Kincraig Primary School and Children’s Centre ICT Policy March 2012
I.T: Short for Information Technology and pronounced as separate letters, meaning the broad process of managing and processing information. We use the word I.T to mean the equipment we use to pass on information or to be creative with technology. I.C.T: Short for Information Communications Technology, meaning the study using technology to process information or communication. E-Learning The delivery of a learning, training or education program by electronic means. E-learning involves the use of a computer or electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) in some way to provide training, educational or learning material. (Derek Stockley 2003) E-learning can involve a greater variety of equipment than online training or education, for as the name implies, "online" involves using the Internet or an Intranet. CD-ROM and DVD can be used to provide learning materials. Distance education provided the base for elearning's development. E-learning can be "on demand". It overcomes timing, attendance and travel Virtual Learning Environment (V.L.E): is a software system designed to support teaching and learning in an educational setting, as distinct from a Managed Learning Environment (MLE) where the focus is on management. A VLE will normally work over the Internet and provide a collection of tools such as those for assessment (particularly of types that can be marked automatically, such as multiple choice), communication, uploading of content, return of students' work, peer assessment, administration of student groups, collecting and organizing student grades, questionnaires, tracking tools, etc. New features in these systems include wikis, blogs, RSS and 3D virtual learning spaces. Our chosen VLE is ‘Fronter’ Blogs/Blogging is a personal journal/weblog published on the World Wide Web
consisting of entries ‘posts’. Kincraig has hosted a blog since September 2011. www.kincraigblogs.net Vision ICT for learning: * Teaching and applying skills learnt to everyday tasks/experiences * Promoting social interaction and collaborative working * Supporting inclusive and innovative approaches to learning * Allow all learners to access personalised learning at any time and anyplace * Using a range of devices * Providing access to high quality learning materials * Providing a safe environment, preventing access to unsuitable material, and inappropriate use of systems * Providing a flexible/creative working environment in which to develop their skills * Offer opportunities to try new things and nurture talents and gifts * Enable parents to develop their own skills in order to support their children’s learning * Enable children to produce and submit work electronically and in media that supports their learning style * Equipping children with the skills to report inappropriate use of digital resources and conduct themselves safely online ICT for teaching should; * Ensure staff are motivated and skilled in the use of ICT * Enable a culture of continuous development of ICT skills * Enable staff to access a wide range or multimedia, digital and online resources * Allow staff to be creative, innovative and daring in their teaching style * provide a flexible, ICT rich environment which allows staff to teach in a variety of ways * support work planning, monitoring and assessment reduce workload and enable staff to develop a more positive work/life balance ICT for management should; * Be secure and integrated with student and curriculum recording systems
* Allow for efficient administrative and financial systems including electronic filing, cashless financial transactions within school * Provide access to achievement and target setting data for individuals * Support communication with parents about students’ attendance, behaviour and attainment and achievements * Enable the secure transfer of data with other schools, local authorities and children’s services * Be accessible to all who need it including school governors
Implementation of the policy Progression, continuity and the teaching of the appropriate skills, attitudes and knowledge has been established through the adoption of a cross curricular, skills based ICT curriculum. QCA schemes of Work for ICT are used only as a reference and for support with skills that are not being achieved adequately through the thematic cross-curricular approach. Children’s experiences of ICT incorporate: word processing for a variety of purposes; using communications packages; data handling; using I.T to support the acquisition of basic skills in Numeracy and Literacy; use of programmable toys and household devices such as tape recorders; opportunities to work independently and co-operatively; use of IT based models and simulations; animation; digital video and photography; creating/recording digital art; creating/recording music. Specific skills and experiences to be taught in each year group are detailed predominantly in the skills matrix. The Skills Matrix is a progressive set of skills, broken down from the National Curriculum levels for ICT. These skills are challenging and set high expectations in each year group. Computer use is carefully managed so that all pupils are given equal access opportunities. The emphasis on our teaching with ICT is on the use of technology as tools to support and enhance learning. E-safety and acceptable use is constantly reinforced, relevant to specific year group. We use resources, videos, activities and modified lesson plans from the ‘thinkuknow’ website funded by CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) Social and cross-curricular outcomes.
By the use of communications technology children will be encouraged to develop their understanding of and empathy with children from other parts of the world. Some uses of ICT are designed to enhance co-operative group work and develop problem- solving strategies. Creative ICT involves groups of children in lively and collaborative discussion. ICT is a means for developing group work, autonomy and confidence and encouraging the consideration of the limitations of the process, and reflection on work.
Monitoring and Assessment Methods for monitoring children’s progress and continuity All teachers plan for the use of ICT in their classrooms. The ICT coordinator will monitor half-termly, cross curricular plans, which are drawn up by individual teachers and feedback to the Headteacher, governors and the teachers. The ICT co-ordinator will: Take the lead in policy development and the integration of ICT into schemes of work designed to ensure progression and continuity in pupil’s experience of ICT throughout the school; Support colleagues in their implementation of those schemes of work and in assessment and record keeping activities; Monitor children’s progress in ICT and advise the headteacher on action needed. Take responsibility for the purchase and organisation of central resources for ICT; Provide technical support to colleagues in their use of ICT in the classroom and pass on information to colleagues as appropriate. Assessment and recording of pupils’ progress Formative assessment is used to guide the progress of individual pupils in their use of ICT. It involves identifying each child’s progress, determining what each child has learned and what, therefore, should be the next stage in his/her learning. Agreed methods of record keeping Within the Foundation Stage children are assessed against the relevant objectives in the ‘Foundation Stage Profile’. ICT is used in free play and children are encouraged to use digital cameras, Smartboards, computers and laptops. Children have a range of equipment, which demonstrates the use of technology in the world around them.
Security and Safety Security of systems Staff are aware of the data protection rules concerning ICT and will reminded off these annually. School systems are marked with the school name with Smart water DNA. All classrooms are alarmed. All Hardware and software information are included on an electronic inventory, listing serial numbers, cost and warranty information Master copies and licenses are kept by the school bursar, copies are kept with the ICT co- ordinator/technician. All passwords are kept in a central place within school and with the ICT coordinator. Teachers are insured to take home computers at any time providing they are not left overnight in a car or otherwise outside their place of residence. Children’s personal details are not taken off site without prior permission of the Headteacher. Images of children are deleted from staff laptops on departure from the class. Images of children may be kept centrally for the use in assessment, evidence and on the website for as long as is necessary for its purpose. Community use of hardware will be on prior arrangement with the Headteacher and all participants will need to sign a copy of the acceptable use policy. Access to the schools shared network will be prohibited.
Antivirus Software It is the policy of the school to have antivirus capability using F-secure on all windows Pc’s. Staff laptops also have F-secure enabled for use at home. This is monitored and updated by the technician as part of his job description.
Internet safety policy. The school has acknowledged the need to ensure that all pupils are responsible and safe users of the Internet. An internet access policy has thus been drawn up to protect all parties and rules for responsible internet use will be displayed next to each computer with Internet access.
E-Safety: Children are constantly reminded of the rules for acceptable use and staff are encouraged to use resources made available online through the ‘Think u know’ website. Any child who deliberately misuses equipment or acts in a way that causes offence, must be reported to the ICT co-ordinator and logged in the misuse file available in the ICT Room. Any reports of bullying using I.T, whether within school or externally must be reported and logged.
Health and Safety
Reference should be made to the school’s health and safety policy. Specific issues related to ICT should be documented.
Data Protection Data/images used in school are used in accordance with the data protection act 1998 Data is kept fairly and lawfully, processed for limited purposes, adequate, relevant and not excessive, accurate, not kept longer than necessary, secure, not transferred to other countries and processed in accordance with data’s subject’s rites.
Acceptable Internet Use Statement Acceptable Internet Use Statement For Staff, Students/Parents and Community The computer system is owned by the school and is made available to students to further their education and to staff to enhance their professional activities including teaching, research, administration and management. the school’s Internet Access Policy has been drawn up to protect all parties -–the students, the staff, and the school. The school reserves the right to examine or delete any files that may be held on its computer system or to monitor any Internet sites visited. All Internet activity should be appropriate to staff professional activity or the student’s education. Access should only be made through the authorised account and password, which should not be made available to any other person; Activity that threatens the integrity of the school ICT systems, or activity that attacks or corrupts other systems, is forbidden; Users are responsible for all e-mail sent and for contacts made that may result in e-mail being received; Use for personal financial gain, gambling, political purposes or advertising is forbidden; As e-mail can be forwarded or inadvertently be sent to the wrong person, the same professional levels of language and content should be applied as for letters or other media; Use of the network to access inappropriate materials such as pornographic, racist or offensive material is forbidden.