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Technology is an integral part of all
young children’s environment and world. They are surrounded by ICT
just as they are surrounded by language, print and numbers. In the
home, technology includes remote controls for television, DVDs and
sound systems, toys that have buttons and buzzers, mobile phones,
washing machines, microwave ovens and other machines that require
programming, and of course personal computers. Outside the home,
children are also immersed in the technological world: they see
automatic doors, cash machines, bar code scanners, digital tills and
weighing machines, and security cameras. Technology is something
children are going to grow up with, learn about and master, and use
as a tool to increase their understanding in all areas of learning.
Many activities in the early years revolve around children
developing an understanding of their environment. Settings encourage
children to explore, observe, solve problems, predict, discuss and
consider. ICT equipment added to role-play reflects the real world,
builds on children’s experiences and allows them opportunities to
understand how, why, when and where different forms of technology
are used in everyday life.
ICT resources such as digital cameras, programmable toys, musical
mats or keyboards, cassette recorders etc can provide tools for
using these skills as well as being examined in their own right, and
importantly with computers not being the only ICT resources.
For example:
- Use ICT in role play
- Find metal objects in the sand
pit using a metal detector
- Photograph themselves using a
digital camera
- Talk about how a microwave works
- Experience and use a range of
software suitable for early years
During YEAR ONE children build
on their ICT experiences in the foundation stage and increasingly
explore ICT resources by making choices and exploring options. They
become more familiar and competent with a basic range of ICT tools
and equipment. They present and share ideas using text, images and
sound and recognise that everyday devices respond to signals. They
learn that information exists in different forms and can access
information from different sources. They experience planned
opportunities to develop their ICT capability using a range of ICT
resources as part of classroom activities including class based
email.
For example:
- as part of work on a
traffic survey, interpret a pictogram
- use a simple topic based resource
(Web/CD)
- take photographs of riding a
bicycle, add a caption and or voice recording
- press buttons to control a robot
or programmable toy
- talk about changes in sound while
exploring a music program
- explore cause and effect by using
different colours in a portrait to reflect different ways they
feel
During YEAR TWO children build
on their ICT experiences in year one and show increasing purpose in
the choices they make to achieve specific outcomes. They have a
clearer understanding of why they are using ICT and can take taught
techniques and apply them across similar situations. Children can
collect, organise and classify data and ask questions about the data
they have collected. They can control a device to achieve specific
outcomes following their instructions. Children can explore a
computer simulation in order to help them understand the impact of
the choices they may make. Children increasingly work individually
and in smaller groups developing greater confidence and independence
in planned opportunities to develop their ICT capability. They have
access to ICT resources as part of their everyday learning and as a
class communicate electronically with others.
For example:
- collect and analysing class based
data about themselves
- interpret a chart and
asking appropriate questions
- create an electronic book
in response to a teacher led activity
- control a floor robot to
move between two or more fixed points involving distance and
turn
- answer what... if questions
using a visual simulation and can explain what has happened
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