in the worksheets.
Here the question is one of how much the pupils will learn, retain and organise if the teacher spends her time on creating learning and testing resources using a word processor, and how much they would have done so anyway. My own view is that a picture can paint a thousand words, or at least that a picture can give an extra stimulus to the otherwise uninspiring task of providing directions, explanation or instructions. It also seems likely that the time spent on creating high quality resources of the sort the teacher wants is likely to be returned in the adaptability and re-usability of the resources.

Using some video or print material as a stimulus for writing.
This isn't strictly an ICT option, but it would be if it were done in conjunction with the word processed worksheets or some work using information from the World Wide Web. Combining worksheets, 'real life' print materials and the simulated materials in the CD-ROM for this area would provide an even greater range of possibilities.

Using the CD-ROM provided to you in your pack for this case study.
Once you've had a chance to look at the CD-ROM, you'll see that it gives you a reservoir of learning resources, and that it uses text, images and hyperlinks to get students thinking about this kind of writing. If you look especially at the coursework-generating package on instructions, directions and explanations, you will see that the 'estate agent' simulation uses maps, pictures and hyperlinks to set a challenging GCSE task for pupils writing in this area. The problems remain, though, about managing the CD-ROM and giving pupils access to it.

Using the World Wide Web to gather information of use in the writing exercise.
Once you have seen the 'estate agent' based scenario in the CD-ROM for this area you will get a sense of how useful the World Wide Web can be. You can find other examples of house-description templates, other pictures, other towns and areas to use for directions and so on, so that you can personalise the activity for your own students and distinguish between learners at different levels with task of different levels of complexity.

Have pupils e-mail others with the draft versions of the instructions and directions to test their accuracy and validity.
Throughout the CD-ROM there are points at which practice exercises are provided to help with skill development and drafting practice. Whether you use the CD-ROM or not, using e-mail to test the products out can be easy and quick. E-mail can be accessed and acted upon at any time, and individuals can provide simple or complex instructions, descriptions and simulations as pupils develop their skills.

Now that you've looked at my ideas about the options available, you need to make your own choices. The teacher in the case study has decided to use all options, and to combine two or more in particular sessions over a five-week period. You need to plan to do something of this sort. On the next page, make a copy and fill out the summary to help you get focus on what you will do. I've put in some suggestions - you can use these as you like. Think of some uses of your own, and make a short note on what you will have to do to make it work, what you expect the benefit to be to your pupils, and what difficulties you expect to encounter when you do it in the classroom.

Resources Selected for Work on Transactional Writing