Curriculum aims
Learning and undertaking activities in information and communication technology
contribute to achievement of the curriculum aims for all young people to
become:
- successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
- confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling
lives
- responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
The importance of ICT
The increasing use of technology in all aspects of society makes confident,
creative and productive use of ICT an essential skill for life. ICT capability
encompasses not only the mastery of technical skills and techniques, but
also the understanding to apply these skills purposefully in learning, everyday
life and employment. ICT capability is fundamental to participation and
engagement in modern society.
ICT can be used to find, use, develop, analyse and present information,
as well as to model situations and solve problems. ICT enables rapid access
to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures,
and allows students to collaborate and exchange information on a wide scale.
ICT acts as a powerful force for change in society and citizens should have
an understanding of the social, ethical, legal and economic implications
of its use, including how to use ICT safely and responsibly. Increased capability
in the use of ICT supports initiative and independent learning, as students
are able to make informed judgements about when
and where to use ICT (IE4 analyse and evaluate information, judging its
relevance and value) to enhance their learning and the quality of
their work.
Key concepts
There are a number of key concepts that underpin the study of ICT. Students
need to understand these concepts in order to deepen and broaden their knowledge,
skills and understanding.
Capability
- Understanding that ICT is a powerful tool, which allows people to manipulate
information efficiently in ways that were previously impossible or time
consuming (IE4 analyse and evaluate information, judging its relevance
and value).
- Recognising issues of risk and safety surrounding the use of ICT.
- Applying ICT across a range of contexts, in other areas of learning,
work and life.
Communication and collaboration
- Exploring the ways that ICT can be used to communicate, collaborate
and share ideas easily on a global scale, allowing people to work together
in new ways and changing the way in which knowledge is created.
Modelling and exploring ideas
- Using ICT to model different scenarios,(IE3
explore issues, events or problems from different perspectives)
allowing people to identify patterns and test hypotheses.
- Solving problems creatively by using ICT to explore ideas and try alternatives.
Impact of technology
- Exploring how ICT changes the way we live
our lives and has significant social, ethical and cultural implications
(IE5 consider the influence of circumstances, beliefs and feelings on
decisions and events).
Critical evaluation
- Recognising that information must not be
taken at face value, but must be analysed and evaluated to take account
of its purpose, author, currency and context (IE4 analyse and evaluate
information, judging its relevance and value).
Key processes
These are the essential skills and processes in ICT that students need
to learn to make progress.
Finding information
Students should be able to:
- analyse systematically the requirements
of a range of problems (IE1 identify questions to answer and problems
to resolve)
- scope the information flow required to develop an ICT-based solution
- select appropriate information from a wide
range of sources, showing discrimination in their choices and questioning
the plausibility and value of information (IE4 analyse and evaluate information,
judging its relevance and value)
- explore, develop and interpret information to produce solutions that
meet user needs (IE3 explore issues, events or problems from different perspectives)
- discuss, critically evaluate and justify
information choices and act on feedback where appropriate (IE6 support
conclusions, using reasoned arguments and evidence).
Developing ideas
Students should be able to:
- develop quality ICT-based solutions to a range of problems for themselves
and others that interface effectively with users
- select and use, with increasing integration and efficiency, the appropriate
ICT tools for a given problem
- independently explore, develop and interpret
increasingly complex ICT-based information to solve problems (IE4 analyse
and evaluate information, judging its relevance and value)
- use ICT safely and effectively
- discuss, critically evaluate and justify the choice of ICT tools and
act on feedback where appropriate.
Communicating information
Students should be able to:
- use a range of information sources and ICT tools effectively to share,
exchange and present information in a variety of contexts
- create solutions that show they have considered
how the information should be interpreted and presented in forms that
suit audience, purpose and content (IE3 explore issues, events or problems
from different perspectives)
- communicate and share information safely, responsibly and securely.
Evaluating
Students should be able to:
- review, modify and evaluate work as it progresses, reflecting critically
and responding to user feedback
- evaluate the effectiveness of their own and others' ICT-based solutions,
using the results to improve the quality of their work and to inform future
work.
Range and content
This section outlines the breadth of the subject on which teachers should
draw when teaching the key concepts and key processes.
The study of ICT should enable pupils to apply their knowledge, skills
and understanding to relevant real-world situations.
This should include:
- use of increasingly complex information in a variety of contexts
- use of a wide range of information sources
- use of a range of ICT tools including a range of software applications
to meet the needs of the user and solve problems
- review the effectiveness of ICT tools to meet the needs of the user
in order to inform future judgements
- a range of ICT-based solutions
- use of ICT to manage work and learning
- developing an understanding of the need for:
- safe working practices in order to minimise physical stress
- keeping information secure
- managing information storage and access, including working with
files with files and folders to organise, store and retrieve information,
enabling efficient information retrieval
- the danger of computer viruses and how to minimise the risk
- the impact of ICT on individuals, communities
and society, considering the social, economic, legal and ethical implications
of access to, and use of, ICT. (IE3 explore issues, events or problems
from different perspectives)
Curriculum opportunities
During the key stage students should be offered the following opportunities
that are integral to their learning and enhance their engagement with the
concepts, processes and content of the subject.
The curriculum should provide opportunities for students to:
- make choices about when and where it is appropriate to exploit technology
to support them in other areas of work and everyday life, and be independent,
discriminating and reflective when doing so
- work creatively and collaboratively, taking different roles in teams
- apply ICT to real-world situations when solving increasingly demanding
problems
- use ICT to enhance their learning and the quality of their work in a
variety of contexts
- use initiative to find out about and exploit the potential of more advanced
or new ICT tools and information sources
- use ICT in contexts drawn from other subjects and areas of learning
that are relevant and interesting to students.
