Module Summary

Summarise your own significant learning from this module. Identify its implications for your future role as an English or IT subject leader. Make links to any relevant readings.

Within today's culture more and more information and ideas are being presented in non-print forms (Dean, 2010) and throughout this module it has been presented that the National Curriculum does not currently offer much educational material for information that is presented in the media. Personally this creates an implication for my future practice. As an ICT subject leader I believe it is vital to present children information in a variety of ways so that they can fully acknowledge the information that will be available to them at all times when they become an adult.

I have come to learn that it is true that what it means to be literate today is not the same as what was considered being literate 50 years ago. Consequently, the way in which we teach children how to become literate has to be altered in order to cater for these advances. Now, after completing this module, I believe I can define being digitally literate as meaning not only to learn how to read from a book but, as Dean (2010) suggests, as also means having the ability to; be able to understand all elements of a text so images and print; be aware of the way light, movement and colour is deployed in film; and to have the skills in which to argue whether a source is reliable or not when researched online. In order to create digitally literate children, the way in which we implement ICT lessons needs to change. 

I have also allowed myself to consider that through well thought out and planned use of technologies within my classroom it will lead to improved attainment for all the children within the class. Studies have found that with small inserts of ICT use in the classroom, knowledge and understanding has increased and the potential for better class behavior and class management (Higgins, 2012). Therefore, within my own classroom the use of technology could even be used as part of the reward system. 

Finally this semester has improved my abilities to see the positive and the negatives of using ICT within the primary classroom. I have always been fairly positive with its use as I believe its advancing the children's learning to where it needs to be for the future. However, as my knowledge throughout this semester has developed I now understand that there may be some cases where using ICT in the classroom would alter its effectiveness for the worse. For example, for a child who uses a lot of ICT tools when they are at home, would it then be best for them to use it for every lesson within one day at school? This module has allowed me to approach the topic of using technologies sensibly and has improved my ability to outweigh where I can see potentials with its use and when sometimes it may be seen as an add-on to the lesson. These module sessions have been invaluable to my ever growing knowledge of ICT and I will continue to use a reflective approach as my ICT specialist knowledge continues to develop.


Bibliography:

Dean, G. 'Rethinking Literacy' in Bazalgette, C. (ed) (2010) Teaching Media in Primary Classrooms London: Sage

Higgins, S. et al Impact of Digital Technologies on Learning Durham