ICT integration task.

Description of teaching episode

On prac I will be looking at teaching the students about Australia which will include looking at where the states and territories are. What is the capital of each state or territory? What are the states emblem, flower and flag? The way in which the students will be learning these topics is by using the Interactive White Board (IWB), the internet using programs like World Atlas, Google Earth and Wikipedia.
The lessons will be planned in accordance with the Essential Learning Achievement (ELA’S) and by integrating ICT into the lesson plan’s I will be able to provide the tools and environment for an inclusive classroom. The time frame for the lessons is to be planed over an eight week period.

Learning outcomes

Using “ELA 21 - understands about Australia and Australians” (Every Chance to Learn – Curriculum Framework for ACT Schools, 2009. Page 15) upon completion of this unit the students will be able

• Identify and locate the different states and territories in Australia

• Identify and locate where the Capital City of each state and territory is on a map of Australia

• Identify and critique who chose the state or territories flower, emblem and flag

• Communicate their ideas in a group environment

• Present an informative speech to the class about their chosen state or territory

• gaining skills in using the internet for research purposes


Reference list

ACT Government (2009) Every Chance to Learn. Retrieved 28, July 2010, from http://activated.act.edu.au/ectl/framework.htm


Choice of ICT plus justification for using it

During the lessons as the teacher I will be using the IWB for a number of activities. With the topic of Australia I will be able to access Google Earth during lessons via the IWB which will show the students the different geographical elements of each state like the Desert, the Great Barrier Reef and the Harbour Bridge. The IWB will also be used to brainstorm and record discussions. At the end of the episode the IWB will be used for the assessment task where the students will be asked to name the states and territories and place the emblems, flag and flowers on the appropriate state or territory. Research will be done using the internet using sites such as the World Atlas, Government web sites and Wikipedia. Students will be taught how to locate scholar information and how to use the information in their own work.

Madeleine M discusses some of the benefits of using the IWB as a tool during a lesson as encouraging students to not only review and reflect on their learning but help critique and prioritise their ideas. IWB also encourages the students to discuss and share their ideas as well as enabling the students to visualise their thinking (2008, Slide 2). Using the IWB in week one will be very beneficial as we will be brainstorming what students already know about Australia and What would they like to learn about Australia. We will be able to write and record any ideas and suggestions and re-visit them at a later stage in the term. Madeleine M confirms that using the IWB allows the teacher to do things that they have never been able to do before like creating mind maps and returning to them accessing other programs like Google Earth which enables a visual look at the geography of the area and it enables the teacher and students to revisit sites which in return encourages and motivates students learning (2008, Slide 5).

Reference list

Daniel, Madeline M. (2008) Snapshots from the classroom. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://epotential.education.vic.gov.au/showcase/resource.php?res_id=595

Teaching and learning activities

Week 1 will be about introducing the topic of Australia and finding out what the students know and don’t know about the country. This will be done using the IWB and recording brainstorming sessions as well as re-collating the information and using it to focus on areas that need scaffolding. For example if the students were unsure of what the names of the states and territories where and were they belonged this would be a focus for a lesson.

Week 2 will be about using the information from the previous discussions and then giving research questions. I will split the class into eight groups selecting students with different skills to help one another and each group will study a selected state or territory. The groups will need to research their delegated state or territory and report back to the whole class on the following, The state name, location and size (population), the capital, the flag, flower and emblem. The group will then each in turn present a 2 min presentation on their delegated task to the class and in weeks 8 – 9 and then do an assessment involving collating the learnt information using the IWB by placing states and territories in the appropriate places as well as the flower, flag and emblem (Capperalon. W, 2010).

Reference list

Capperalon, W. (2010). Interview held on 28 July 2010. Kippax Holt (verbal conversation recorded using notes).

Teaching and learning methods or strategies

The way in which I will integrate ICT will be through cooperative learning and inquiry learning using the IWB and the internet. Cartelli describes cooperative learning as small groups of students at different levels of ability use a variety of learning exercises to improve their understanding of the task set out, the students each have a role in the exercise and at the end it is all brought together.

Computers play a central role in the exercise as well as the IWB in this example (2006, page 187). As a group we will have a lot of time to discuss our progress and report to the class about the individual findings in having one week to research a question like the state emblem and then the next week being a presentation of their findings. The students may do the presentation using a report style and reading it out or a poster or even use the activity on the IWB.

Reference list

Cartelli, A. (2006) Teaching in the knowledge society. United States of America, British Cataloguing in Publishing.

Assessment tasks

1. Class presentation

2. Group participation/ teamwork

3. Successfuly completing the quiz on where the state and territory are and what flower, emblem and flag belongs where as well as size and the draw card (eg. Great Barrier Reef, QLD)