Typical desired ICT Knowledge Base for children on leaving St Colmcille’s BNS

• Information: That the children have been enabled to access and retrieve digital information

• Applications: That the children have been enabled to communicate information in digital format. They have been taught a variety of applications and related concepts to enable them to do this (See appended list)

• Software: That the content of the academic curriculum and ICT have been integrated by the use of appropriate software

Computer Scheme Revised 2006

Much has changed in ICT since 1998. This is the suggested direction for 2006 onwards taking our resources into account. Our main resources are:

• High speed internet ( 5 meg downstream)
• Office 2003 – Word, Publisher, PowerPoint etc.- under school licensing agreement
• Hardware – about 90 working computers networked plus printing and file sharing
• Maths Software – Numbershark scheme
• Language Software – Wordshark scheme, Starspell 2001
• Early Language Software – Clicker 4, Storymaker 2, Type To Learn
• Miscellaneous XP compatible Software – Circus 1,2,3, Paint, Infant programmes etc.
• Encarta Encyclopaedia – Junior and Senior
• Projector and whiteboard in computer room

When we look at this it becomes clear that one of our main interests is driving and processing internet usage to access information, as well as presenting, editing and redrafting the information in one or another of the content free software packages above. It doesn’t take the children long to acquire the computer skills to do this, and the particular skills needed are refreshed and revisited every year. But, the real value as always will be the class teacher’s input and direction, because this is the main factor that has relevance to the pupil’s learning. We are leaving behind any overdependence we may have had on software packages which were mostly compatible with early versions of windows. And our increased Internet speed is capable of giving simultaneous windows on all the computers without any delay.

Internet Usage

Internet usage is always supervised. Children may only use the Internet while a teacher is in close proximity. The teacher is always vigilant and aware of the situation. The teacher is generally aware of the current Internet site. All the computers have www.yahooligans.com defaulted as the homepage. This will guarantee safe surfing. For older children www.google.ie is available in the favourites. Google’s safe search is configured for strict filtering. While this is generally safe, it is not foolproof, and teachers should perform a Google search prior to the children undertaking the search in a lesson situation. If children access a place where they plainly should not be, we always explain about Internet safety. Teachers will make their own decision about which pupils are allowed visit which sites. A pupil should ask permission if he wants to type an address into the address bar. The teacher will decide on inspecting a site homepage, if the site is suitable or not, for that particular pupil. One of the sanctions for pupils who wilfully misuse the Internet is withdrawal of access to the Internet for that pupil.

Since our Internet speed has improved, teachers have reported the Internet to be most useful doing the following:

• Enhancing existing lessons from the class Geography Textbook
• Acquiring more information about historical figures
• Gathering extra information about scientific themes – Volcanoes, Solar system, the Human Body etc.
• Younger children collecting images of dinosaurs, bicycles, animals and insects etc.
• Local History information from the school website
• Use of Flash or Shockwave games as a reward bonus for work done

Overview on Skills and Main Content Free Packages

The skills needed to browse effectively are quickly learned from about Senior Infants and on a need to know basis.

• Correct spelling in the Search Engine
• Click on a link and be patient – when the pointer turns into a hand
• Use of back and forward button for navigating
• Use homepage
• Enlarging and reducing image sizes
• Right-click and copy to put image on to clipboard
• Select text and right click and copy to put text on to clipboard
• Use scroll bar or scroll pointers or mouse wheel to move up and down page
• Type correct web addresses
• View – text size- to change font size
• Always be patient
• Encourage the children to read a short paragraph silently and then ask key questions
• Value any information that is found independently
• Organise collected information, prioritise it as the basis for a continued lesson

Microsoft Word

Content-free packages are software packages where we can put our own information, manipulate it, edit it, format it, save and retrieve it. We teach a working amount of technical detail about Word, Publisher and PowerPoint, from Second Class. We revisit the same technical skills every year and the children become very accomplished by Sixth Class. The teacher’s focus is now almost exclusively on the content of the child’s work, on the drafting and redrafting. We teach the following technical details for Word:

• Save, name, retrieve and print a document
• Show, hide and move menu bar, standard bar, formatting bar, draw bar
• Typing: insert and delete words and letters
• Typing: use of backspace and return to alter page spaceTyping: we do not apply any formatting until all text is typed
• Use of spellchecker
• Use of thesaurus
• Use of word count
• Use of all the features on the formatting bar-fonts, font size, etc.
• Use of  the main features on the standard bar, particularly the zoom
• Show and hide headers and footers
• Paste images, float images, resize images
• Insert clipart and word art and other features on drawbar
• Using textboxes and resizing text
• Using multiple pages

Publisher

Many of the skills required for this desk top publishing programme are generic and the children recognise them from Word. The main advantage that Publisher has over Word is that it is designed to layout pages accurately at the discretion of the author. We teach the following technical details for publisher:

• Save, name, retrieve and print a document
• Show, hide and move menu bar, standard bar, formatting bar, draw bar and objects bar
• Page setup – portrait and landscape
• Arrange layout guides – grid guides
• Insert text boxes- apply formatting and resizing of boxes and text
• Insert picture frames – apply formatting and resizing
• Use draw features – lines, ellipses etc.
• Insert clip art – apply formatting
• Paste  pictures from another source – apply formatting
• Insert word art –apply formatting
• Zoom function ( or f9) is used constantly
• Insert page or multiple pages, move between pages
• Paste text from another source –apply formatting
• Typing: all typing is done in textboxes- same protocols as Word

PowerPoint

When the children encounter PowerPoint they are already familiar with many of the generic ideas. They have practised them in Word and Publisher. The advantage of PowerPoint is that it enables the children to produce dynamic slide shows as well as the printing of static slides. With the use of the Internet the children will produce unlimited slide shows in PowerPoint. We teach the following technical details for PowerPoint:

• Toggle between Normal view and Slide Sorter view
• View – Restore Panes or Thumbnails
• Insert – New Slide
• Apply Slide Layout
• Format Slide – paste image from another source
• Format Slide – type, edit, redraft text and format text
• Format Slide – insert text from another source
• Format Slide – insert clipart
• Format Slide – insert word art
• Format Slide – insert drawing features
• In Slide Sorter View – reorder the slides
• In Slide Sorter View – apply transitions
• In Slide Sorter View – apply designs
• Slide Show – play
• File Print – Handouts 2,3,4,6,9 slides to page

Numbershark:

Numbershark contains a full mathematical skills programme from Junior Infants to Sixth. It also has a section on word problems. At every level it offers a selection of games dealing with Counting and Sorting, Numeric Concepts, Arithmetic Concepts, Number Line and Grid, Place Value, Mental Arithmetic and Practice. In total, it has forty one games, but all are not offered at every level. When a level is selected, the child plays the nominated games and his scores and errors are aggregated over the session. Teachers have reported that:

• The scores often reflect their own assessment of the child’s mathematical ability
• Weaker children respond far more enthusiastically to doing maths in this way
• The motivation of the stronger children is greater because they want to achieve higher and higher scores
• The diagnostic design of the programme is particularly suitable for individualised schemes

Before maximum use can be made of the package the children must know:

• How each game works so that they can focus exclusively on  the content
• How to go to the nominated level at the start of the lesson (search f9)
• How to change levels quickly (search f9)
• How to return to the Homepage (esc) and move to a new game
• How to monitor their score, errors, time, speed and options

Before maximum use can be made of the package the Teacher must know:

• How to toggle the help button (f1)
• If needs be, how to log on and off as an administrator – user and password- admin, admin.
• How to print multiple worksheets of a lesson – print sums and options
• How to keep track of any score and games played- Settings and View Games Played
• In addition, Support Teachers will be familiar with the manual and know how to set up an individualised programme of learning

Wordshark

Wordshark offers a phonic or word building programme from Junior Infants to Adults. The specific games are designed to teach and reinforce Word Recognition, Spelling, Sounds and Letter Patterns, Splitting –Up words, Matching and Sequences, Alphabet and Dictionary Work. It has thirty six games, but all are not offered at each level. It offers hints, peeps, prompts and keeps track of scores, errors and general progress. Teachers report:

• Great satisfaction at the standard of games offered
• Difficulty at matching the right levels to the pupils
• Having to have a few levels in operation during a session due to differentiation within a class group
• Great delight among the pupils once the pace of a session is set correctly

Before maximum use can be made of the package the children must know:

• How each game works so that they can focus exclusively on  the content
• How to go to the nominated level at the start of the lesson (search f9)
• How to change levels quickly (search f9)
• How to return to the Homepage (esc) and move to a new game
• How to monitor their score, errors, time, speed and options

Before maximum use can be made of the package the Teacher must know:

• How to toggle the help button (f1)
• If needs be, how to log on and off as an administrator – user and password- admin
• How to print the wordlist for a particular level and do follow-up work
• How to keep track of any score and games played- Settings and View Games Played
• In addition, Support Teachers will be familiar with the manual and know how to set up an individualised programme of learning

Starspell 2001

There is a spoken sentence to give a context for every single word in the program. Other features include Onset and Rime lists, extra games, enhanced list editing and record-keeping. Can print out worksheets for further practice. If you are learning to spell, Starspell 2.3 can help. It will form an invaluable and fulfilling part of a comprehensive approach to spelling. Its learning activities are based on the well-tried Look-Cover-Write-Check approach to spelling, with the advantage that the words are spoken (by a human voice). They are set in a framework which provides for the development of knowledge about sounds and letters.  It draws on the latest ideas about the learning of spelling. A major strength is the set of spelling lists, which impart unique order to English spelling, and provide a graded progression for the learner. You can record your own spelling lists as well. With Starspell 2.3 you will learn:

• Ways to use Starspell 
• The purpose behind each step in the basic Starspell learning activity
• When and why to customise the learning activity
• Why teach spelling?
• Ingredients of a good spelling programme
• The first ingredient: provision for individual learning
• The second ingredient: working along with a writing curriculum
• The third ingredient: balancing approaches
• The fourth ingredient: organisation
• The fifth ingredient: relevance
• About the contents of the lists

There are many reviews available for this programme, but essentially the Teacher needs to match the lists to her class and the pupils have to be able to navigate quickly to the nominated list. Two bonus games are provided as an extra for every list and these are excellent because they include a piece of cloze writing. Multiple worksheets can be printed from any list. There are two main databases of words, approximately 12,000 words in all. The wordlists are available on a separate file, and we may be compiling a spelling book from them.

Storymaker 2

This software can be easily integrated with the language programmes for Senior Infants, First Class and Second Class. We teach the children the required amount of technical detail to operate the many facets of the software, but the Class Teacher must seize the opportunity and impose curriculum content at every turn. For instance, Senior Infants may be able to type labels or single words onto their pages, thus they have to know about the spacebar, backspace, upper and lower case; First Class may be able to progress to sentences, using capital letters and full stops; Second Class could aspire to sequential sentences on different pages, thus providing the narrative for their animations. We must also note that the generic skills learnt at this level are crucial when we progress to Microsoft Software in later classes. We teach the following technical details for Storymaker 2, and we revisit it each year in the above classes:

• Insert a background
• Insert a stamp, move and resize a stamp
• Collect stamps from a particular topic and reposition on the page
• Flip stamps and animate stamps
• Cut stamps, copy and paste stamps, chain stamps
• Switch between edit and play modes
• Apply all the stamp skills to sprites as well
• Insert speech bubble
• Type and edit text in speech bubbles
• Play speech bubbles
• Use spell-check
• Explore sounds database
• Apply a sound to a sprite or stamp
• Create new pages and navigate through the pagesInsert and resize geometric shapes
• Insert an image from another sourceBring stamps to front or rearEnlarge or reduce speech bubblesChange fonts- change font colour-change font backgroundPrint story – with options
• Prepare theme of lesson with children

Navigation

The software can be grouped into

• Ready-made stories. These allow children to read, click and listen as they move from page to page
• Story Starters are provided as a stimulus to get children started and thus build on them to finish the story
• The main emphasis is on story making. Clicking on "create a story" brings children into the "making a story" screen.
  The icons are child-friendly. The toolbar reflects the standard toolbar in " Microsoft Word" The menu bar has only 5 menus - File, Edit, Stamps, Page and Help The "Help" menu is very useful in that there are very good tutorials. It guides the learner in simple step by step instructions. There is a website for story maker offering stories, which can be shared with others giving access to a wider range of stories.

Type to Learn

Twenty two graded typing lessons. Good drill and practice software. Lessons six to twenty two have an extra warpspeed feature where typing speed is measured. This software has value for about 15-20 minutes of any session. Start from Second Class with the correct fingering. Any class can pick up on the lessons at any point. Repeating the lessons has good value.

• New Frontiers: keyboard instruction in a drill format
• Games: keyboarding practice in four game categories
• Notepad: practice using a simple word processor
• Warpspeed: a speed-building exercise.

Type to Learn keeps records and allows you to customize the program for each child. Up to 5 children can have records at any time. Customizing the software includes:

• speed goal in words per minute

• accuracy goal percentage

• size of text on the lesson screen (large, small or mixed)

• vocabulary level (primary or advanced)

Paint

This is a useful programme for all levels. Files can be saved as jpegs, exported and resized into other programmes. Images can be imported from other sources and modified. Many commercial packages in this genre are available but for teaching purposes Paint is just as good and is shipped free with the operating system. We teach the following technical details for Paint, but lesson themes must generally be associated with the child’s ongoing classroom work:

• Use brush with different tips and colours
• Use pencil with different colours
• Clear the page – image-clear image
• Use straight line function – different thicknesses and colour
• Use curved line- different thicknesses and colour
• Use rectangle function
• Use polygon function
• Use ellipse function
• Use of fill can
• Use of spray can
• Use of eraser
• Use of magnifier
• Use of select tool to cut or copy and paste
• Paste image from another source
• Use of View to retrieve lost tool box or colour box
• Save image as Gif or Jpeg only

Clicker 4 or 5

Teachers wishing to use the above software, inform ICT coordinator, who will run sample tutorials with the class.

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