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 does not know the author's email address for final option. She already has some word processed materials, and she knows how to use a CD-ROM, despite the fact that there is a severe shortage of Welsh language ICT materials.

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 the text 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 the text is that it is both hugely enjoyable - on its own, without technology - and very challenging for young people. Especially in terms of the objectives set for this case study, there is such a wealth of possible follow-up material that could be created or gleaned from the CD-ROM, and so much you can do with a couple of good imported images, that I really would want to get the most out of the text, the technology and the pupils by combining some of the options.

Using a word processor package to create worksheets on the text, placing some images into 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 understanding of Viv's sometimes difficult (at least to a Second Language learner) turn of phrase. 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, perhaps of the original text or of different versions of the text.
This isn't strictly an ICT option, and is not yet an option in this case study. However, it may be possible with other texts, such as abridged versions of the Welsh classics, for example William Jones; O law i law; Cysgod y Cryman. The CD-ROM contains one adapted passage from each of the above, along with film references and printable word-processed worksheets. The best thing about it is that looking at video provides a range of stimuli to the learner - especially our younger learners with high levels of 'tele-literacy' - and that the videos are themselves re-workings of the text and opportunities to re-contextualise them.

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, 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 the story. The problems remain, though, about managing the CD-ROM and giving pupils access to it.

Using the World Wide Web to gather resources, especially on the background to the text.
The web addresses appended to this case study provide interesting background reading for those studying Welsh language and literature, at any level. When you come to use the World Wide Web to deal with Welsh language and literature, you should try to restrict yourself (and the pupils) to these sites. Wandering off into hyperspace can be a waste of time without the right focus and the right discipline.

Using the World Wide Web for resources, and locating experts for e-mail communication.
The obvious problem here is the location of 'online' experts in anything Welsh, without mentioning specific texts. Your mentor has arranged for the e-mail addresses of the authors to be made available to you, both the author of the CD-ROM and of the short story. Some web sites you visit invite the exchange of observations by e-mail, and these are included in your appended list. You still have the problem of managing this type of communication, though, and especially of ensuring that the respondents in cyberspace really are the 'experts' they claim to be.

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 but contact the author, and to combine two or more, in particular sessions, over a five-lesson 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. 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 Short Story