The Creative Partner, Google & KS3 IT
Google sites to engage students
In redesigning the KS3 ICT SoW this year I have had complete freedom to be as innovative as I liked. So I’m trying out all the ideas I’ve had in mind for the last few years, including blogging, Prezi, and now Google Sites.
I’ve also been able to tap into the Creative Partnership ethos thanks to some good connections!
What we are doing, & why its got us excited.
Using Google Sites (via Google Docs account) I have created a simple website which will be the basis for KS3 projects this year, starting with Databases.
The site allows worksheets to be uploaded for student download, images, links and most importantly YouTube videos to be added!!
Using this our students have 24hr access to educationally rich content!
The website will be the access point to allow students to interact with our partner, who will post videos for each lesson challenging the students with ICT questions.
Creative Partnership – the ‘real world link’
We have linked with a partner to help us deliver the content this year. My aim is to get students to respond to real enquiry questions from a real business. Inspiring them to apply ICT solutions to the problem given.
I want students to start valuing ICT as a tool, not simply think of lessons as one worksheet task after another. Or producing something simply because they have to.
The role of the partner
Our partner is a North East based businesses ‘divide and conquer laser combat’ (Paintball without the paint).
Using YouTube videos linked to our website the partner poses questions to our students in order to create the learning opportunity.
For example;
“I need a secure way to keep customer contact details, what would you suggest, and why?”
“Can you design me a system and then create it for me?”
The questions come from someone who the students do not recognise, will not see around school and so can connect to the real world, and so associate the problem with the real world too.
The intention is to teach the ICT skills to students and then allow them to access a series of problems posed by the creative partner.
I’ll post updates as we progress, it’s certainly got us IT teachers excited, its new, different and creative…lets see what happens!
