ICT

The Course

The Subject Application part of the ICT GTP Course is continually revised and updated in order to respond to feedback from trainees and mentors and to take account of ongoing government initiatives and legislation. It has been planned to include a range of experiences that will allow trainees to develop the knowledge, skills, understanding and awareness to become good ICT teachers. There are three elements that contribute to this: the Subject Application course; the generic Professional Studies course and the two school placements. Making coherent links between these three elements is essential if trainees are to exploit the course to its full potential and make the most of their development opportunities over the course of the year.

Course Aims

The overall aim of the ICT component of the PGCE course is to foster the development of professional skills, knowledge and attitudes needed by teachers of ICT in order to engage, stimulate and promote pupils' learning.

Trainees will consolidate their subject knowledge, considering further its intrinsic features from the perspectives of classroom teaching and learning. Through discussion with the practicing teachers leading the course, trainees will develop an awareness and understanding of the influence particular aspects of their subject will have on work with pupils in the classroom. By the end of the year trainees will have acquired the ability to see and interpret educational situations in new ways and have gained a growing awareness of their capabilities and potential as teachers, working both individually and in groups.

Course Objectives

The ICT Subject Application course will at all stages, reinforce the overall aims of the course. In particular, the ICT component will enable trainee teachers to:

• develop an appreciation of the place and role of ICT within the 11 - 16 curriculum and at post-16
• gain a deeper insight into the nature of ICT and the different forms of geographic activity
• to develop an understanding of a range of ‘assessment for learning' strategies
• to gain and appreciation of the links between the ‘Every Child Matters' agenda and their work as classroom teachers of ICT
• become familiar with the statutory curricula, frameworks and initiatives relevant to ICT for Key Stages 3 and 4
• gain an understanding of the ways pupils learn and develop a variety of teaching approaches that will support all pupils in achieving their potential
• be confident and enthusiastic in communicating the subject to pupils of all abilities throughout the secondary age range
• consider and apply an appropriate and effective range of teaching and learning strategies to both the attainment targets and programmes of study in ICT
• plan, prepare and put into operation appropriate units of work and lesson plans and be able to analyse and evaluate these in the light of experience
• prepare pupils at all levels for assessment at Key Stages 3 and 4 and where appropriate post-16 qualifications
• become confident and competent to engage in the professional role and responsibilities of a ICT teacher

Each half term throughout the course, trainees will revisit their subject audit (originally completed at interview) to re-evaluate their own personal knowledge of ICT in order to identify any gaps or areas of weakness in their ‘subject Knowledge for teaching'. They will work with their mentor to develop their own set of targets and implement an action plan to remedy these during the course. Subject Leaders and our Quality Assurance team will monitor and support progress throughout the year.

Teaching and Learning strategies

The subject application sessions involve a mixture of tutor-led presentations, trainee discussions and presentations and focused activities integrated into a workshop-style format. Sessions will include pre-session reading and investigation and research in school. Discussion, reflection and comparison of experience are also seen as an important element in the taught sessions.

Trainees are expected to discuss and reflect upon their work and that of other teachers through the mentoring process.

The North Bedfordshire SCITT Consortium believes that a spirit of intellectual enquiry should match the practical competence of teachers, focusing on how to stimulate and support effective and worthwhile learning of all pupils. A balance of these attributes is essential for proficiency in the classroom.

ICT Content

During the course trainees will become acquainted with the content and nature of the ICT curriculum 11 - 18 and will develop a language to describe the teaching and learning of ICT Relevant literature such as the National Curriculum, OFSTED Reports, and the National Strategies will provide a framework to describe ICT, the variety of activities, outcomes of related activities and ways of promoting ICT in the classroom. A wide range of exemplar resources and methods will be used so that trainee teachers experience different approaches, reflect on their experiences and consider the implications for the classroom. Specific aspects of classroom organisation and management of the National Curriculum and the National Strategies will be introduced. The appropriate use of ICT in teaching and learning ICT will be addressed throughout the course. Sessions will involve trainees in discussions, presentations of work and practical activities. Each session is supported by relevant subject reading.