Concepts, Policies, and Procedures for Implementing Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum

As with any curricular initiative, school leaders are responsible for insuring that Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum is implemented within a set of key concepts, sound policies and clear procedures related to curriculum implementation. These concepts and policies serve as the foundation for developing promising practices in learning, teaching and assessment.

Guiding Concepts for Implementing Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum

By asking themselves the following questions, school leaders consider concepts of continuity, complexity, diversity, differentiation, equity, fairness and relevance in the development of student literacy with ICT.

Continuity: What assurances are there that the development of students’ literacy with ICT is a continuation of what came previously, as well as a link to future learning? For example, are teachers provided with time for mapping the continuum across curriculum and between grades?

Complexity: How is the complexity of Literacy with ICT addressed within grade levels and across grade levels? For example, are students expected to conduct inquiries and design solutions to problems rather than learning keyboarding or using interactive software?

Diversity/Differentiation: How are teachers using ICT to meet the wide range of students’ interests, motivation, learning needs and levels of literacy with ICT in their classrooms? On what basis are specific strategies and skills selected? For example, are all students in a class expected to develop the same literacy with ICT, but given access to differentiated materials, appropriate to their level of development?

Equity/Fairness: How are students provided with equal opportunities to demonstrate the behaviours outlined in the continuum? For example, are students given opportunities to demonstrate their literacy with ICT in different ways, appropriate to their learning style?

Relevance: How is Literacy with ICT made relevant for the students? For example, do students engage in real world problem solving and projects or do they use ICT mainly for remediation and practice?

Policies Relating to Implementing Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum

School leaders follow provincial and school division policies regarding infusion of ICT and develop school-based strategies for

• implementing Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum
• regular classroom assessment FOR/AS learning

Procedures for Implementing Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum

School leaders, together with their staffs, develop procedures within the context of provincial and divisional policies and their school plan, to implement Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum.

Common planning time: School leaders consider common planning time for teachers as they work collaboratively, so that they have time to plan and coordinate use of the continuum within and across grade levels and curricular areas. School leaders establish a teacher team(s) at each grade level and/or across grade levels. The focus of the team(s) is to ensure that the principles of continuity, complexity, diversity, equity and relevance are applied when deciding the key skills, strategies, student learning and assessment of literacy with ICT at each grade level and across the curriculum.

Professional learning: School leaders provide professional learning about Literacy with ICT, so teachers learn how it can support students to achieve curricular outcomes. Action research, classroom-based inquiry, professional learning over time and ongoing mentoring by other teachers have all proven to be effective ways to provide professional learning.

Budget: School leaders set priorities to ensure that students and teachers have the necessary supports and resources to develop literacy with ICT.

Technical support: School leaders ensure adequate and timely technical support. They do not expect teachers to provide their own technical support. They also ensure that decisions regarding technical support are made in the best instructional interests of the students and teachers.
Access to ICT in the classroom: School leaders establish ways to provide just-in-time access to ICT in the classroom.

Reporting procedures: This is a local decision. School leaders develop voluntary procedures and timelines for reporting to parents, students and the community. Reporting documents such as report cards, student profiles and electronic portfolios show evidence of student progress.