[Yr7-10it] VELS and ICT - An Attempt to Model an Ideal Working Relationship

[Andrew Grimshaw]

Really liked the model and concept map keith - an excellent summary of where 
ICT needs to go

There are some major challenges to the effective implementation of the "with 
ICT" part of the model though:

1. Inertia of non-ICT staff. I have found that general staff do not feel 
motivated to learn any new ICT skills until there is a clear and pressing 
need for them to do so. The general "i need to improve my ICT skills so that 
i am a more effective teacher on the odd occassion that i take them to the 
PC lab" is not motivation enough for teachers that already have large 
demands on their time

2. insufficient time allowance for ICT teachers to PD other staff and 
oversee the use of ICT in other curriculum areas - we are not superhuman and 
there are limits to what we can achieve in a given time-frame

what it comes down to then is convincing our administrators, both at school 
and departmental level, that they should commit time and money to ICT. we 
have the skills to implement the model we just need the resources

i have to say also that i do not feel that ICT has been "relegated" to a 
cross-curricular strand.

I think we need to turn this concept on its head and argue instead that ICT 
is now recognised as being a critical component of every learning area, that 
ICT skills are now recognised to be equally important as literacy and 
numeracy. Hence it is important that students learn "about ICT", (especially 
in yrs 7 and 8) so that they have the base to use ICT in other areas - "with 
ICT"

well thats my turn on the soapbox, thx for listening,
                                                                             
    andrew grimshaw



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Keith Richardson" <keithcr at fastmail.fm>
To: "List IS" <is at edulists.com.au>; "List Multi-Media" 
<vet-mm at edulists.com.au>; "List Tech" <tech at edulists.com.au>; "ListYr7-10it" 
<yr7-10it at edulists.com.au>; "List IP&M" <ipm at edulists.com.au>; "List Moodle" 
<moodle at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 7:03 AM
Subject: [Yr7-10it] VELS and ICT - An Attempt to Model an Ideal Working 
Relationship


> Last night I had a dream. And in that dream I saw how we might avert the
> demise of our beloved area of study - ICT.
> Death by VELS - feared by some, ignored by many - is a stark reminder
> that we must remain vigilant and be prepared to act when necessary.
> Here is my attempt to 'see' a possible future in which both can survive
> - VELS and ICT.
> I await your response.
> Keith.
> Keith Richardson
> Leibler Yavneh College
> Elsternwick Ph (03)9528 4911
> keithcr at fastmail.fm
>
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