Futurekids & St Mary's Boys (Booterstown) Review

The Experience of FUTUREKIDS Involvement in the Delivery of  ICT Curriculum and Staff Development in St. Mary’s B.N.S., Booterstown, Co. Dublin in the period 2005-2007.

by

Robert B. O’Connor
B.Ed, B.A, H.D.E., M.St.
Principal

Contents

  • Background

  • Introduction

  • Rationale

  • Experience

  • Summary

Background

In June 2005, St. Mary’s B.N.S. opted for the scaffolded curriculum "Real Journeys in Technology" and ancillary junior syllabi offered by FUTUREKIDS which was planned to begin in the 2005-2006 academic year.  A small boys school, catering for 214 from Junior Infants to Sixth Class, St. Mary’s had begun a programme of investment in ICT infrastructure in 1998 culminating in the full networking of the school in July/August 2004. School Staff had taken part in ICT in-service programmes, and were anxious to provide a structured, age-appropriate, and sequenced school-wide programme in ICT skills that would be similar to that offered in the ECDL programme. It was felt that the school teaching staff neither had the time nor the skills to design and develop such an intergrated programme that would offer the same opportunities to all pupils in the designated classes, irrespective of the skills of the classroom teacher. The school had already implemented several content-rich computer programs that complimented and re-inforced the content of the Revised Curriculum in English and Mathematics. At primary level, teachers deal with an increasingly complex and intensive syllabus timetable; therefore there was need to access a programme that would allow pupils develop ICT skills, whilst at the same time facilitate the delivery of aspects of the curriculum. Following extensive research on other options, a proposal was made that this FUTUREKIDS programme  be introduced to the school,  funded by contributions from Parents’ Association fundraising which was approved by the Board of Management.

Introduction

From the outset, it was seen from the FUTUREKIDS pre-prepared syllabi that the programme should not be simply a skills-based programme, but that it would offer opportunities to develop cross-curricular links that were in line with National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) guidelines, so as to remove the hitherto remote associations between ICT and curriculum exploration and delivery. The core objectives of the NCTE’s  ICT in Schools Programme are to ensure that:

  • all pupils have the opportunity to achieve computer literacy and to equip themselves for participation in the information society

  • teachers are supported to develop and renew their professional skills, so as to enable them to utilise ICTs as part of the learning environment.

The school, building on the tenets of the The Schools IT 2000,  sought to source and implement an ICT skills programme so that  that every pupil in St. Mary’s  had the opportunity to achieve computer and Internet literacy and be equipped for full participation in the information society.  In this, the school had had three main strategies for achieving its objectives:

  • Development of a technology infrastructure: through the provision of multimedia computers, ancillary digital resources,  networking  and Internet access to the ICT room and to all classrooms

  • Development of a skills infrastructure: through the selection of a syllabus provider that would involve delivery of in-house  training to St. Mary’s  teachers in the use of ICT.

  • Development of a support infrastructure: the selection of a syllabus provider who could give advice, support and guidance to the school, supporting ICT-led innovation in teaching and learning, provision of curricular resources and information

Following extensive discussions with FUTUREKIDS representative, Mr. Gerry McCarthy, it was decided that FUTUREKIDS provided for the comprehensive elements required. FUTUREKIDS would adequately scaffold the delivery of a sequenced and age-appropriate syllabus, whilst at the same time facilitate the delivery of a flexible ICT curriculum in-service delivery that would meet the school’s staff development requirements in terms of ICT.

Rationale

Information and Communications Technology has become a part of everyday life for most people. Technology is increasing in relevance in people’s lives and it is a given that this trend will continue, to the extent that technological literacy will become a functional requirement for people’s work, social, and personal lives. The creative use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education has the capacity to increase the quality of people’s lives by enhancing teaching and learning. Since the introduction of the Primary School Curriculum in 1999 there have been significant developments in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education. Support for the use of ICT by the Department of Education and Science, coupled with extensive fundraising, planning and investment by schools has resulted in increased availability of ICT, as well as increased opportunities for teacher professional development regarding the use of ICT for teaching and learning. In this context, individual teachers have wished to exploit the potential of ICT to complement their own teaching practices, and to extend their children’s learning. However, teacher skills insecurity and the ability of schools to scaffold the delivery of an integrated syllabus have proved to be stumbling blocks. This is despite the fact that the Primary School Curriculum promotes the use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum. The Introduction to the Primary School Curriculum states:
Technological skills are increasingly important for advancement in education,
work, and leisure. The curriculum integrates ICT into the teaching and learning process and provides children with opportunities to use modern technology to enhance their learning in all subjects
Primary School Curriculum, 1999, p. 29

Teachers in St. Mary’s agree that The Primary School Curriculum presents a vision of education, which is expressed in three general aims:

• to enable the child to live a full life as a child, and to realise his or her potential as a
  unique individual
• to enable the child to develop as a social being through living and cooperating with
  others and so contribute to the good of society
• to prepare the child for further education and lifelong learning.

 

To support children’s ongoing realisation of their potential as individuals and as members of society, St. Mary’s staff agreed to incorporate a range of teaching and learning resources into teaching methods. Guided by the needs of the individual child, the philosophy and content of the curriculum, and the use of tools and resources that can enhance the child’s learning, the teachers design learning experiences that support the broadly stated aims of the Primary School Curriculum. St. Mary’s staff saw in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) a vehicle that offered teachers and children educational tools and resources which extend their learning environment. When used to support the aims, principles and objectives of the Primary School Curriculum, these technology tools have the potential to augment and transform classroom learning and teaching.

In the FUTUREKIDS syllabus, the staff felt they had a vehicle whereby they could deliver on the specific aims for ICT use in the primary school including a means
• to enable the child to use a range of ICT tools in a relevant curriculum context
• to enable the child to develop and use ICT skills in learning
• to develop child’s confidence in the use of ICT,in  enjoyable learning experiences
• to develop the child’s understanding and practice of the safe use of ICT
• to enable the child to overcome barriers of access to learning resources
• to enable the child to use ICT to support his or her learning effectively and creatively
• to inform the child’s attitudes regarding the role of ICT in society
• to develop of the child’s skills through cooperative learning and problem-solving.

In addition, FUTUREKIDS provided a vehicle for on the job staff inservice whereby co-operatively pupils and teachers together in a sequenced, structured and purposeful way would:

  • Learn about ICT: teachers and children develop skills and knowledge in the potential uses of ICT to support learning.

  • Learn with ICT: teachers and children use ICT resources to support the classroom curriculum.

  • Learn through ICT: teachers and children use ICT to transform the process of teaching and learning, learning in new ways.

Experience

In the experience of St. Mary’s B.N.S. the FUTUREKIDS programme delivered on its mandate:

  • Futurekids offers a complete syllabus that helps St. Mary’s ensure a high return on ICT investment.

  • St. Mary’s has received a significant professional development programme

  • St. Mary’s now has an evolving and responsive ICT syllabus enabling teachers to receive technology training and then use the curriculum to transfer similar knowledge and skill to pupils.

  • Pupils experience more active and confident learning environment, and therefore achieve greater ICT skill development

  • St. Mary’s teachers are motivated by the developing relationship with an instructor that offer long-term mentoring and support and the ability to train on equipment in their own school.

In the experience of St. Mary’s staff, pupils have had an opportunity to experience a syllabus in which teachers have confidence, that is scaffolded sequentially, and that delivers on a broad range of topics and skills. Real Journeys in Technology delivers in an age-appropriate and skill-appropriate way on 500 learning objectives in ten key technology areas. The student and teacher workbooks were particularly welcome in that they provide a full-year's curriculum containing thirty-five interactive project-based adventure-themed lessons. In the experience of St. Mary’s teaching staff over the last two years, Real Journeys in Technology promoted active student learning in the following technology areas:

  • Operating Environments

  • Databases

  • Wordprocessing

  • Spreadsheets

  • Graphics

  • Internet

  • Multimedia

  • Programming

  • Desktop Publishing

  • Applied Technology

Real Journeys in Technology was presented pre-loaded on the school’s PC's and utilised software as such as Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, Print Artist Gold, and Storybook Weaver Deluxe for pupils  from Junior Infants to Third Class. Teachers in all class levels feel equally supported and feel that the differentiated syllabi meet their needs. Microsoft Office suite supported its delivery from Fourth Class to Sixth Class. Staff found that the fact that each classroom kit contained a comprehensive Teacher Guide, Student Workbooks and a CD-ROM containing electronic templates, samples, and handouts most useful.
In addition, the programme supports the notion that conceptual development is more of a cyclical than a linear process for the child and through it children receive regular  opportunities to revisit concepts, information and skills that have already been acquired.
Pupils are given opportunities to use drawing and paint software to create and edit designs and patterns. Older pupils have multimedia handling exposure whereby they can using digital cameras and digital video on field trips to capture data for project work, and for active engagement in the wider environment. Pupils in Senior Classes have been empowered to deliver sophisticated and fun multi-media presentations.

Research skills have also been enhanced. Skills developed using the programme have allowed pupils and teachers to extend the range of the classroom environment classroom. It has promoted skills that allow for the opportunity to select learning experiences that begin with each child’s knowledge and experience, but that are not limited by the walls of the classroom, or school grounds. Increasingly sophisticated use of multimedia tools like video equipment enabled children to record their own learning projects, and disseminate them to a wider audience both at home and abroad. Pupils use of informational websites have provided pupils with additional learning resources and the skills to manage the information thus accessed. Increased awareness of  together with a more skilled use of communication technologies such as e-mail and DVD offered children opportunities to exchange information about their own local environment with others.

Additionally and importantly, pupils developed ICT skills and attitudes that were transferable. After two years exposure to the programme, senior class pupils in particular demonstrated abilities to apply the skills that they had acquired to new situations.

Many opportunities were offered for pupils to work together on projects, to peer problem-solve, and to develop and hone higher-order thinking and problem solving skills. Different learning styles were also accommodated by the ability of pupils and teachers to access appropriate visual materials, whilst allowing for individual differences.

Summary

In conclusion, St. Mary’s is very positive about its FUTUREKIDS experience. Through this syllabus, the school has been able to deliver on both its pupil ICT skill enhancement and teacher ICT skill development goals in a positive atmosphere, with the minimum of stress and disruption.
Through its exposure to FUTUREKIDS, the school has been enabled to facilitate the integration of ICT in the Primary School Curriculum in a way that enhancing teaching and learning. Additionally, the school has found that the syllabus objectives are compatible with thoselearning objectives found in the Revised Primary School Curriculum. In our experience, the programme is also an enabling one in that it enhances the role of every class teacher, not just ‘specialists’ in planning, supporting, and delivering children’s learning with ICT. The contribution of Mr. Gerry McCarthy (FUTUREKIDS) and the quality of the FUTUREKIDS print and ICT materials have been central to the delivery of this goal.
In conclusion, it has copperfastened amongst both pupils and staff the notion of the importance of ICT literacy as a tool and a skill for lifelong learning.