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Using ICT to teach Citizenship

Last post 03/10/09 at 21:55 by autismuk, 10 replies
Post started by MilliScott on 28/09/09 at 15:04

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  • MilliScott avatar
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    Posted by: MilliScott 28/09/2009 at 15:04
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    The Association for Citizenship Teaching has done lots of work around using ICT in Citizenship. Teachers and Citizenship subject specialists have created a teachers' handbook for using ICT to campaign for change. Creating a campaign is 60% of the Citizenship GCSE.  

    The purpose of Citizenship education is to equip young people with the skills and knowledge to make a positive contribution to public life and play an active role in democratic society. To today’s young people, participating actively in a digital world and using the tools of modern society is essential. ACT has written two papers for BECTa describing how this can be done. There is one for primary and one for secondary. The teachers' handbook and both papers as well as a host of case studies are available at http://www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk/page?p=65

    It would be great to hear about work ICT departments have done with Citizenship departments.
  • HappyHippy avatar
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    Posted by: HappyHippy 28/09/2009 at 15:37
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    To be honest, I have a number of issues with this. Admittedly, I have just had Y9 last period, which never puts me in a good mood, but bear with me...

    The title of the post - "Using ICT to teach Citizenship" triggers 2 initial thoughts - i. "Using ICT". Yup, that pretty much sums up the way many departments see us - purely as a resource to be used. Pfeh. ii. "Using ICT to teach..." suggests to me that somebody has decided that it must be done on a computer and will instantly be better for having been done on a computer. It doesn't suggest to me that someone has looked at how to make use of technology in order to improve the content, delivery and assessment of a subject area. It sounds like students will be doing PowerPoints with lots of WordArt and calling it work. Now that's probably an over-cynical view of the situation, but it's what the post title suggests to me before I even read the thread itself.

    In a practical sense, we have pretty decent ICT provision. We have perhaps 200 machines in dedicated ICT suites in a school of 1450 students. This allows us enough capacity for all of our ICT lessons, many of our DT and MFL lessons as well as a smattering throughout Music, Art and then smaller clusters throughout the school. However, we all do Citizenship at the same time and so unless we sit 7 to a computer, it isn't really going to work. Especially when people are trying to use the rooms as tutor rooms - and so we have to continually kick them out and disrupt their lessons.

    Add to that the fact that most students have no respect for Citizenship/PSHE as a lesson (at least partly because it is taught by non-specialists and partly because it involves filling in worksheets asking questions such as "Drugs are a) bad, b)good, c) really bad").

    Much of this is not your fault, and I am aware that I am being a grumpy *** at the moment (I'm normally very nice, honest!). But in terms of your final question - we've done "The Real Game" in Year 9 for a few years now with limited success and tried to grin and bear our way through the rest of it.
  • MilliScott avatar
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    Posted by: MilliScott 02/10/2009 at 17:41
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    I suggest you actually read the information we have put up and not just the title! Also the papers we have written for BECTa. This will show you that you have jumped to very unfair conclusions! Once again, the link is here.

    I suggest further that you read the information for ICT non-specialists about the ways we suggest you use ICT in Citizenship! The very idea that we might suggest powerpoints or WordArt is shocking. 

    Someone has [actually] looked at how to make use of technology in order to improve the content, delivery and assessment of a subject area.

    Please do not confuse PSHE and Citizenship. These are two distinct subjects.

    If students at your school have little respect for Citizenship then perhaps they need to think about the importance of ICT in the secondary curriculum:

    The increasing use of technology in all aspects of society makes confident, creative and productive use of ICT an essential skill for life. ICT capability encompasses not only the mastery of technical skills and techniques, but also the understanding to apply these skills purposefully, safely and responsibly in learning, everyday life and employment. ICT capability is fundamental to participation and engagement in modern society.

    From the ICT programme of study for Key Stage 3. The bold is mine.

     

    And the ICT in context:

    ICT capability is fundamental to full participation in and engagement with modern society. Information is a valuable commodity; use of and reliance on ICT continue to increase. The programme of study encourages reflection on the growing use of technology and on its social, ethical and cultural implications for individuals and society. Among the issues addressed are sustainability, equality of access, security of personal information, copyright, plagiarism, and responsible and safe use of ICT.

    ICT opens up a wealth of information to pupils and allows easy communication and collaboration with others across the globe. This encourages them to understand, respect, value and engage with not only their own cultures and traditions but also those of others and to develop a sense of their own place in the world.

    Taken from ICT in context (national curriculum) again the bold is mine and it was tricky not to bold it all.  

    Finally sorry it caught you on a grumpy day, but do please read the information and let's work together!   (Since you're "normally very nice" please can you write back in very nice mode.)
  • jazz2 avatar
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    Posted by: jazz2 03/10/2009 at 08:14
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    MilliScott:

    Please do not confuse PSHE and Citizenship. These are two distinct subjects.

     

    Really?  In my experience it's become known as PSHCE.  I guess there must be schools out there where this hasn't happened.

    MilliScott:

    If students at your school have little respect for Citizenship then perhaps they need to think about the importance of ICT in the secondary curriculum:

     

    Pupils at any school I've been in so far have little respect for Citizenship or PSHE.  Again, I daresay there are schools where this is not the case (but I suspect that in those schools the subject(s) are taught by specialists).  I doubt that  'thinking about the importance of ICT in the secondary curriculum' would be enough to change their attitudes.
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    Posted by: djphillips1408 03/10/2009 at 11:06
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    jazz2:
    Again, I daresay there are schools where this is not the case

    I would bet £10 you are wrong ;)

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    Posted by: piggypiggy 03/10/2009 at 11:19
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    More advice from people who haven't seen the inside of a school in anger for years. So now we have a booklet. That's nice. You should be able to use that to argue that your grant should be renewed. We'll just cancel the other things we are doing in school and get on with your great idea (based on research, no doubt).
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    Posted by: piggypiggy 03/10/2009 at 11:21
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    And if Becta are have a hand in this, you can bet your last dollar that most experienced teachers will be running in the opposite direction. They still can't bring themselves to say Moodle is fine!!
  • autismuk avatar
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    Posted by: autismuk 03/10/2009 at 11:40
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    jazz2:

    MilliScott:

    Please do not confuse PSHE and Citizenship. These are two distinct subjects.

     

    Really?  In my experience it's become known as PSHCE.  I guess there must be schools out there where this hasn't happened.

     

    Those that don't want to conflate cr@p non subjects ?

    Don't think any pupils anywhere have any respect for Citizenship. Or teachers. Including those that teach it. 

    That just leaves wasters who make their living promulgating drivel.

  • jazz2 avatar
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    Posted by: jazz2 03/10/2009 at 15:51
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    djphillips1408:

     

    jazz2:
    Again, I daresay there are schools where this is not the case

    I would bet £10 you are wrong ;)

     

     Hmmm ... tempting ... but I think my odds of a return on the tenner are higher on the Lottery ...

  • planetx avatar
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    Posted by: planetx 03/10/2009 at 16:56
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    jazz2:

    djphillips1408:

     

    jazz2:
    Again, I daresay there are schools where this is not the case

    I would bet £10 you are wrong ;)

     

     Hmmm ... tempting ... but I think my odds of a return on the tenner are higher on the Lottery ...

     

    I could take David's tenner. There was a job I applied for last year to teach ICT, Government and Politics and Citizenship, with PHSE being taught as tutor groups. 

     

     
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