Personal, learning and thinking skills in ICT key stage 3

The key processes for ICT provide a context for developing pupils' personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS).

Finding information and developing ideas

These key processes promote the skills of independent enquiry, developing in particular young people's abilities to process and evaluate information in their investigations, planning what to do and how to go about it. This enquiry approach also makes a major contribution to developing the skills of a reflective learner, team worker and creative thinker.

Communicating information and evaluating

These key processes are essential elements of ICT. Pupils are encouraged to create information for use by themselves or others in a way that is fit for purpose. They are encouraged to take into account the needs of others and to work with others. This provides major opportunities to develop the skills of team workers, independent enquirers, reflective learners, self-managers and effective participators.

Embedding personal, learning and thinking skills

With thoughtful planning, a range of PLTS can be embedded in any sequence of work in ICT. For example, pupils might be asked to prepare a group presentation on the solution to a problem such as the development of a theme-park ride. This would involve pupils:

• identifying key questions or issues (independent enquirers)
• deciding on a format and approach to the presentation and dividing up roles (team workers, self-managers)
• researching the issues (independent enquirers)
• anticipating objections or questions and taking steps to have answers ready (creative thinkers)
• discussing different ways of presenting the information for maximum effect (team workers, self-managers, creative thinkers)
• taking responsibility for preparing different aspects of the presentation and then giving constructive feedback to others in the group (effective participators, team workers, reflective learners)
• delivering the presentation and answering questions (team workers, creative thinkers)
• evaluating their performance, taking account of feedback from peers and teachers, and setting targets to improve (reflective learners)
• delivering the project or presentation to an agreed timescale (self-managers).

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