b. Deciding Whether to Use ICT

There seems to be a wide range of options for dealing with this topic. The teacher could:

• Use teacher-led discussion on the topic only, and not use any ICT (or other technology) at all.
• Use a word processor package to create worksheets for the topic, perhaps placing some images into the worksheets to promote understanding.
• Use some video or print material showing aspects of the topic.
• Use a CD-ROM to have students gather information on the topic to form the basis of discussion and individual work.
• Use the World Wide Web to gather information.
• Gather data from a variety of real and virtual sources, and use a spreadsheet to generate models from the data.

Of course, any combination of the options is also possible, but we shall discuss them all, and your work will involve using several of the options alone and together.

Questions for Consideration

• How many of the options above do you feel comfortable about at the moment, and could you suggest any others?
• What are the benefits to using the print and broadcast material?
• What are the pitfalls as you see them to using the World Wide Web to gather background information?
• Look again at the objectives for this case study - do you think any of them match up with the options listed?

Keep a short record of your responses to these questions for discussion with your mentor.

c. Selecting ICT Resources