e. Planning the Work of Learners

In the case study teacher's experience, planning the work of learners using ICT is quite straightforward. He has access to a PC with Microsoft Office loaded, networked computers that can share any files that he may wish to give access to, he is also aware that several of his students have the software at home. He has used a variety of methods to present results that students are expected to interpret with the issue of worksheets or through the computer. Access to files may be through the Internet or email or supplied on disk, so that work may be set on the computer that students can complete outside the classroom. Students can benefit from completing tasks at home or in a library/learning centre.

Your case may be different. Firstly do you have access to a computer, a computer room or a library/learning centre where you can work on Application of Number lessons with a full group of students? Secondly, have your students got access to Excel or an equivalent spreadsheet package outside the classroom. There are other technical questions, but these are less important than the educational questions. Consider those below before you start planning the series of lessons in detail.

• How long will you take to deal with the topics from start to finish, including the production of coursework.
• How much of this time will you spend using a computer, using Excel templates to display information, and using word processed resources of your own?
• How do you want to arrange the use of ICT for learning and assessment - do you want it blocked or staggered, and will you need to circulate pupils around it in circumstances where not all pupils can use computers at once?
• How will you protect files against unauthorised amendment? Students need to have access to files without being allowed to alter them.

These questions are crucial at this stage, and you might want to discuss them with colleagues and/or your mentor before you create a scheme of work that includes the use of ICT, however rough the scheme is at the beginning. Once you are happy that you have a plan of how to use ICT effectively for the work you want to do on the topics, you should go on to consider some lesson plans for actually applying it in the classroom.

Part 2: Teaching with ICT