Shirley Warren, Week 1

The use of technology and media in the local Primary school both surprised and challenged me. The school had fantastic opportunities for learning and integrated ICT across the curriculum (Beauchamp, 2012). As children are growing up in a digital culture, it is important that ICT is used across the curriculum, rather than as an added extra onto topics (Simpson & Toyn, 2012). It was clear that ICT was a main part of the children’s school day, which was fantastic to see. This meant children were gaining the most from the opportunities provided, from technology such as iPads and, most impressively, a professional radio station.

The apps that were presented to us were fantastic and I was impressed with the potential that they posses. The opportunities they provide highlight how ICT can be used across the curriculum. The app I particularly liked was ‘I Can Animate’ as it was so simple to use, yet it produced effective results.

My previous school experiences did not use ICT to it’s fullest potential and the most modern technology used was an interactive whiteboard. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when the significance of ICT was highlighted throughout the school. The children are introduced to technology from Reception, which is fantastic as it reveals how the school is aware that pupils need to be prepared to live in the future digital world (Blake, Winsor & Allen, 2012).

My biggest challenge will be teaching children how to use an app that I have only used for a small period of time. I do not feel confident with the apps that will be used during our sessions so I believe it’ll be difficult to teach children how to use it. The children that we will be undertaking our project with are already familiar with the iPads so we shouldn’t have to teach them the basic functions of the iPad, which means we can focus on the content of the videos and using specific apps.

Another challenge will be working efficiently with the children as we have been given a short period of time to produce high quality work with children we do not have professional relationships with. Therefore, a part of our time will be spent forming a professional relationship with the children and assessing how familiar they are with the iPads.

Questions that have been raised are:

-      Do the children feel confident with the basic functions of the iPad?

-      Have the children used the specific ‘digital literacy’ apps before?

-      How will the children feel using our ideas, rather than their own?

Beauchamp, G (2012) ICT in the Primary School, From Pedagogy to Practice. Oxon: Routledge

Blake, S. Winsor, D. & Allen, L (2012) Technology and Young Children: Bridging the Communication-Generation Gap. Hershey: Information Science Reference

Simpson, D and Toyn, M (2012) Primary ICT Across the Curriculum. London: Learning Matters