I'm a classically trained pianist, but a while ago this took on a new meaning for me. I joined a band, and that meant learning new skills. Apart from changing my keyboard technique, I now have a headset microphone, and sometimes sing and do dance routines on stage! My 'classical piano playing'
has become so much more.
ICT is the same. Some practitioners hear ICT, and think computers. ICT is so much more than this, and some practitioners are doing a lot more ICT than they think. Look at this list: Control technology:
* Programmable floor robots such as Pixies and the new Beebots allow children to explore small worlds, create pictures and develop numerical and spatial awareness.
* Remote control toys like Lego Remote Control Buggies from Commotion are reliable and durable and provide endless creative opportunities. We've been playing skittles with ours!
* Lego train sets are an underused resource. You don't have to steer them and they have clever control ideas for forwards and backwards.
* Every electronic item children come across has some element of control, even if just switching it on and off: role-play telephones, microwaves, digital cameras, tape recorders, OHPs.
Images and sounds:
* Digital cameras (see ICT, Nursery World, 26 January 2006)
* Digital video cameras such as the popular Digital Blue video camera
* Digital microscopes - the QX5 digital microscope from Tag Learning allows children to see very small things enlarged on a computer screen or an interactive whiteboard. Pupils can take photos, and then print or use the image in another program.
* Cassette recorders and dictaphones
* Music and dance mats - have a look at: www.hitchams.suffolk.sch.uk/ foundation/creative/earlymusic.htm to see a video clip.
* Electronic musical instruments including keyboards, toy electric guitars and microphones
* Walkie-talkies
* CCTV equipment, which can be set up quite cheaply with an old television, and equipment from a local DIY store.
Sensing equipment: Sensing equipment is technology that detects and responds to something around it. Metal detectors would be a good example of this, as well as easy-to- use data logging equipment. The best and most imaginative sensing technology devised for the Foundation Stage were Lego Mybots, which, sadly, are discontinued. They were building robots that could be programmed to sense light, time and movement.
This list could go on, and on, and there isn't space to look into all the things you can do with them. For more ideas and help, look at The Little Book of ICT published by Featherstone Publications at 6.99.
By Andrew Trythall, ICT co-ordinator and Year One teacher at Sir Robert Hitcham's CEVAP School, Suffolk (www.hitchams.suffolk.sch.uk)
