unit 323

[Miffy]

Hi all,
I'm having a few problems with this unit, (my assessor chose this one for me, as i was running out of time to complete my nvq, i've been ill)

K3S577 Safety issues for children who access the internet

K3P578 Useful online and offline resources that support appropiate use of ICT

K3P579 As ICT is a rapidly developing and changing area, how you will keep up to date in order to ensure you provide the best service to the children and families

The children at my setting don't have access to the internet, (I work in a pre-school) So i'm not sure what i should be writing about.

Any ideas would be greatly received!!
Thank you:reading:

[twinthing]

ok lets see if i can remember what I did....
safety issues.... well my setting dosnt use internet either but I googled and found plenty of advice for settings to apply so that you can filter internet sites ect, windows has some info so you can print that off, write about how seeing unsuitable material could affect children. Usefull online and offline resources, well there is a ton of web sites that help you with that....http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/ this one links to eysf which is great

many of the magazines from the early years sector have websites that you can join (for a fee) so I wrote about the types of additonal resorces available to memebers, this is alwalys in the magazine so perhaps borrow some from your setting or find them on line...
I also used magazines to answer the next one about rapidly developing area, as they oftern list new software comming available.
also if it helps, I did an audit of the software we had at work
I made a chart of the title, the softwares main features, weather it was usable to children who have english as an additonal launguage, what age it was appropriate for and were I could link it to the EYSF and the areas of development. ( can't remember which pc that was for now, but I showed how it would help other staff use ict for their assessment of children)
I also put that I oftern share photos of group activities via a digital photo frame that we have at work, and how parents shared their photos of trips with us via photos on memory sticks and cd roms.....there was a pc or ks about sharing with parents I think.

I hope that helps x
just by the by, I didnt think assessors were supposed to choose your units, I choose this one as I use the ict alot in our setting, so I wonder if you really dont get on with it why you can't pick your own units?
good luck with it anyway xx

[Miffy]

Thank you sooo much, that's a real help.
I've only 2 weeks to finish in, so my assessor chose this unit saying it was a short one, that would be easy to complete!! I think she was having a laugh!!!!
Miffy xx

[twinthing]

ummmm not sure I would say its a short one, yes it has less pc and ks but I worked for a while on mine! lol glad to be of some help,
my assessor watched me organise and carry out a activity with the children using a digital camera, I let them manage turn taking themselves, gave them some simple instructions and off they went! they used a sand timer to measure out each child's turn then they brought the camera back and I down loaded the images, they used lots of laungage to discribe each other and the enviroment so it coverd quite alot of areas, maybe you could do a few activites like that and write reflective accounts to cover some more of the unit! and dont forget to include stuff like torches, calculators, toys with buttons or key pads as ict, I wrote about including these in all areas of development, adding resources to mark making, role play ect and using these resorces to assess fine motor skills, hand eye cordination ect. xx good luck Im sure you will do fine x

[Heidi]

Hi Miffy,
Twinthing has given you brilliant answers, but as I will probably be seen (sadly) as an 'old 'un' I maybe be able to give you my perspective on how ict is changing rapidly and what learning opportunities it provides for children in a Pre-school settings which they didn't have all those years ago in the 'olden days!'

For a start when microwaves came down in price (a number of years ago) our setting bought one and it is in regular use for cooking activities - food and making playdough. Playdough is so quick to do and we experiment with allsorts such as using flavoured teabags, for Halloween we made black and white playdough - the liquid was flavoured with liqourice teabags - ideal for those bat cutters, and some red & yellow for pumpkin cutters.

We also have a lightbox - fantasic with everything be it with transparent counters, chiffon squares, 'thin' leaves, x-rays of everything. I even took my son's x-ray of a fracture in.

We have a digiblue video, a 'rubberised' unbreakable camera for the children. There seems to be ict in more or less everything these days - books, microphones, telephones, jigsaws, 'crying' dolls, vehicles,puppets costumes with sounds on; not forgetting computer, cd/radio, cassette recorders, games such as 'Crash, Bang, Wallop' or 'Greedy Gorilla'.

There's also ict in aqua doodle maps to encourage mark making. As I'm buying these learning resources I always think how lucky the children are to have them and glad I'm in the sector to enjoy them too!

These resources were not available to lots of us years ago - either they didn't exist or they were too expensive for us. Now as well as the children benefitting from them we as practitioners do. I remember all those years ago handwriting a (short) newsletter, went onto typing it when I bought a typewriter , then got a home computer and now of course I use my laptop and have files of letters/planning/rota etc templates. I print certificates for the children and with card and a good software programme they almost look professional and save us money that we would have had to pay someone once if we wanted that standard ( but we made them by hand instead).

I use a tape recorder for a child who may need help with speech, I use photographic or video evidence, there are recording pens, there are translating ones.

CDs are often handed out at courses and of course we all use the internet these days. If I need something I go onto Teachernet and have a look at the publications or the PLA site and being able to use Amazon has enabled me to obtain numerours books I never knew existed or other websites to research anything I want to know. I am informed of courses online, book them online and know instantly if they can accommodate us; and I claim for my funding online; so these are benefits.

ICT has opened up avenues for practitioners as well as children. One such avenue is sharing views etc on furum sites such as this.
The downside is that sometimes I am bombarded with business emails ( that all need a reply or a job doing) and I'm always typing something or other and I wonder how I/we all managed without modern day ict - life was a lot slower.
One good thing is that with ict it is easier to keep everyone involved and know what's going on such as if a child is brought and collected by a childminder or grandparents we can prepare quick and easy newsletters or an email. I find more and more of my parents emailing to share information.
The other thing is years ago parents would ring in to inform us their child is ill, more often than not they text it through - we like this method as it allows us to know early and helps us with a swift registration time and enables to lock the doors asap ( although they haver the choice or ringing as well).

There's probably lots more pro's and cons and you may even find that some our different at your setting.

[Miffy]

Twinthing and Heidi
Thank you, I feel so much better, it's so much clearer now!! Such a wealth of knowledge,
I'm positive this unit won't get the better of me!!!
Thank you
Miffy xx

[sparky31]

Hi Miffy
when i was choosing my optional units my assessor
said the same about this unit. the more i look at it and try do it, the more i feel like ive been sold a time share i really didnt want!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

[Miffy]

Originally Posted by sparky31

Hi Miffy
when i was choosing my optional units my assessor
said the same about this unit. the more i look at it and try do it, the more i feel like ive been sold a time share i really didnt want!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

I feel just the same!!!! I've just 5 questions to do, but it feels like more!!
Good luck
Miffy x

[sharyn]

My assessor chose this for me too - can't say it's an easy one!