Sat May 18 2013


Cross-Curricular teaching: Introducing ICTAC

ICTAC (Information Communication Technology Across the Curriculum) has existed for many years at Holmemead, but became an explicit Cross-Curricular area with our new teaching and learning structure, which is committed to providing pupils with the skills they need across the board for life rather than focusing narrowly on subjects. ICTAC is now made up of explicit ICT lessons (every pupil has two lessons of ICT a week) and the use of ICT (SMART boards, digital cameras, video cameras, signage displays etc.) across every subject in the school. Every teacher at Holmemead is expected to be a teacher of ICT within their specialist area and help to develop the skills for life required of our pupils as they learn.

Within ICT lessons, pupils will progress from more familiar skills and programs (Microsoft Office, typing) in Year 5 to independent project work using a wide range of familiar and unfamiliar programs in a variety of contexts, to meet the needs of any given audience, by the end of Year 8. There are key skills which pupils will work on throughout their time at Holmemead, such as: pupils are encouraged to develop their ability to touch type and increase their typing speed; evaluating websites and searching the Internet efficiently; ensuring that their presentation is of a high standard and meets the needs of their target audience.

This year ICT is being delivered as two different subjects. In Year 5 and Year 6 pupils will have one lesson of Digital Literacy each week and one lesson of Computer Studies. In Year 7 and 8 pupils will have two lessons of Computer Studies with additional Digital Literacy being covered within other subject areas across the Academy. Digital Literacy covers basic office based programs (Word processing, Desktop Publishing, Spreadsheets) and the ability to use E-mail and the Internet, it should prepare pupils for the demands of future learning and careers at a simple level. Computer Studies covers areas such as Sound and Video Editing, Programming, Game-making and Graphics; students are expected to show independence and the ability to manage their own time with more project based learning.

The ICT teams this year will be:
 

Digital Literacy Computer Studies
Mr Axell Miss Barton
Miss Chiuchiolo Miss Chiuchiolo
Mr Davis Mr Hall
Mr Hall Mrs Layton
Miss Overhill Miss Sugg
Miss Smith  


If you wish to know any more about how ICTAC is used and being developed then please feel free to contact Miss Sugg, Leader of ICTAC. If you wish to have a more in-depth look at our plan for the year, please look at our Year Plan for both subjects for all years that they are taught in. (This may be amended as the year progresses so check back for updates)