Context Importance

As I scroll through other EDC3100 Student blog posts thinking about the use of ICT during my practical experience, I come across Miss Hinton's Blog about the importance of the context in deciding how ICTs can be used to enhance student learning. This is further confirmed by a component in Assessment 3 that requires us to consider our context, describe it and plan for our potential use of ICT during our practical experience.

So for this post, I will consider how the context of my professional experience has impacted on ICT integration...

Relevant contextual factors.

• Class of 27 students with limited prior knowledge of computers
• 1 class computer with internet connection, not entirely reliable
• 1 teacher laptop with LAN cable connection to internet
• OHP connection available to teacher laptop
• class camera
• 5 Ipads able to be borrowed from library (shared between all classes at school).
• No wireless connection to internet in classroom
• Week 1 - NAPLAN
• Week 2 and 3 available for ICT integration lessons
• Curriculum focus on science in week 2 and history in week 2 and 3. C2C content descriptors and assessment criteria sheet
• Reading comprehension, handwriting and mental maths sessions are to be maintained in usual timetabled slots. 
• Friday - testing day
• CD stereo player
• Unit structure - block teaching

Fortunately, ICT integration was able to be achieved in the History unit. Difficulty with access for individual students to the computer with internet so most research had to be done as a whole class activity via OHP. Using the internet and OHP for displaying pictures and powerpoint presentations reduced printing costs for assessment task and enabled access of information and resources to all students. Pictures could also be presented in colour which would not have been practical or possible with photocopies.

Small group work in developing and consolidating maths concepts were achieved with Ipads. Content focus was place value and money. This worked very well and student learning was successful. 

Time constraints due to teaching unit blocks, NAPLAN and reports due made integration opportunities limited. 

Class camera was used for behaviour management. An effective tool to monitor student behaviour for personal accountability and reflection to "own their behaviour".

Overall, integrating ICT was challenging due to the lack of ICT resources, structure of block units, and the limited time. Using ICT to gather primary and secondary information for History was essential and quite effective as whole class activity as student prior knowledge and ability was limited.