Changes

=Overview=

=Overview=

The ICT curriculum and syllabus for the state has been developed, along the lines of the National ICT Curriculum, The approach has been to look at technology as integrated with educational processes.   

ICT have impacted education in terms of change in the processes of learning and even physical spaces of learning.  Availability of a global digital library has meant that the focus of education now needs to move from content acquisition to analyzing and meaning making of content as well as use the information for decision making. The availability of new format of content representation also means that new forms of knowledge can be explored and understood.  This means, of course, that new skills have to be developed - both in terms of skills in interacting with the ICT environment as well as in terms of meta cognitive skills like analyzing, meaning making and representing the information available.  The rapid growth and dissemination of information means that we now live in a world which is organized very differently and the implications of ICT and societal processes and institutions also needs to be understood.  It is in this context that this textbook has been developed.

#The curriculum has been based on the aspirations and guidelines set in the National ICT Policy which focuses on building the skills of computing, creating and collaborating through safe, ethical, legal means of using ICT.

 

#Ability to handle ICT environment, creating original content, sharing and learning and focusing on educational and learning processes rather than on specific applications are the key principles of this curriculum.

==Philosophy of the book==

#The curriculum has been designed keeping in mind the various possibilities of creative expression possible through ICT applications and platforms available today and also seeks to build a mindset that will explore and such applications on an ongoing basis.

The National ICT Policy articulated the vision for ICT in Education in terms building the skills of computing, creating and collaborating through safe, ethical, legal means of using ICT. The NCERT ICT curriculum has been designed keeping in mind the various possibilities of creative expression possible through ICT applications and platforms available today and also seeks to build a mindset that will explore and such applications on an ongoing basis. Such an exploration requires a technology environment that is free and open; this has been recommended both in the ICT Policy and NCERT curriculum.  The textbook has therefore introduced different digital processes predominantly through free and open source applications.

#The curriculum does not take a conventional approach to building digital literacy on specific applications but rather emphasizes a thematic, project based approach to ICT learning. Such an approach will also enable integration of ICT with multiple school subjects.

#The textbook has been designed based on the NCERT ICT curriculum – focusing on creating original content, sharing and learning and on educational and learning processes

#Ability to handle an ICT environment for the above outcomes, rather than learn specific applications is the focus of this textbook

#The 3-level curriculum has been split across two books – Book 1 (for class 6-8) and Book 2 (for class 9-10).  Within Book 1, there are three levels proposed – based on the extent of digital skills anticipated and the academic levels expected

#The focus is on learning skills of computing and developing competencies to interact with ICT, as envisaged in the National ICT Policy.  Therefore, a wide variety of applications has been introduced.  The choice of applications – both generic and subject specific – has been made in such a way as to introduce students to the possibilities of creating and learning with ICT.

#The textbook has been developed based on the Technological Pedagogical Content  Knowledge (TPACK)1 framework where technology is not introduced as a stand-alone, tool-based method but integrated within core academic processes relevant to school learning. Hence the activities have been described in terms of processes of learning rather than steps of using an application. 

#The second important emphasis in the textbook is on the possibilities of creation using ICT. Hence the book has been written as a set of projects that invoke several learning processes and integrating ICT meaningfully into the processes, allowing multiple possibilities for student creation. Steps of working with various tools and applications has been left as incidental learning. 

#Collaborating and learning is another important aspect of ICT.  The activities in the textbook have been designed so as to allow for group work and adequate opportunities for peer learning.  It is intended that different activities be taken up by different student groups to allow for a wide variety of creations; thus allowing for learning and sharing. 

#It is also intended that the activities be done in a cumulative manner, across different themes of the curriculum as well as across levels.  It is possible to assess formatively the process of working through the projects with various digital methods and tools as well as evaluate the finished product, which will be in the form of a digital portfolio.

#All activities need not be completed by all teachers. The teacher can assess the learning contexts, needs and transact the activities that will be most effective. Teacher is encouraged to introduce variations into the activities that may make them more useful for student learning

 

The learning expectations are two-fold, for students and for the teachers.  It is expected that at the end of the completion of the ICT syllabus, the students would be able to reach the levels of competencies articulated in the National ICT Policy.  The key expectations from the curriculum are listed below

 

#Able to interact with various ICT devices and applications and handle ICT equipment safely

#Able to use ICT for self learning through use of multiple ICT applications in various subject areas

 

In addition to these, the expectation from this curriculum is that teachers become a self-aware group of professionals who are able to collaborate and learn and adopt new pedagogical processes for facilitating a constructivist classroom using ICT.

=Approach and intent of the NCERT ICT curriculum=

=Approach and intent of the NCERT ICT curriculum=

#The curriculum has been designed keeping in mind the various possibilities of creative expression possible through ICT applications and platforms available today and also seeks to build a mindset that will explore and  such applications on an ongoing basis.   

#The curriculum has been designed keeping in mind the various possibilities of creative expression possible through ICT applications and platforms available today and also seeks to build a mindset that will explore and  such applications on an ongoing basis.   

#The curriculum does not take a conventional approach to building digital literacy on specific applications but rather emphasizes a thematic, project based approach to ICT learning.  Such an approach will also enable integration of ICT with multiple school subjects.   

#The curriculum does not take a conventional approach to building digital literacy on specific applications but rather emphasizes a thematic, project based approach to ICT learning.  Such an approach will also enable integration of ICT with multiple school subjects.   

==The themes of The National ICT curriculum==

==The themes of The National ICT curriculum==

#The teacher curriculum is expected to be completed over a 2 year time frame, resulting in a certification.  While the 2 year time frame is for a comprehensive program, the curriculum has been designed in a modular manner to allow for need based learning.  All the themes listed above will be covered in the student curriculum.  This can be structured as a course for both pre-service and in-service training, and specific subjects can be differentiated.

#The teacher curriculum is expected to be completed over a 2 year time frame, resulting in a certification.  While the 2 year time frame is for a comprehensive program, the curriculum has been designed in a modular manner to allow for need based learning.  All the themes listed above will be covered in the student curriculum.  This can be structured as a course for both pre-service and in-service training, and specific subjects can be differentiated.

#In the student curriculum, the focus is on bringing digital literacy for students as well as introducing the digital methods as a method of subject learning. Themes 1-4 will be a part of the student curriculum. The digital literacy will focus on building computing and creating skills and not merely office applications.  Logical,this has been developed as a 3 year curriculum (from Classes 6-10) though individual states can structure it based on their requirements and constraints.  The expectation is that this can be tested as a core subject area at the end of Class 10.

#In the student curriculum, the focus is on bringing digital literacy for students as well as introducing the digital methods as a method of subject learning. Themes 1-4 will be a part of the student curriculum. The digital literacy will focus on building computing and creating skills and not merely office applications.  Logical,this has been developed as a 3 year curriculum (from Classes 6-10) though individual states can structure it based on their requirements and constraints.  The expectation is that this can be tested as a core subject area at the end of Class 10.