Week 1 - An Introduction to ICT

The arrival of Web 2.0 has brought with it a new generation of "up-loaders" and "writers" , and a definite shift from finding information on the internet to creating your own information on the internet and sharing it with the on-line "social community".

So how does this translate into Primary Schools?

Technology in the primary classroom seems the way forward and with it brings endless possibilities. But is this at the expense of real-life experiences? Would we be depriving children of key reading and writing skills through the use of ICT?

Well the answer is no.

ICT should be used as a tool for enhancing a child's learning and not as a replacement for traditional methods of reading and writing - both should run parallel to each other. As children become more technologically savvy, it makes sense to bring their technological expertise into the classroom and use this as a springboard for learning.

Click on the link below to see how children at The Downs CE school in Kent, have used podcasting to invent and inspire, but are still learning every step of the way!

 http://www.downs.kent.sch.uk/podcast/?pid=10&type=podcast title=The+Downs+FM+%28Podcast%29


With new opportunities come potential hazards and so the issue of e-safety needs to be addressed. Serious concerns can arise through the use of the internet including: cyber bullying, identity theft and interception of passwords. There are many web-sites that tackle this issue well and outline key safety points that children/ parents and teachers need to be aware of.

KidSmart outlines 5 key issues concerning e-safety:

http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/beingsmart/