ICT Resources as Classroom Learning Tools

Information and communication Technology (ICT) can enhance students learning

experiences (Miles, 2015). The Western Australian Curriculum identifies a set of general

capabilities that teachers must embed in their content (SCSA, 2014b). Within the learning

area of science students must also learn to use ICT appropriately and effectively to access,

create and communicate information, solve problems and work collaboratively (SCSA,

2014b). The Melbourne Declaration identified that the 21st century is a rapidly changing

technological environment. Students need to be able to effectively utilise ICT tools to ensure

they can adapt as technology evolves (SCSA, 2014a).

For students to learn they need to be engaged in the content (Corso, Bundick, Quaglia,

& Haywood, 2013). The lessons aim to be motivating, challenging as well as enhance

student’s collaborative skills and critical thinking. A youtube clip is shown in lesson one

(week 3, lesson 1) to provide educational content. The video displays the content in an

interesting manner increasing student engagement. It also assists in catering for visual and

auditory learners. The use of padlet and the classroom blog gives students to collaborate,

share and learn from each other. A kahoot was selected for the beginning of lesson two (week

4, lesson 1) to engage the students and test their content understanding to date. This is

followed by an interactive scootle activity giving the students an opportunity to construct,

create and demonstrate their own level of understand of the complexities of food webs. This

is the reason lesson three (week 5, lesson 1) commences with an introduced species youtube

clip with a catchy tune. Picktochart has been chosen as an accessible and easy to use

application to create a poster on the student’s laptops. This tool gives the students an

interesting and alternative method of demonstrating understanding.

 Lesson planning focused firstly on the Western Australian curriculum then on

potential ICT tools. This was to ensure learning objective were met. The students learning

opportunities would be negatively impacted if these ICT components were removed.

References:
Corso, M., Bundick, M., Quaglia, R., & Haywood, D. (2013). Where student, teacher, and content
meet: Student engagement in the secondary school classroom. American Secondary
Education, 41(3), 50.
Miles, M. (2015). Brilliant ideas for using ICT in the classroom. Educational Psychology in Practice,
31(3), 328-329. doi:10.1080/02667363.2015.1029255
SCSA. (2014a). Information and communication technology (ICT) capability. General Capabilities
Retrieved from https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/teaching/general-capabilities-
over/information-and-communication-technology-ict-capability/introduction
SCSA. (2014b). Science - v8. Western australian curriculum Retrieved from
https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/teaching/curriculum-browser/science-v8