The only allowance made for the face-to-face development of IT skills is on the 1 Day Computer Literacy Refresher and Access to Educator Resources Course. The course title may turn out to be a misnomer since it offers seats according to the capacity of the computer room at the school. It is unlikely that all the educators who will attend will have had previous experience of the computer. It is therefore unlikely to be a refresher course.
Recommendation: It is recommended that the reference to "refresher course" be removed since this implies that educators will not be actively involved with ICT in the period between courses and will need to revisit some ICT skills. This is not a sound principle on which to build a development programme. SchoolNet should make extensive ICT skills reference materials available in the tip sheet style. These should be available in electronic format, with a searchable index. Users should have the option of printing hard copies. The reference materials should cover all the main applications catering for an intermediate user level, as shown below. These reference resources should be supplemented by templates of commonly used documents such as mark book, exam papers etc. along with other ideas on how to use the applications to support existing teaching practice. Current trainers who are not necessarily educators could conduct the training for the 9 ICT skills modules with minimal additional training. Guidelines for including educational context should be provided. |
Operating System Using the mouse |
Word processing Working with a basic document |
| Spreadsheets Working in a spreadsheet
|
Databases Create a database |
| Presentation Software Drawing toolbar |
Graphics Graphic formats Understanding addresses |
| Creating Web Pages Working with a basic document |
World Wide Web Navigating
|
Summary of Recommended ICT Skills Training Resources Development:
| Course / Resource | Source |
Electronic / Print References: |
Interim recommendations: |
Windows Operating System |
ITrain open licence materials |
Word Processor (MS Word) |
Adapt from online freeware materials |
Spreadsheet (MS Excel) |
Expand from core training CD and online freeware material |
Database (MS Access) |
Expand Northern Province-OSF notes |
Graphics |
Adapt from ThinkQuest SA coaching materials |
Presentation (MS Powerpoint) |
Adapt from online freeware materials |
E Mail (Pegasus Mail) |
ITrain open licence materials |
World Wide Web (Internet Explorer 5) |
Core training CD (ex-Telkom) |
Web Page Writing (MS Front Page / Netscape Communicator) |
ThinkQuest SA coaching materials |
Contexts of use and training in ICT skills should always include the needs and interests of educators as they learn in the adult learning style. Examples of such context are
SchoolNet should be open to approaches made by commercial training institutions that are prepared to supply training while adopting this style of learning.
Recommendation The 1 Day Computer Literacy course (see Appendix A) should be regarded as an induction course and should focus on:
This course should not be regarded as a pre-requisite for attendance to subsequent courses. It is therefore necessary to duplicate the proceedings of this course in print and electronic form, so that any educator who wishes to follow a development path with ICT may have the benefit of the same introduction. Educators should have options available concerning the provision of ongoing ICT skills support and training, as their needs require. Provincial Schools' Networks could provide this kind of training as part of their service and product, but the educators' context must be used. Educators should always be trained in the adult learning mode, with emphasis on developing basic materials that support their existing teaching practice and administrative needs. The tip sheet references should only be consulted on a just-in-time basis and should not be regarded as a curriculum in any way. A technical (ICT skills) help desk be established for a period of at least one year following the commencement of a project. Certification options for educators developing ICT skills with educational context should be pursued by SchoolNet, in preference to non-contextual training of ICT skills according to the Unit Standards for End User Computing, which mostly cater for level 2 and 3 of the NQF. SchoolNet should endeavour to provide the educational context for certified ICT applications-based training options in co-operation with nationally recognised tertiary and ICT training institution/s. |
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