September, 2008
"The challenge for students and teachers is to develop
an understanding of the fundamentals of information literacy and
the tools required to prepare for, and participate in, an evolving
information-based society."
Information Technology K to 7 IRP (1996)
B.C. Ministry of Education
The goal of the ICT department at Chief Dan George Middle School is to:
We will endeavour to provide the best in up-to-date equipment and instruction in order to accomplish this.
We believe that technology should not become a burden to the user, but rather a transparent tool - a natural extension of the user's thoughts and creativity. ICT tools should be seen as instruments to help solve problems, and save time and energy.
Resources and Appropriate Use
Each student at CDGM will receive an allocated amount of storage space on the school's main network server. Students are expected to maintain and manage their allotted space by deleting outdated files and organizing their documents in an effective manner. One of the eMac computers in the ICT lab have the capability to burn data onto blank compact disc media. Students are encouraged to keep their larger projects on either CD-R (recordable) media or CD-RW (rewritable) media rather than store them for any length of time on the server. Approved CD-R and CD-RW media may be purchased for school use at reduced prices from the ICT department.
In order to use any of the computers in the school, students and staff will be required to log in with an ID and password. The network and its accompanying security system are designed to ensure that personal data is safe and archived on a regular basis. The system will also keep track of student usage and detect any misuse of privileges as outlined in the Internet and Communications Agreement which all users must sign in order to use any of the school equipment. This agreement will be distributed to students in September.
Students are responsible for their own password and will be allowed to change their password at any time. The system administrator has a master password in the event that any passwords are forgotten.
The use of software applications downloaded from the Internet or brought from home is strictly prohibited. The use of blank media (floppy disks, CD-R, Zip disks, etc.) not approved by the ICT department is also prohibited.
Any student logging on with an ID and password other than the one assign to them, will be dealt with severely, as fraudulent use of computer equipment will not be tolerated at CDGMS. The ICT department's major focus is to promote and foster ethical and responsible use of information and communications technology tools.
Curricular Goals and Objectives
For the 2008 - 2009 school year, students will be given instruction in ICT in one of the four semesters (9 week period - 3 forty-eight minute blocks a week) and not throughout the school year. However, all students will have access to the computer equipment in the Media Tech lab (library) as they will be open during non-instructional time. Teachers are encouraged to bring their students to the labs when they are not in use for class instruction.
The ICT department of CDGMS has decided not to include instruction in keyboarding as part of its learning outcomes. Although keyboarding skills are important, it is felt that these skills can be self-taught through the use of keyboarding programs (All The Right Type), particularly at this age level. We are also assuming that keyboarding has been taught at the earlier grades. The computer lab will be open, specifically for students to hone their keyboarding skills, during lunch, after school, and designated morning times. Students are encouraged to ask for teacher assistance should they feel the need for any help with their keyboarding skills.
Parents, when you receive the Internet and Communications Agreement, please read it carefully and return the signed form immediately, so that your child may make full use of our ICT equipment and facilities.The ICT department at CDGMS is excited to be part of the explorations component of the school's curriculum and look forward to working with all students at CDGMS.
The Benefits of ICT and Explorations
Learning about ICT provides students with the skills and knowledge to deal with today's fast-paced, ever-changing world. It gives them an idea of how technology has changed the way we live and how it is going to affect the way we live in the future.
ICT also teaches students about logic and natural progression. In grade eight, students discuss, in depth, the ethical and responsible use of ICT - the human aspects of the equation. Everything from the dangers of MSN-type applications and personal well-being to copyright infringement and criminal activity.
Students are also exposed to the world of communications. Not only the nuts and bolts of communications tools, but how to communicate ideas effectively to audiences and how media can affect audiences and ultimately, society.
ICT and the other explorations play a major role in the development of the "whole" child. Most educators know that very few students learn best sitting in a classroom. Real learning takes place through a multitude of experiences. Middle schools boast about how explorations (that's the term we use for exploratory), provides students with a sampling of hands on experiences to give them an idea of the various job opportunities out there in our world. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Explorations is also about learning math, language arts, and the sciences. Learning math skills through food preparation and wood working are obvious examples. Incidental / accidental learning - multiple intelligences, call it what you will.... It is much like physical education. Most people see PE as beneficial for the body. Again, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Physical education is also about developing the mind and learning about self. Teamwork, dealing with winning and losing, self-esteem issues, perseverance, goal setting, etc., etc., etc.
Back to ICT. The looks of frustration on students faces when their html web pages don't work is hard to take. However, when the students use their problem solving skills to identify the mistakes and get that web page working for the first time, the look on their faces is priceless - when they realize that they have control over the computer instead of it controlling them.
Adults have a false sense that youngsters have a knack for learning technology. This is another fallacy. When students come to our middle school, all they are able to do is MSN and play games on the computer. Yes, there are a few students out there who are very knowledgeable with technology tools, but they are few and far between. Most of them (true geeks) are self-taught and have a skewed idea of what technology is all about. These students will benefit greatly from the Ethical and Responsible Use of ICT part of the course. The majority of students are technologically inept, to put it bluntly. They know about technology simply because they have grown up with technology all around them. Their knowledge extends only to playing games on the computer and Nintendo and aimlessly chatting with anyone who would pay attention to them. Our goal as educators should be to guide these youngsters to use technology in a productive and meaningful way. ICT is about learning to use the tools in a timely and effective manner - where ICT becomes a natural extension of one's creativity, thoughts and ideas.
Addendum
Both the ICT Lab and the Media Tech Lab will be equipped with school issue headphones so that students can work on their multimedia projects without disturbing others. Students who wish to bring their own headphones to school for health reasons may do so. Any walkman type headphone with a sub miniature plug is compatible with the computers in the two labs.
The Information and Communications Technology department would like to welcome back all former students. A special welcome goes out to those of you who are new to Chief Dan George Middle School.
The focus of the ICT department at CDGMS is to foster productivity
and make ICT an integral part of the learning experience for both
students and teachers alike. Grade six students will learn the
basics of word processing, spreadsheet, database, and Powerpoint
presentations. This year, the students in grade seven and eight
will be learning more in-depth use of productivity tools, with
greater concentration on good design and effective presentation
of their documents. They will also be learning basic web page
creation and design techniques.
Our commitment to provide an increasing inventory of up-to-date equipment to support student achievement continues. This year, we have added an additional server, as well as other peripheral equipment such as scanners, USB flash drives, and digital cameras.
This year, Mr. Sakai will be looking for some qualified volunteers to join the ICT club (formerly known as the Computer Club). ICT club members will be in charge of maintaining and setting up all audio-visual equipment, as well as computer equipment and peripherals. Part of their duties will also include uploading and maintaining classroom and teacher web page materials on our school web site.
Students who are interested in joining the ICT club should contact
Mr. Sakai.
ICT Learning Outcomes (Grades 6 to 8)*
Ethical and Responsible Use of ICT
Copyright Infringement
Privacy Issues
Respecting the Equipment
Health and Safety
Computer Studies
Applications
Media Awareness
Communications and Other
* not all outcomes will be covered in any one grade level
Desktop Publishing Rules
Rule Number One - Always use one space after a period! Yes, only one. But, but.......... my typing teacher used to rap our knuckles if we didn't use two spaces after a period. Yes, you still need to put two spaces after a period IF, and only if, you use a typewriter. Most of us use a word processor now, so one space is all that is needed.
Reasons: Typewriters use equal amounts of space on the page for all letters, whether it be a narrow letter like the l and the i or wide letters like the w and the m. Computers and word processors have the ability to adjust and compensate for varying widths of characters in a type face. Therefore, there is no need for the two spaces.
Check out all the newspapers, magazines, and any books printed after the dark ages (I say that because I'm not sure when books started to be printed using one space after a period - since the Dick and Jane days, I guess). They all use only one space after a period.
In the desktop publishing world, you are considered a newbie if you place two spaces after a period - an old dog that can't be taught new tricks. An old habit is hard to break, I know.
But, if the major universities now require students to follow these rules, then it stands to reason that our children should learn what is current, even if it may be too late for us (older citizens) - remember having to learn the metric system?
Rule Number Two - Never underline headings and sub-headings. What? I like underlining. It looks so nice. Maybe so, but is that because you grew up with a typewriter? With word processors, you have all kinds of neat tools at your disposal, such as bold type, larger size, text colour, different fonts, etc. Back in the dark ages of typewriters, all you had was underline, and for those real creative people, all caps to separate the headings from the body. Underlining to stress a word or to follow a specific style (citing information - bibliography, footnotes, etc) is OK.
Rule Number Three - Never use more than two or three (that's pushing it) fonts in a single document. Why? Because too much is overkill. It's like the female adolescent who discovers make up for the first time. You should see grade three students go nuts when they learn how to change fonts in a word processor for the first time. It makes reading the text very difficult - dizzyness. Less is sometimes better. If your document is an advertisement or a poster, more than two or three fonts may be a good thing. Still, the effects might over shadow the intended message. Always use the KIS principle -- Keep It Simple.
Rule Number Four (to come)
Other strange, but maybe useful, info...
Paper is not what it used to be
The next time you load paper into your printer, make sure you have the right side up. What? Yes, there is a right and a wrong side to a stack of photocopy or laser printer stock (does not apply to all brands). Most people don't really care, but check the ends of the wrapper of the ream -- the label. Do you see the arrow? That's the "print" side -- the good side. Now you know!