Using IT in a meaningful way in the classroom Learning how to use Microsoft Office and other products within the context of other learning But what’s the point of this? Sharing IT learning in the global online community DON’T PRESS PRINT!

Teaching children how to use programmes such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Word and Publisher in isolation is inefficient and does not result in high student engagement and retention of new concepts.

There are many creative ways to teach the necessary skills which put learning into an exciting and relevant context

Using IT as a tool in learning enables students who struggle in other learning to achieve and have success at school

IT skills: Drawing using Autoshapes Ordering Grouping Colouring Cutting/copying & pasting Work and study skills: Persistence Flexibility Creativity Industry related skills: Illustration Graphic design Animation PowerPoint Movies Language skills Correct sentence formation Correctly quoting dialogue

CREATE

IT skills: Drawing using Autoshapes Ordering Grouping Colouring Cutting/copying & pasting Hyperlinking Work and study skills: Persistence Flexibility Creativity Questioning and posing problems Industry related skills: Illustration Graphic design Animation PowerPoint Games Language skills Correct sentence formation Correct question formation One of the best ways for students to demonstrate deep understanding of a concept is to create problems for others to solve

CREATE

IT skills: Searching for / or uploading photos Visualising and choosing the best transitions Choosing appropriate music or composing Checking, editing and refining Work and study skills: Persistence Flexibility Creativity Striving for accuracy & precision Industry related skills: Soundtrack selection Photography Photo sequencing Photostory Language skills Correct sentence formation

CREATE

When students know the purpose of a task they are more likely to engage it. When students are excited about the purpose of a task, they engage in it fully and with passion! PowerPoint Movies –Demonstrating their understanding of concepts covered in other learning areas E.g. Dinosaurs – Carnivores, Omnivores, build etc –Demonstrating their skills with IT features like realistic colour selections, transitions, custom animations etc –Possibility of posting work online PowerPoint Games –Demonstrating their understanding of concepts covered in other learning areas E.g. Maths; division, multiplication –Creating a game for a specific audience – Who is going to play my game? Age? Interests? –Possibility of posting work online Photostory –Answers the question “What do I do with the photos I’ve taken now?” –Demonstrating their understanding of concepts covered in other learning areas But what’s the point of this? All of these exercises are excellent for developing language skills in English speakers of other languages

Using Wikispaces as a way of publishing and sharing learning Wikispaces is an example of many websites that are available which allow teachers and students to share learning with a real-life global audience. Students are excited and motivated to create work that will be posted online It is a good motivator for them to produce QUALITY work – not just any work gets to go online They can receive useful feedback from peers, family, other educators – not just the ‘same old’ feedback from their teacher! They become part of an online community of learners, with the chance to have their work noticed and be considered experts by members of this community

Using IT as a way to promote resource conservation All of the things you have created today would cost a fortune to print – that’s the point – this IT learning takes us far beyond the ‘word process and print’ capacity of classroom computers. Using interactive technologies such as Interactive Whiteboards, Wikispaces, Video posting websites, and other online learning forums allows us to meaningfully ‘publish’ without ever having to press print. You won’t be receiving any handouts to take home, but I’d love to you anything you would like to use!