ICT National Curriculum: Themes, Concepts and Skills

Overall Aims

To make pupils effective, enthusiastic and responsible users of ICT, able to use, naturally and selectively, appropriate ICT tools and techniques to help them meet the requirements of the curriculum.

ICT knowledge and skills can be divided into different levels. The first level is that of the National Curriculum where the subject is defined by just four themes and nine concepts. The second level is that of the specific software techniques and skills that must be developed if the broader aims are to be met; these are sometimes referred to as 'generic' skills and they include the use of word processors, spreadsheets, DTP, etc. A third level of knowledge and skills can be identified in subject-specific software that may not require the sort of generic skills found in DTP or spreadsheets but still involves the broad aims of the ICT national curriculum.

Level 1: Themes and Concepts

The National Curriculum for ICT provides four themes, three of which are divided into concepts:

1. Finding things out

2. Developing ideas and making things happen

3. Exchanging and sharing information

4. Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work in progress – this wraps around all of the above.

Various DfES papers give details of how these themes can be used in specific subjects. The next section of this document provides a detailed breakdown of key software skills that pupils should acquire in the course of their lessons in ICT and other subjects.

Level 2: Software Skills

Work based on the national curriculum should lead to the development of skills in a wide range of software. Many of these skills will be taught directly in ICT lessons and reinforced through practice in other subjects. There is not necessarily a sense of progression here, the skills will be used in different ways at different times, forgotten and remembered by different pupils. In each section the first items are part of a ‘core’ while items marked ‘X’ are extensions.

1. General Purpose Software

a. General

  1. Save data regularly and in different file types according to the application
  2. Appreciate the range of storage devices available
  3. Ensure that files are backed up and that different copies are synchronised
  4. Use the clipboard (Cut, Copy, Paste) to transfer data between applications
  5. Manage files with My Computer or ‘Work Space Explorer’
  6. Understand and use common computer terminology: application, bit, byte, broadband, browser, button, CDROM, CDRW, clipboard, data, desktop, dialogue box, digital camera, digital video, download, DTP, DVD, e-learning, email, encryption, expand button, icon, information, input, IP (address), laptop, LAN, memory, memory stick, menu, mouse, network, offline, online, output, PDA, presentation, print preview, remote, security, sensor, SMS, scanner, URL, USB, WAN, website, window, wireless…

b. Web Browser and Information Retrieval

  1. Search for and use web pages that meet individual needs
  2. Use the Back, Forward, Stop, Refresh and Home toolbar buttons
  3. Enter a URL directly into the address bar
  4. Use Favourites to store and organise significant web sites
  5. Perform searches for phrases using “ ” e.g. “To be or not to be”
  6. Search for items in the school library catalogue and other online catalogues
  7. Appreciate the difference between different search engines
  8. Construct advanced searches with ‘AND’, ‘OR’, ‘NOT’, ‘+’ and ‘-‘
  9. Use email and web pages to communicate with remote audiences
  10. X: Use ‘~’, ‘..’, ‘site:’, ‘link:’, ‘intitle:’, ‘inurl:’ and ‘define:’

c. Word Processing

  1. Enter text, format characters and align or justify paragraphs
  2. Understand views: Normal, Print, Outline
  3. Use spell check, grammar check and thesaurus in various languages
  4. Use Find and Replace to locate words and correct spelling
  5. Insert pictures and format text around them
  6. Insert objects such as symbols, charts, worksheets and equations
  7. Add headers, footers and page numbers
  8. Use numbered and bulleted lists where appropriate
  9. Use columns, section breaks and text boxes to create special layouts
  10. Create tables, insert and delete rows and columns; sort tables by column
  11. X: Track changes to view corrections
  12. X: Use Autocorrect to set up abbreviations of common phrases
  13. X: Use Styles for headings and user-defined styles
  14. X: Add a Table of Contents to projects (based on heading styles)
  15. X: Use footnotes to cite references (follow policies on plagiarism)
  16. X: Create macros to set up key combinations for special characters
  17. X: Understand and use templates for a series of similar documents
  18. X: Create electronic notes that can be edited and developed over time

d. Spreadsheets

  1. Recognise different types of cell content: text, numbers, formulae and functions
  2. Create charts and choose the most appropriate type
  3. Format charts and worksheets in a logical and neat way
  4. Use different numerical formats: integer, decimal, floating point, currency
  5. Create sequences such as 1,2,3,4…, January, February, etc.
  6. Use formulae and functions to perform calculations
  7. Replicate cell contents with drag-copy or Edit/Fill
  8. Use database features, especially Autofilter
  9. X: Use relative and absolute addresses in formulae
  10. X: Process statistics with formulae, functions and charts
  11. X: Use pivot tables to process statistics
  12. X: Build mathematical models with variables, inputs and outputs

e. Data Handling

  1. Use publications, field work and experiments as sources of data
  2. Store data for later use in appropriate files and structures
  3. Plan data collection to ensure that data are accurate and appropriate
  4. Design suitable methods of data capture such as forms and questionnaires
  5. Derive information from data (charts, statistics, pivot tables, etc.)
  6. X: Distinguish between structured and unstructured data
  7. X: Appreciate the need to protect data; comply with the Data Protection Act

f. Data logging and Control

  1. Measure, record and analyse physical variables and events
  2. Use hardware and software to record experimental and environmental data
  3. Transfer data from data logging devices to computer
  4. Open data files in appropriate software for analysis
  5. Control physical devices or view simulations on screen

g. Multimedia

  1. Load video and audio files into appropriate software
  2. Play, record and edit sounds and video
  3. Use still and video cameras and scanners to capture own images
  4. Add sound to a video: music, voice or both mixed together
  5. Create video presentations from existing images and clips
  6. X: Use video conferencing to communicate and share information

h. Presentations

  1. Create presentations for a talk or display
  2. Use slide layout, design, backgrounds and colour schemes
  3. Use normal, slide sorter and presentation views
  4. Use slide transition and animation
  5. Use bullet points to summarise points rather than paragraph text
  6. Use multimedia content (pictures, video, sound, web) to enrich presentations
  7. X: Use notes to provide details in text form that can be studied later
  8. X: Use tools other than slide generators such as video or e-book formats

i. Bitmap Graphics

  1. Understand the difference between bitmap and vector graphics
  2. Understand major bitmap formats (BMP, JPG, GIF, TIF) and their uses
  3. Acquire images from the Internet, digital cameras and scanners
  4. Rotate, size and crop digital images
  5. Use colour adjustments and filters to achieve special effects

j. Vector Graphics and DTP

  1. Combine text and images using frames/boxes
  2. Use freehand drawing tools to create boxes and lines to enhance design
  3. Create single page designs such as posters
  4. X: Create multi-page documents: brochures, booklets, catalogues, magazines
  5. X: Use master pages, columns, styles, headers, footers and captions

Most of these skills will be taught through projects and assignments rather than as stand-alone topics. Most pupils should be able to do most of these things by the end of key stage 3; it should be fairly easy to fill any gaps after this as any missing topics will fit easily into the overall framework.

2. Subject Specific Software

A wide range of software is available that is designed to address specific issues, topics and techniques within subjects. The emphasis in such software will be more on subject content than ICT skills but some of the broad aims of the national curriculum for ICT may be covered.

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