Smart ICT Skills Builder Book-based Resources - Reviews
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Jenny Ewers |
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This review is from Jenny Ewers, Head of ICT, Limehurst High School, Loughborough
Before using the Smart Skills Builders, like many ICT teachers we used the sample teaching units from the old ICT Framework. Although these did focus us on the objectives and processes, the contents, both for staff and pupils, was removed from their everyday experiences and assumed specialist knowledge. With this in mind, there was a need to acquire high-quality and appropriate resources for both teaching and learning in our multi-ethnic school.
The Smart Skills Builder ICT resources proved to be just what we were looking for - clear, concise, easily manageable in terms of lesson content, colourful and attractive to the user and with detailed steps for the non-specialist teacher.
Luckily, the resources have been adapted [for the new ICT Framework] quickly and efficiently without losing the features which make it an ideal course for both teachers and learners.
The new Year 7 Teacher’s Book is certainly much more comprehensive than I thought - the curriculum links, opportunities and objectives are useful in a whole school context. It is also great to see level descriptors turned into 'pupil speak'. How many of us are trying to do that in our own school situation?
Putting the emphasis on pupils knowing what to do to make the next step in raising their level will prove invaluable.
Pupils love the straightforwardness and simplicity of the Student’s Books - everyone is able to follow the steps with minimal teacher intervention.
The inclusion of model answers within each topic gives pupils an insight into work at differing levels and the end of topic tests act as a natural progression rather than an addition.
This year sees our first year of using the course in its entirety. The editable nature of its resources has given us the opportunity to provide differentiated work within our Learning Platform so that all pupils feel valued and achieve success. Our KS3 predictions over the next few years have risen sharply, mainly due to the comprehensive nature of these resources which allows teachers the time to develop the ICT capability of all their pupils, irrespective of ability.
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Nyky Wordsworth |
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Smart ICT Skills Builder has provided a breath of fresh air in our school! We had been following the NC units as laid out in the National Strategy all those years ago. As everybody who has delivered these units will know, it’s a bit dry and tedious to say the least! You can imagine my relief when I discovered the Smart Skills Builder Series of textbooks which follow the basic layout of the NC units but have an innovative approach, which is much more relevant to the students.
My prayers had been answered without me having to sweat and stress over devising new scenarios myself!
There are several aspects of this series that I really like. At the end of each unit there are exemplar Model Answers for the appropriate levels so students are able to easily see what they should be aiming for. The exemplars have helpful annotations giving hints to the information students should be including when evaluating their own work.
The CD-ROM has excellent resources, including worksheets which can be displayed on an IWB and used as a starter or plenary activity, as well as for individual student work.
The students really engage with the colourful, up-beat, modern and informative Student’s Books. The series makes learning about ICT relevant and interesting, through the topical subject matter. For example in Unit 8.2 ‘Jump on the Bandwagon!’ students have to design a website for an imaginary band/group and this theme is revisited in Unit 8.4 when students are working on the band finances as the Band Manager.
For non-ICT specialists in the classroom, the Teacher’s Book provides invaluable support with each lesson detailed as three parts, with learning objectives. Levels of attainment are also specified with indicators for the skills that all students are able to do, most are able to do and some are able to do. This is great for evaluating and improving achievement levels.
I have no full-time ICT teachers in my department, which is made up of non-ICT specialists who are good at ICT, and willing to teach it! However teachers are busy enough in their own specialist departments, without ICT adding further complications and stress to their lives! For a department like ours these books have been invaluable. We have completely updated our approach to teaching KS3 ICT, without needing the time and energy required to invent new, interesting scenarios for our students. |
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Sue Coldham |
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To have resources of this quality, meeting the KS3 aims – but in a way that fires the imagination of students and helps them to progress – is wonderful!
I particularly like the fact that whilst this scheme provides exciting resources and clear tutorials, it still leaves the teacher in control of learning.
In my experience, other series either provide an on-screen learning environment which the student needs to follow at their own pace with minimal help from the teacher (not the ideal situation for specialist teachers) or needs considerable teacher time to implement, with lots of photocopying, etc. involved (equally less than ideal if you have non-specialists teaching the subject).
The Smart ICT Skills Builder Series includes an attractive and appealing text book, which gives the flexibility to teach the lessons in the order I choose.
The CD-ROM resources are editable, therefore it is feasible to give greater support to some students and set more challenge for others. The format also makes it easy to add extra activities where necessary, according to the length of the lesson. In addition, teachers can choose whether worksheets are printed out or used on-screen and saved to student e-portfolios.
I like the resources because they are so adaptable to your own teaching style, to the needs of the student and to the constraints of the curriculum time and environment.
The Smart ICT Skills Builder resources mean that the basics of the teaching unit are already provided, which enables me to concentrate on objective driven lessons with no worry about how to produce enticing, imaginative resources to support my students’ learning. They have all been provided, and I can adapt them as I wish for individuals, groups or whole classes.
The Student’s Books provide clear and easy to follow tutorials to support whole class teaching and to assist more able students to progress further whilst the teacher provides extra support for other students. They also support less able students with hints and tips, giving the teacher time to extend the more able students. This enables ALL students to progress in each lesson.
Previously worked exercises, answers etc. are provided for teachers to display, perhaps on an interactive whiteboard or simply by a projector on a screen. This is great for helping students to raise their attainment levels.
The resources are also affordable on my limited annual budget. The cost of other schemes would require my budget for 3 years just to purchase resources and books for one year group. The pricing system of Smart ICT Skills Builder means that I have been able to purchase the whole package for both Year 7 and Year 8 in only one year.
The students' response to the materials has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly the unit where students design and create a website for an imaginary band! Students are very clear about their objectives, have exemplar material by which to judge their own progress and level, and the end of unit task provides a clear guide to their understanding of each unit.
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