Key classroom principles: across and within subjects and key stages - Teaching with Technologies: The Essential Guide - page 131

· developing problem-solving capabilities
· promoting better information-handling skills
· increasing time 'on task'
· improving social and communication skills.
More specifically, technology can enable children to:
· combine words and images to produce a 'professional' looking piece of work
· draft and redraft their work with less effort
· test out ideas and present them in different ways for different audiences
· explore musical sequences and compose their own music
· investigate and make changes in computer models
· store and handle large amounts of information in different ways
· do quickly and easily things which might otherwise be tedious or time-
consuming
· use simulations to experience things that might be too difficult or dangerous
for them to attempt in real life
· control devices by turning motors, buzzers and lights on or off or by program-
ming them to react to changes in things like light or temperature sensors
· communicate with others over a distance.
Becta (2001) also developed and defined pupil 'ICT capability', which could be
broadened out to a wider definition of capability for all users, to include teachers and
support staff. Technology capability is characterized by an ability to use effectively
tools and information sources to analyse, process and present information, and to
model, measure and control external events. More specifically, developed technology
capability enables individuals to:
· use technology confidently
· select and use technology appropriate to the task in hand
· use information sources and technology tools to solve problems
· identify situations where the technology use would be relevant
· use technology to support learning in a number of contexts
· be able to reflect and comment on the use of the technology they have under-
taken
· understand the implications of technology for working life and society.
The UK 2011 national guidance for all teachers was that pupils should be given
opportunities to develop and apply their technology capability in the context of all
curriculum subjects. The English National Curriculum documentation (2011) sets out
the entitlement of pupils:
Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capabil-
ity through the use of ICT tools to support their learning in all subjects [...]
Teachers should use their own judgement to decide where it is appropriate
across these subjects.