c. Adapting the Resources for Different Learners

This part of the case study follows from what has just been said about evaluation of resources. If a piece of software, a World Wide Web site or a dedicated piece of courseware can be used for more than one group of learners or across more than one area of work, it follows that it is more valuable to you in your work. In the case study, the teacher found the web sites useful for this particular group on this particular task, but also useful with the same group in other areas of their Science work. It was simply a matter of spending time with the pupils exploring the web sites.

The web sites and the CD-ROM were also useful across a range of other groups. Pupils preparing for GCSE were able to make use of the materials beyond the topic area, and older pupils working toward A-Level were able to gather background information from the CD and web sites. This latter group found the Encarta CD less useful, of course, but the skills of analysing and evaluating the information available and then applying that analysis to other, more specialist products (such as Britannica on CD) formed a part of the Advanced Level pupils' ability to investigate independently.

With this in mind, think about how you would complete the grid on the following page, and discuss it with your mentor.

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