Pictured: An English teacher delivers a lesson on abstract nouns with the aid of ICT
ICT is to be used both as a tool for enhancing teaching and learning (Digital Pedagogy) and also as a full subject according to the New Lower Secondary Curriculum that is being rolled out starting with S1s this year. Its use as a pedagogical tool has been integrated in the learning activities in the syllabus documents.
The Ministry of Education and Sports reviewed the Lower Secondary School Curriculum in a bid to provide quality secondary education to all school going learners in Uganda, The review aimed at reducing content overload, contact hours in the classroom; fostering learner centered pedagogy, competence based approach, and criterion referenced assessment.
The purpose of the review is to produce a secondary school graduate with employable skills that are competitive in the job market. It is also intended to improve efficiency and effectiveness in curriculum delivery.
ICT has been integrated in the delivery of all subjects
because it provides a rich context for learners to communicate, co-operate, and
think critically, calculate and solve problems. ICT is, indeed, one of the
Generic Skills and has application across all subjects.
Related: A Quick Look at The New ICT Syllabus for Lower Secondary
The table
below shows some of the ways ICT can be used in various subjects as suggested
in all syllabus documents.
| Category of a task in the syllabus | ICT application (How ICT will be integrated for the task category) |
| Field work | Use of cameras to take photos and record videos |
| Locate places on a map | Use digital maps such as Google maps or an equivalent application. |
| Presentation in class | Use presentation application |
| Search for key words and meanings | Use online dictionary or search online |
| Make drawing/graphics | Use publishing software/Word processor |
| Role play, narrations | Use audio and video recordings |
| Demonstrations | Use audio/video recordings, models and simulations |
| Locating and putting marks on an area | Use digital/online mapping |
| Show data charts, statistics | Use spreadsheet software |
| Data analysis | Use spreadsheet or any other specialized data analysis software |
| Group discussions | Mind mapping software |
| Search for extra reading materials | Download files from the Internet |
| Writing equations and formulae | Use equation editors |
| Carry out academic research | Use the Internet and other academic applications like “Encarta”, “Britannica” etc. |
| Share or learn with your peers or people across the world | Form learning networks with blogs, social media, emails or any other networking application. |
Retooling of Teachers
on New Curriculum going on country wide
I am writing this article from Seeta High School Mukono, one of the schools hosting Teachers from all parts of the country that are being trained by curriculum experts from National Development Center (NCDC) and officials from Ministry of Education and sports.
Over 1,600 master trainers of trainers or national trainers have been trained during this month of January and they are going to support the roll out of the curriculum to other teachers in their regions.
Sam Kuloba, the commissioner of Secondary
School Education, told journalists that the training is part of government’s
plan to roll out the curriculum in an organized way to ensure that it is
effective.
“The national trainers will go out to
train the mass of all teachers across the country and I believe this is going
to take a very short time because we have finished training the first set. Next
week we’re going to get districts. We’re not training all the teachers at a go,
we’re beginning with the teachers that deliver content in senior one. Those are
the ones we’re targeting and this training will be continuous until we cover
all the teachers. Right now we’re looking at having 22,000.” said
Kuloba.
Term One opening date postponed for
SESEMAT in-service traning schools
The Education and Sports Ministry has extended holidays for over 20 government aided schools that will be used to train teachers on the new lower secondary school curriculum.
Some of the affected schools
include Kololo SS, Mount St Mary’s Namgunga, St Mary’s Kisubi, Trinity College
Nabbingo, Kololo Secondary School, Kibuli Secondary School, Mvara Secondary
School, Ntare School, Mpanga Secondary School, Duhaga Secondary School and
Muntuyera High School.
Edward Kanoonya, the head teacher Kololo secondary school
says they will find a way to compensate for the one week that the students will
lose as the training takes place.
“To try and catch up with lost time, we shall
have to push the school term by a week or have students report a week earlier
at the beginning of the next school term so that we can catch up with lost
time,” he said.
It is estimated that 22,000 teachers will participate in the training at regional level. Each school is expected to send five teachers at the designated schools for training.
As an association of ICT teachers, we have been encouraging our members to embrace digital pedagogy since last year when our members attended a workshop at the American Center. and we shall continue having sessions on the same during our workshops planned for this year.
