TE year1sourcebook/Overview

Unit 1: ICT for connecting and learning

1. Overview
2. Introduction to the Unit
3. Objectives of the unit
4. Topics of Study in the Unit
   1. Understanding ICT – a brief history
   2. Basic familiarity with ICT devices and operating system
      1. Installing operating system on the computer
      2. Accessing and adding various FOSS applications, basic troubleshooting
   3. ICT can help connect and communicate
      1. Navigating the Internet,  web browser for accessing the internet
      2. Participation in online, email and mobile-based forums (forming teacher communities of practice for collaboration and peer learning)
   4. ICT for self learning
      1. Developing personal digital libraries (PDLs) and evaluation of digital resources
   5. Equitable access to ICTs
      1. Plagiarising
      2. Violating the 'license' associated with the resource
      3. Free and Open Source Software and Open Educational Resources
   6. Ethical use of internet
   7. Internet Safety
5. Summary of the Unit
6. Self assessment
7. Suggestions for more reading

Approach

The course has been titled "ICT Mediation in Education" to suggest the broad focus of the course so as to encompass the integration of ICT in different dimensions of education such as teacher development, student learning, curricular resource creation as well as teaching-learning. The different possibilities provided by ICT for connecting, creating and for teaching-learning are the different anchors for the development of the course. This syllabus is also in line with the aspirations and guidelines set in the National ICT Policy and the National ICT curriculum which focus on building the skills of computing, creating and collaborating through safe, ethical and equitable ways of using ICT.

In keeping with the title of the paper, "ICT Mediation in teaching-learning', an ability to work in the ICT environment, creating content, sharing and learning and focusing on educational and learning processes, are the key principles of the design of the source book, rather than on just learning specific applications. The source book has been designed to build a mindset that will explore ICT applications pro-actively and independently on an ongoing basis, by exploring creative expression possibilities through ICT applications and platforms available today. The syllabus emphasizes a thematic, project based approach to ICT learning; such an approach will also enable integration of ICT with multiple school subjects.

The source book will be supplemented with a digital user manual, providing the features and processes of using the software applications used in the source book. This will be provided online as well as offline for easy reference. Developing hands-on skills of interacting with ICT is very important and forms an important part of this paper. Technology is a domain of learning where "the knowing and doing" are not clearly demarcated; hence theory and practice have been woven together in each unit. Thus along with developing understanding of a dimension of ICT - like creating or connecting or learning - you will also learn how to use relevant applications for different academic processes.