Year Level(s): Year 8 - Level 3/4

Number of Students: 15

Broad Aim: To explore how ICT can be used to enhance learning and teaching.

Specific Aim: To identify ways in which the use of ICT can help Raise Achievement for Maori, Pacific and other students in low decile schools.

Method: The form 2 ICT programme is focusing on PowerPoint. The context is likely to follow topic. The aim is to use some of the features learnt from the course with students i.e.

Master slides (creating own unique layout)
Slide animation
Images and pictures from different sources
Sounds
Movies
Animation (use animagic in google)

Assessment: Communication and presentation skills are thaw focus of this ICT unit. We will be looking to see how many of the different features students have included in their presentation. We will also be looking to see whether this approach is a more effective way to present than traditional approaches. We will also look to see whether students are more motivated to complete their tasks when working with PowerPoint. We also look whether this approach provides a different avenue for some students to present their work.

Learning Areas for Project: Literacy

Essential Skills for Project: Communication, Information, Work & Study

Achievement Level(s): 3, 4,

Specific Learning Outcomes: Students will learn to use features of the PowerPoint programme.
Students will develop communication and presentation skills.

What Went On: Weeks 1 - 3 students were taught the following skills: opening PowerPoint, creating new slides and text boxes, backgrounds, inserting clipart and word art, master page design, speaker notes, bullet points, slide transitions, sound effects, slide animation, digital camera, images and movies.
These skills were practiced using there research topic which were developed over the 6 weeks.
Weeks 4 - 5 students used the skills learnt during weeks 1 - 3 and further developed there research projects.
Last session students presented there research projects to the whole class using a data projector.

What Worked: Providing a model for the students to refer to.
Having specific learning outcomes for the students for every session.
Giving students ownership of there research projects by giving them the choice of their topic.
Using more able students to teach others (peer teaching).

What To Do Different: I would probably teach a whole 12 session block rather than 2 sessions each with the other teacher (however this suited us better for release time).

In my second group we modeled the desired communication skills (orally) more effectively. Student are now developing the oral presentation at the same time.

The degree to which students achieved the specific learning outcomes for the action research project: Mostly

The degree to which ICT helped students achieve the specific learning outcomes for the action research project: Very helpful

Supporting Files: http://www.lea.co.nz/ictpd/Uploads/Heidi-Jane Presentation.ppt