c. Helping Learners Develop their own IT Capabilities

Whilst the focus of learning was in mathematics, it was clearly necessary to develop pupils' IT capability in order that they could apply their mathematical skills using ICT resources.

Question for Consideration

• Identify where in the lesson structure the focus for pupils' learning was on IT rather than on Maths. Were the mathematical demands kept to the minimum at these points?

There were a number of aspects which required revision, extension and practice:

• Loading software.
• Database layout and terminology.
• Specifying the names of field first, before any data is typed in
• Checking the accuracy of the data.
• Specifying simple and complex search criteria.
• Distinguishing the specification of search criteria for records to be selected from the specification of fields to be displayed in a report.
• Checking whether a search or graph was being done on the whole database or a selected part of it.

Questions for Consideration

IT capability can be considered to comprise:

• Routines - procedures we carry out without conscious thought.
• Techniques - procedures where we follow instructions or consciously recall steps in order to achieve an effect.
• Processes - such as modelling - which are made up of sequences of techniques selected in order to achieve a goal.
• Strategies - planning, monitoring, evaluating, reflecting on learning.

Identify examples in this sequence of lessons where pupils developed each of these components of IT capability.

d. Assessing Learning