ICT+and+Literacy

Following is an animation i have created on movie maker which could be done with children in Key Stage One. the learning objective is ' To be able to retell the story of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle, using multi media software e.g. Windows Movie Maker'

media type="youtube" key="rKuYQZIYBwg" height="291" width="391" align="center"
 * __Steps to make my Movie__**:
 * 1) I sequenced all the main events,
 * 2) I made all the props needed,
 * 3) I took snapshots of each movement made by the caterpillar in the story,
 * 4) I uploaded the images onto the computer and then onto movie maker,
 * 5) I edited the time frame for each picture and inserted transitions,
 * 6) I recorded myself retelling the story
 * 7) I uploaded my sound recording onto movie maker
 * 8) I added it to the movie timeline
 * 9) Publish the movie
 * 10) I have created a film!!!! :)

The growth and development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) has been a powerful drive in the rapid and irreversible change in primary classrooms (John & Wheeler, 2008). Today’s students live in a technological environment, and to be able to function well in this society, they need to learn how to use the technology around them (Heide & Henderson, 1994). No longer is there an emphasise on good handwriting skills in school, but rather on children being computer literate (Rudd & Tyldesley, 2006). To enable children to be computer literate, the ‘UK has launched a series of initiatives, such as Harnessing Technology: Transforming Learning, aimed at improving education through widespread implementation and use of digital technologies’ (John & Wheeler, 2008, p.6)
 * Why use ICT in literacy?**

The National Curriculum (DfEE, 1999) says that ICT prepares pupils to participate in a rapidly changing world. Some may questions the time spent on developing children’s ICT skills for the technology used today, when they may be irrelevant by the time the child reaches age of employment. Meadows & Leask (2000) argue that learning with ICT in the primary classroom helps children to develop a set of transferable skills, such as problem solving and communication, which can be useful in the future (p.1). Heide & Henderson (1994) support the belief that using technology can help students become better problem solvers. I will now discuss more advantages and disadvantages of using ICT in the classroom.

My chosen resource focuses on how the use of multimedia software in literacy can enhance learning. The primary learning objective for the unit of work planned was for children to be able to retell the story of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle, using multi media software, such as Windows Movie Maker. Frequently used activities to meet this learning objective often involve lots of writing. These activities can be problematic for young children, especially boys, as writing can be seen as a tedious task and therefore children become disinterested (Maynard & Lowe, 1999). As multimedia software can integrate skills such as speaking and writing, children can apply and develop these skills in a more exciting way, therefore developing a more positive attitude towards learning in literacy (QCA, 1999). The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (2003) also believe that ICT can motivate and stimulate children’s interest and enjoyment in literacy. The unit of work plans for opportunities for the children to make props, sequence events, put images together to create an animation and upload audio clips to add special effects of verbally retell the story. Rudd & Tyldesley (2006) believe that these activities are enormously motivating for children as they are applying the traditional skills of storytelling in a new medium. Once children have learnt the necessary ICT skills to use such software, they may prefer to use ICT as a means of communicating, rather than physically writing more often. This may be because it is more engaging and motivating for them, or because they are organising and presenting their ideas in a fashion, in which they commonly receive information (Heide & Henderson, 1994). Gamble & Easingwood (2000) support this and state ‘the grammars of television may be more familiar for a child or simply preferred stylistically. It would be hard for us then to deny digital video as a choice of means of expression, and thus learning’ (p.43).

The unit of work also incorporates the skills of editing and improving their work. This is initialised through self assessment. Hall & Burke (2004) believe that self assessment allows children to gain control over their own learning and also helps them identify what they need to do in order to meet the success criteria. From experience in schools, children often fear that editing and improving their work involves rewriting what they have done this then lead to a loss in engagement in the editing process. However, Barker, Franklin & Meadows (2000) have found that ICT can show children a more positive approach to drafting and editing. Movie Maker is very simple to use when editing, which allows the children to focus on developing their movie, rather than the tool itself.

The children will be working in mixed ability groups for the majority of this unit of work. Collaborative learning can enhance knowledge acquisition and when coupled with the use of digital technology, it can aid in the generation of creative thought processes through the active exchange of ideas (Wheeler, Waite & Bromfield, 2002; Gokhale, 1995).

Despite the advantages of using multimedia software to enhance learning in literacy, there are many disadvantages. These include; teacher’s attitudes towards ICT, the cost of equipment, the time needed to prepare and make a movie; and the amount of adult support required when working with young children. BECTA (2004) found that teachers often lack in confidence when using ICT as they have limited experience of using them. Therefore, teachers who are less confident may not use the ICT resources to their full potential and may misconceive the benefits of using such technology (BECTA, 2004). In regards to the time required to prepare and make a movie, I have experienced on a previous school placement how making resources and loading images can be more time consuming than originally planned. To overcome this issue when working with younger children, some resources could be already prepared for the children to customise and use. Fortunately, Windows Movie Maker is a free piece of software to make movies, however digital cameras can be expensive when needed in a large quantity. As the children in this unit of work will be working in groups, only six digital cameras are needed, and therefore this is not an issue for this unit of work.

Teachers should not be deterred from using ICT in the classroom because of these disadvantages, as children need to acquire and develop the transferable skills that can be learnt through consistent use of ICT. Molyneaux (2003) predicts that the majority of new jobs created in the next few years will be based predominantly or exclusively on the use of the computer. John & Wheeler (2008) believe that children who learn to harness technology effectively will be best prepared to meet the challenges in the future.


 * __Bibliography__**


 * Barker, R., Franklin, G. and Meadows, J. (2000) “Reading and Writing with ICT” in Leask, M. and Meadows, J. //Teaching and Learning with ICT in the Primary School// London: Routledge Falmer
 * BECTA (2004) //A Review of the Literature on the Barriers to the Up-Take of ICT by Teachers//. London: BECTA
 * British Educational Communications and Technology Agencies. (2003) //What the research says about ICT and Motivation.// Coventry: BECTA
 * DfEE. (1999) //The National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 & 2//. London: DfEE
 * Gamble, N. and Easingwood, N. (2000) //ICT and Literacy//. London: Continuum
 * Gokhale, A. (1995) ‘Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking’ in Journal of Technology Education, **7**, (1), pp.53-60
 * Hall, K. and Burke, W. (2004) //Making Formative Assessment Work: Effective Practice in the Primary Classroom.// Berkshire: Open University Press
 * Heide, A. and Henderson, D. (1994) //The Technological Classroom//. Canada: Trifolium Books Inc
 * John, P. and Wheeler, S. (2008) //The Digital Classroom, Harnessing Technology for the Future.// Oxon: Routledge
 * Leask, M. and Meadows, J. (2000) //Teaching and Learning with ICT in the Primary School.// London: Routledge Falmer
 * Maynard, T. and Lowe, K. (1999) 'Boys and writing in the primary school' in Education 3-13, **27**, (2), pp.4 - 9
 * Molyneaux, S. (2003) //Keynote Speech to the// //Plymouth// //E-Learning Conference//. Plymouth: University of Plymouth
 * QCA (1999) ‘ICT in English’ [] (accessed 20.05.10)
 * Rudd, A. and Tyldesley, A. (2006) //Literacy and ICT in the Primary School//. London: David Fulton Publishers
 * Wheeler, S., Waite, S. and Bromfield, C. (2002) ‘Promoting creative thinking through the use of ICT’ in Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, **180**, (3), pp.367-378