KS3 Information technology
Information technology is the aspect of computing which deals with how the hardware side of things works, as well as how to use specific software packages to achieve given goals. Sometimes this requires students to understand the underlying hardware models which are used to abstract away the details. Understanding how a computer works, and what the various hardware components do, can be crucial in working out, exactly what your system is capable of doing. As more and more devices become connected to each other and to servers on the internet, knowing the underlying basics of how this communication occurs becomes an ever greater necessity.
At other times it is necessary for students to be able to demonstrate clear skills in certain circumstances, in order for them to succeed in producing an appropriate digital artifacts.
The ability to produce high quality graphical imagery is a key skill when trying to make digital designs for the 21st Century. Also, the need for students to be able to use a wide range of office packages still remains
Hardware theory: storage device top trumps
Students will need to be given various aspects of both Secondary Storage Devices and what is expected of them in terms of creating the Top Trumps themselves. As background to the task the teacher needs to start by explaining the three main types of secondary storage magnetic, optical and solid state. There are numerous videos around which will explain how each of them work. After brief discussions about each type and how their durability might be compared, then it is time to get students to research various criteria that may be compared. There are tables within the resources to allow this to happen in a controlled way. Either by using the blank template provided in the resource or using an online Top Trump creator the students are asked to produce 8 top trump cards containing the following information: Medium, capacity, speed, portability, price per Gb and reliability / durability. Students are also asked to include an image of their chosen storage device. The student version of the comparison table can be used to measure both reliability and portability. Once the cards are completed then a 3 way game of top trumps can be played between three teams.
Storage devices
Resources which centres around a series of lessons that facilitate students producing a large Mind Map of ideas and facts about computing hardware. The Mind Map itself is created using a free online tool called MindMup.com, but any other suitable software or even just pencil and paper methods could also be used. There are a variety of topics and activities for each detailed in the presentation, along with some example material. These could be expanded upon or cut down depending on the ability of the groups concerned. Other aspects of computers could be added as well in order to create a much more detailed map.
Graphic design: album covers
This resource details a mini scheme of work where students research images of album covers and then use a tool such as Photoshop, The GIMP or some other similar package, to produce their design, making use of some of the more advanced tools offered by the tool they are using. The students begin by researching existing album covers, which they collate into a report, explaining what they have found. They then move on to produce their own album covers including front and back covers as well as an inside sleeve. Depending on the independence of the class they might either be explicitly taught how to use some of the tools on offer in the package they are using, or they could be expected to research these as part of the project and include the outcomes of their research in the final report. The students are expected to evaluate their own work as well as each others and provide feedback. This may need to be scaffolded if students are unfamiliar with providing peer feedback. There are some suggestions for discussions around the legality of just copying images from the internet and how to do this legally.
Interactive classroom skill building
There are a whole host of activities in this resource centred around the use of various common office packages including Word, Publisher, Power Point and Excel. The activities could be reproduced to work with different versions of the same software or with other office packages such as LibreOffice whilst retaining the general structure. They might also be adapted to create a "self help" library of resources which could be access by students when they need to use a specific feature of one of the packages in question.
Grand designs
A short scheme of work which covers all aspects of using computer based tools to work on a project. The students use a Gantt Chart to plan out the stages of their project, they then use Google Sketchup to produce a 3D (Computer) model of a design for their ideal house. They move on to use a spreadsheet to calculate the expenditure necessary to build the house, and create a presentation to detail their model, the costs involved and explain why their house should be built. Students are then required to self and peer evaluate the work which they have done. Although this scheme uses Google Sketchup and a house, it could be adapted to use another package and have a different "product" which could be modelled in some other fashion.
Networks and communications unplugged
A scheme of work which although aimed at the upper end of Key Stage 2, is also suitable for delivery at the bottom end of Key Stage 3. The scheme contains a whole host of unplugged and plugged activities surrounding networks and communications, including the difference between the internet and the world wide web, understanding how data travels across the internet, protocols associated with data transfer, packet switching, understanding IP addresses, binary numbering (and how this is applied to IP addresses), searching the internet, and how search engines work. Each of these lesson plans comes with detailed explanations of the underlying ideas and with suggestions to how these might be taught, there are also copious links to ways in which progress could be tracked and progress demonstrated, along with other links to relevant material.
Networked systems
This group task asks pupils to investigate how a logistics company could improve its digital infrastructure by creating a network of computers, introducing barcodes and barcode readers, and setting up a wireless network. Pupils are also asked to consider the implications on employees of these improvements.
