KS2 software to teach ICT

[chrbb]

Anyone know of a similar package to ICT Alive? Looking for software for the teaching and learning of ICT. Anyone use one in their school?

 

Thanks!

[PiqueABoo]

This probably isn't helpful but the difficulty is that ICT is a perhaps justifiably dirty acronym now tainted by association with stuff the DfE apparently wants disappeared (use a kiddy spreadsheet, use a kiddy word processor, use a kiddy database, use a this, use a that). I think the idea is to have kids understanding some of the principles technology is based on... the basic science... a bit of binary (geddit?)... what an algorithm is etc. Or something like that. T'other 1/2 is a KS2 teacher and recently told me her school is buying in to a new teaching 'framework' put together by county I[C]T curriculum folk so I'll likely know more soon.

 

Bottom line: I'm no expert, but right now I think you need to be careful what you spend money on in this area because it could turn out to be depreciated.

[chrbb]

This probably isn't helpful but the difficulty is that ICT is a perhaps justifiably dirty acronym now tainted by association with stuff the DfE apparently wants disappeared (use a kiddy spreadsheet, use a kiddy word processor, use a kiddy database, use a this, use a that). I think the idea is to have kids understanding some of the principles technology is based on... the basic science... a bit of binary (geddit?)... what an algorithm is etc. Or something like that. T'other 1/2 is a KS2 teacher and recently told me her school is buying in to a new teaching 'framework' put together by county I[C]T curriculum folk so I'll likely know more soon.

 

Bottom line: I'm no expert, but right now I think you need to be careful what you spend money on in this area because it could turn out to be depreciated.

 

Any chance you can PM me with details of the framework?

[PiqueABoo]

I'll likely get the one-step removed gist of what they're doing at that school by-and-by, but I don't have and I'm not likely to get hold of details - it's a brave new world where the work that county puts into these kind of things cost schools money. I know the reason that school are getting external help is essentially because they know ICT is supposed to change and kids must not get bored doing office type apps, but haven't got a clue how or the time to get one themselves. I think the reason they don't know is because AFAICT you can do anything provided it's the right kind of anything.. something that hasn't been well-defined by the DfE.. it's all going to take shape in a collaborative 'open source' way, or fairies will leave notes about it under your pillow, or something.

 

Finger on the pulse GD might be some help at this point.

Edited February 23, 2012 by PiqueABoo