Catholic Education Office
Catholic Education Network
Integrating ICT into School Curriculum
Introduction
The Catholic Education Office is keen to assist schools with their integration of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) into the school curriculum.
An ICT Integration Rubric has been developed that identifies a number of focus areas within the school which impact on the integration of ICT into the curriculum. The purpose of this Rubric is to assist schools in identifying what further steps can be taken to improve their level of ICT integration. A description of the Rubric is attached.
Download the ICT School Rubric
Curriculum Framework Outcomes underpinning the Rubric
Several of the Overarching Learning Outcomes defined in the Curriculum Framework underpin the Descriptors in this Rubric. The Descriptors which make up the Rubric are not specific to any learning area. They represent the skills and knowledge that students could be expected to acquire and apply across all learning areas into which ICT was being integrated.
Overarching Learning Outcome 3
Students recognise when and what information is needed, locate and obtain it from a range of sources and evaluate, use and share it with others.
The world which students today will be required to embrace is accurately referred to as the Information Age. Students must therefore be given the skills to know where appropriate knowledge can be obtained and the most efficient and effective means to obtain it. Further, they need to be taught skills to enable them to make their own value judgements on the quality of this information, it’s relevance, bias and accuracy.
Students select, use and adapt technologies.
As the level of ICT maturity increases in the school, students should develop competencies not just in proficient use of a variety of hardware and software technologies, but in their ability to combine technologies in creative and innovative ways to solve real world problems.
Students understand and appreciate the physical, biological and technical world and have the knowledge, skills, values to make decisions in relation to it.
Students must develop sound knowledge and understanding of the technology that exists today. They must also be given the skills to be able adapt to rapidly changing technologies and make appropriate value judgements on the effects that technology has in their workplace and community.
Overarching Learning Outcome 12
Students are self-motivated and confident in their approach to learning and are able to work individually and collaboratively.
The integration of ICT into the curriculum should emphasise the importance of working in collaboration with colleagues. The ability to not only work cooperatively from a social perspective, but to take advantage of the large pool of skills and knowledge that becomes available within a group environment, is a fundamental skill which should feature prominently in a school’s ICT curriculum plan for its students.
Explanation of ICT Integration Rubric:
Bands:
Each Band represents a stage of ICT integration achieved for each Focus Area. Band 1 typically represents schools with a basic level of technology infrastructure in the school, preparing to undertake the task of integrating their technology into the school’s curriculum. At the other end of the spectrum, a school in Band 5 could expect to have a well supported high speed infrastructure network coupled with a fully implemented ICT integration Plan, delivering seamless integration of ICT into the school curriculum.
Focus Areas:
Focus Areas are areas that impact on the success of integration strategies within the school. Focus Areas include Leadership Team support for teachers, Teacher access to technology resources, ICT learning environments and collaborative community participation, among others.
Descriptors:
Each Focus Area has one or more Descriptors associated with it, covering Band 1 to Band 5. Each Descriptor represents a milestone, level or stage of development in that particular Focus Area that a typical school in the associated Band would have attained.
Interpreting the Rubric:
A school may find itself in Band 1 for one particular Focus Area and in Band 3 in another Focus Area. The school may decide that the level of ICT integration represented by Band 3 is satisfactory and in line with the school’s ICT implementation policy. In the Focus Area which falls into Band 1, the school can look at the ICT Integration Rubric and make a decision as to whether to meet the Band 2 descriptors as part of their ongoing integration strategy and if so, set a timeline to achieve this goal.
This Rubric is not intended to pigeon-hole schools in specific Bands (indeed, different Focus Areas in the school may fall into several different Bands). The Rubric is intended to assist schools in identifying areas where improvements can be made and give the school a baseline from which to track progress. By referring to this Rubric at regular intervals, both CEO and schools can gauge whether implementation strategies are effective.
Please note that ICT has been adopted by CEO as the preferred terminology to represent hardware and software technologies within schools. It will replace the term LT (Learning Technologies).
BANDS |
ICT BAND 1 |
ICT BAND 2 |
ICT BAND 3 |
ICT BAND 4 |
ICT BAND 5 |
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Description of Bands |
Schools in BAND 1 would be expected to have a basic computer infrastructure in place. While a basic understanding of the technology exists among students and staff, a school direction is yet to be determined to begin integrating the technology into the curriculum. Any such direction is hampered by limited support for the technology within the school and the level of expertise of teachers in incorporating the technology into lessons and lesson planning. |
Schools in BAND 2 have a basic computer network in place, enabling digital content to be available to all computers on the network. ICT resources are more readily available to most students. The school is beginning to investigate possible ways of introducing ICT into the classroom. Teachers are exploring the use of digital content from both technology devices and the internet for use in learning tasks. Efforts are being made to ensure the network is reliable and maintained. |
Schools in BAND 3 have a well defined ICT strategy for implementing ICT into the curriculum. Resources are provided to give staff access to sufficient PD to give them the knowledge and confidence to incorporate ICT into learning tasks. Technical support for the network infrastructure is competent and readily available, providing teachers and students with reliable access to a variety of digital resources. |
Schools in BAND 4 are utilising the internet to a significant extent. The on-going implementation of the school’s ICT strategy expands the school campus beyond its physical boundaries, enabling community input by parents, teachers and other students outside the school. A secure school website enables parents to monitor their child’s progress. Teachers can access the school network remotely. |
Schools in BAND 5 can expect to have a fully supported, fully integrated, high speed network. Some form of Learning Management System is in place that manages students’ e-learning. Teachers encourage student-centred learning. Both technical support and ICT integration support is provided to teachers. The school web portal allows secure access to the school network by teachers and students remote to the school. |
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Potential educational outcomes associated with the school’s level of technology integration. |
Technology infrastructure exists within the school that has the potential to provide students with access to basic technology skills. |
A structured approach to implementing ICT integration strategies enable to teachers to begin incorporating digital content and technology into the curriculum. |
Greater teacher confidence in technology results in its increased use across learning areas. Student learning tasks begin to incorporate elements of ICT. |
Collaborative and creative skills are encouraged among students as integration of ICT into curriculum provides students with access to new ways of learning and communicating. |
The seamless integration of ICT into school curriculum changes the teaching paradigm. Learning becomes student-centric, collaborative and group-focussed. |
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Access to Technology |
Determines the underlying technology infrastructure and services that currently exist in the school to support ICT integration into the curriculum. |
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Ratio of Students to Computers in school |
More than 10 students per computer |
Between 5 and 10 students per computer |
5 or less students per computer |
Students have individual access to a computer |
Students have access to a computing platform both at home and at school. |
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Technical Support — Time to Problem Resolution |
Can take weeks, if resolved at all |
Takes several days |
Takes place next day |
Takes place same day |
Technical Support available as and when required |
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Number of computers on curriculum network connected to Internet |
At least 20% |
At least 40% |
At least 60% |
At least 80% |
All Curriculum computers are connected to the internet |
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Number of computers on Admin network connected to Internet |
At least 20% |
At least 40% |
At least 60% |
At least 80% |
All Admin computers are connected to the internet |
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School Internet bandwidth |
56Kb modem dial-up access |
Permanently active 56kbit modem connection |
ISDN (minimum 64kbit) connection |
Broadband (256Kbit or better) ADSL/Satellite/cable modem connection |
Scalable broadband optic fibre link into school |
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Availability of ICT hardware for classroom use |
Computers, printers |
Scanners, CD ROM burners, printers (inkjet/laser) |
Scanners, CD ROM burners, printers (inkjet/laser), digital still cameras, data projectors |
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Reliability/speed of Internet connection in classrooms |
No internet access to computers in classroom. Access restricted to computer labs and/or library |
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High speed Internet service is transparent to students and teachers, functioning simply as another research and teaching tool |
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Student access to Internet/ school network |
Limited access to internet Restricted to computer laboratory classes and/or library |
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Students can remotely access the school internet outside school hours |
The school web portal enables students to access school internet and intranet resources from home or on campus seamlessly |
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School Network Infrastructure |
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