• ICT and Cross Curriculum
• ICT and Equity & Disadvantage
• ICT and Learning Areas
• ICT and Levels of Schooling
• ICT and School Change
• ICT and the Role of Teachers/Leaders

The ICT research website contains research material on ICT initiatives relevant to the Australian school sector.

Technology Integration Made Easy

Technology and Enterprise Teacher Resources

Knowledge Network Explorer: Technology

Creating Web Based Lessons

What can Information and Communication Technologies accomplish?
(Using Learning Technologies to Improve Student Learning, Technology Schools Project, Education Department of Western Australia, 1996, p 2 - 13)

Information and Communication Technologies add new dimensions to student learning. They can be used to:

• Bring the world to the classroom. Students may be introduced to people, places, and ideas that would otherwise be inaccessible.
• Enable students to learn by doing. The effects are particularly noticeable among students who are not high achievers under more conventional methods.
• Encourage students and parents with limited or no English skills to learn English, by engaging them in interactive learning.
• Make parents partners in their children’s education by connecting the school with homes.
• Make it possible for teachers to teach at more than one location simultaneously, expanding educational opportunities for students in remote areas.
• Enable teachers to accommodate the varied learning styles and paces of learning within the classroom.
• Encourage students to become lifelong learners, who can access, analyse, and synthesise information from a variety of sources.
• Facilitate student proficiency in the use of information technology and telecommunications.

Information and Communication Technologies offer new ways of representing complex concepts, enable students to manipulate abstract entitles — hands on, and can provide concrete interactive experiences to aid the development of abstract concepts.

Information technology is a tool to be used selectively in classrooms, focusing on teaching and learning interactions that are likely to improve students’ understanding and personal productivity, or to stimulate their enthusiasm for learning. With good teaching and learning as the primary goal, these Information and Communication Technologies can be used to make a distinct contribution — for example, as a routine tool for students to gather, analyse and present information, or as a means to present dynamic visual images of key ideas.

Information and Communication Technologies are becoming an integral way in which post-school learning is undertaken. It is important that students are provided with opportunities in school in order to develop skills for lifelong learning.

Many schools are making transition from conducting discrete information technology studies classes to developing students’ IT competencies in the context of using computers as tools for learning in a range of learning areas. This transition is enabling these schools to reallocate their learning technology resources to facilitate routine access to IT in each learning area.

Teachers need to understand what teaching methodologies, curriculum structures, software, hardware and peripherals have been found to have maximum effect on improving student understanding in each learning area.

Reviews and links to current research, case studies and journal articles dealing with the impact of technology on teaching and learning in the school environment, are located on the Education Department of Western Australia’s World-Wide Web site. This information can be accessed in the Technology and Teaching and Learning — Professional Resources section of the site at the following Internet address.

http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/cmis/eval/index.htm

This information is updated regularly by Curriculum Materials Information Services (CMIS).

In the Technology and Enterprise learning area, students use the information technologies (IT) of computing, telecommunications and digital electronics. Through the application of appropriate information technologies, students design, adapt and modify products, processes, systems, services and environments using information, materials and systems.

Students develop an understanding of the capacities of information technologies and the necessary operational, manipulative and organisational skills for the effective and efficient use of an extensive range of information technologies.

When working within the information strand, students use information technologies to select, organise, manage, manipulate, transmit, present and evaluate information when developing information products and processes that achieve particular effects and meaning. Students assess the impact of information technologies on individuals, societies and environments, considering the issues related to privacy, quality, accuracy, bias and presentation.

When working within the materials stand, students use information technologies to design and manufacture with materials, control stocks and equipment, manage and cost resources, market products and processes and evaluate performance using mathematical models and simulations.

When working with systems, students use appropriate information technologies to design, adapt, use, control and monitor a range of systems.

The Technology and Enterprise Learning Area provides extensive scope for integrating information technology into all learning activities. This may include datalogging, Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Manufacture, programming, computer control, the use of scanners, digital cameras and graphic tablets. In addition a variety of software tools may be used, including packages for word processing, desktop publishing, slideshow or presentations, image manipulation, multimedia authoring, web publishing, file transfer and personal information management. Spreadsheet, accounting, database, video editing and graphics packages may also be extensively utilised.

When accessing information, the students use CE-ROM encyclopedias, library searches, the Internet and videos. Learning packages applicable for use in Technology and Enterprise involve computer simulation, computer modeling, multimedia or combinations of these methods.

In Technology and Enterprise activities students are required to communicate at a local or global level using a wide range of medium. Consequently, students are involved in the use of current communication technologies such a s electronic mail, or teleconferencing. The accessibility and ease of use of communication technologies supports collaborative projects which offer students the opportunity to interact with other students from all over the world. Learning about information and the use of information technology enables students to function efficiently and effectively in an information society.

In Science, datalogging (using sophisticated software which enables a computer, and other interactive peripherals, to be used to log and manipulate data from experiments in the laboratory) can allow teachers to reduce the focus on lower order skills such as repetitive measurement and graphing. Datalogging can capture data in forms that are accessible and easy to interpret. In addition, it can facilitate the development of higher order processes of analysis and interpretation, and allow greater integration of knowledge. Graphics calculator technology provides increased opportunity and flexibility in this area.

Electronic spreadsheets can be used to eliminate the drudgery of repeated testing or calculation, while affording opportunities to investigate variables and ‘what if’ questions, and allowing students to readily process results. Spreadsheet software, which is tailored to the needs of students, also exists. This software steps the user through the analysis of data in a more intuitive way.

Computer simulation software can allow students to conduct hypothetical experiments, investigate breaking the laws of nature, and rerun experiments to explore ideas and theories.

CD-ROM software provides a wide variety of resource information relating to specific scientific topics. Similarly, the Internet provides access to a variety of information sources for students to assist them in researching and learning about scientific topics. The Internet also provides science teachers with useful resources and enables them to share ideas and experiences with other teachers via discussion groups and be downloading from the web teaching ideas and resources. Electronic mail is another tool that enables students and teachers to exchange information regarding special projects.

IN English, word processing can allow students to shape their thoughts and ideas more flexibly than with pen and paper, making effective writing practices easier. Benefits witnessed have included improvements in students’ attitudes and skills in writing, students taking more risks and being more experimental in their writing.

Interaction writing packages can help support composition of text by providing models and frameworks.

The use of computer-mediated communication enables collaborative writing with students around the world, offering greater scope for student-centred activities. Students have opportunities to display their writing, correspond with people in other places and interact with people about issues.

The Internet provides new opportunities for students to read more widely, to develop information retrieval and evaluation skills and explore relationships between ways text and image can be combined to enhance communication. It provides students with opportunities to develop critical literacy skills through the evaluation of sites and information. The medium of hypertext provides students with a useful tool enabling them to explore different forms of argument and narrative. Desktop publishing allows students to experiment with, and learn about, the role of visual representation and writing.

Concept keyboards provide scaffolds for younger writers allowing them to focus the creation rather than the mechanics of writing.

CD-ROMS provide new ways of exploring text.

Interactive reading packages can help support student understanding of text through opportunities to read text in different ways, via multi-sensory text manipulation and self-directed activities.

In Mathematics, the use of calculators has been shown to facilitate improved student learning and attitudes to mathematics. Graphics calculators are actually small computers that increase students’ access to many key mathematical and scientific concepts. Used effectively, they can enrich problem solving and investigative strategies and enrich the learning of Mathematics.

Electronic spreadsheets can be used to eliminate the drudgery of repetitive calculations and allow students to readily process and present these graphically. Interactive computer software allows students to manipulate data to produce graphs, and simulate situations in ways that are impossible with pen and paper. Students can access databases and/or add to these facts and figures.

Computer software tools also add to the effectiveness of learning in mathematics. Graphing, statistical and algebraic manipulation applications provide tools that help students focus on mathematical concepts separately from algorithmic skills. They enable students to address mathematical problems at a higher level with greater efficiency.

The Society and Environment learning area is likely to profit immensely from new Information and Communication Technologies in the quest to relate classroom studies to the real world. There is a great demand from teachers and students to deal with up-to-date data on societies, as well as make real connections to other cultures.

Thus, Society and Environment teachers and students are intimately involved in investigations encompassing interviews, surveys and fieldwork research. They design suitable methods for collecting, organizing and gathering information and then record this data in a variety of ways using symbols, graphs, maps, diagrams, tables, statistics and models. The collected information is translated and interpreted into a form suitable for communication to a variety of audiences. As part of this information interpretation and presentation, tables may be constructed, information databases created, or a report written. In all of these processes, new Information and Communication Technologies are useful and of great importance in bringing this learning area alive.

Many teachers are basing co-operative learning strategies upon Internet access and facilitating group jig-sawing approaches. The Internet offers current information on an enormous range of relevant Society and Environment contexts and is an important tool in teaching critical literacy. CD-ROMs and databases are commonly utilized as sources of information. Flight simulations over parts of Australia and the local DOLA Panairama CD-ROM package of Western Australian aerial photographs are examples of exciting developments in this area.

Creative use of software is becoming increasingly attractive to Society and Environment classrooms. Consequently, a variety of packages for Web page editing, survey creation and hypertext presentation, are eagerly sought by many schools. Digital cameras, with appropriate image manipulation software, have enormously wide-ranging applications in this learning area, and enable classes to capture fieldwork information for later processing and presentation.

Networking - email, video and audio-conferencing via the Internet and the World-Wide Web provide great potential for Society and Environment teaching and learning. Students are able to communicate with other students and access a range of media (e.g. newspapers) in other countries and cultures. International, interstate, and intrastate classroom networking projects require these technologies in order to be effective. The Globe environmental project, Warnbro Senior High School’s Environmental Summit linking six continents, and the Western Australian Ribbons of Blue Water monitoring program, are examples of projects currently using networking media and linked computers, facilitating sharing of research results by schools.

In all of the Arts forms, students may use the Internet to access a range of opportunities, galleries, companies and festivals as providers of information, for interactive involvement and the sharing of artistic ideas.

In Music, software offers students the benefit of individualized instruction, with realistic musical examples provided in context. Students can receive instantaneous feedback, while data on student performance can be stored for teacher monitoring. Musical instrument digital interfaces (MIDI) provide computer-based music production tools. These tools assist students to develop prerequisite skills such as reading music and playing an instrument for music composition. Students without these skills can also use them. Such approaches foster students’ capacity to ‘think musically’.

In Drama and Dance, software programs offer students opportunities for three-dimensional modeling of movement, sets, lighting effects and costumes.

In Visual Arts, digital painting, object manipulation and rendering tools are available in a range of software packages which can help students explore various techniques and develop their designs.

In Media, software programs offer students opportunities for editing video, exploring multimedia and using digital imaging.

Students also use technology for desktop publishing of catalogues, programs and scripts. They use word processing in scripting, reflective and critical writing. In managing the Arts, database and spreadsheet software are also used.

In all of the Arts, students are able to present their work through digital visuals, sound and three-dimensional (3D) graphics.

Multimedia computers are excellent resources for LOTE learning and teaching enhancing communication and socio-cultural understandings.

The Internet provides an extensive valuable resource of authentic material and current information on all aspects of culture and language for LOTE teachers and students. Sound and video files bring the LOTE country, culture and language to the classroom making the LOTE alive and relevant for students in a way that has not been possible before.

The use of e-mail enables students to communicate directly and at a personal level with students from other schools in WA, Australia and overseas. This can encourage students to direct their own learning and to find out information that caters for their own needs and interests.

Computer-based activities such as tutorials, and dedicated software with their ability to evaluate and respond to learner input, provide a motivating source for practicing particular aspects of the LOTE. Authoring software can increase the range of group and collaborative work providing students with a greater variety in the range of activities they encounter in LOTE learning.

Computer resources such as multimedia material offer a quick, easy and flexible access to authentic language from a variety of real life contexts that can be used as models for learning. The learning benefits for students can be further increased because any part of the language performance can be isolated and replayed.

The use of telematics in Western Australian schools has enabled students in remote areas to access quality LOTE programs and improved equity in provision of curriculum.

In Health and Physical Education, spreadsheets and databases are used to assist analysis.

Students can use software to create reports which record and monitor fitness. Other software interfaces to electronic heart monitors can be used to present the results as graphs. Software is also used to organize and run sports carnivals.

The Internet is also used for collaborative planning and research among schools. Many health-related topics are covered from varying viewpoints. The ability to evaluate information from conflicting points of view develops discernment and judgments skills.

In Health and Physical Education, videos are used to demonstrate correct technique, tactics, strategies and position play. They are also used as triggers in Health Education role play situations and used as work samples to assist teachers to make common judgments when monitoring student performance.

Video movement analysis is often used to refine and analyse technique in skill activities in physical education, drill and outdoor education contexts.