Communicating with ICT
The following relates to the QCAR cross-curriculum priority: By the end of Year 5, students experiment with, select and use ICT across key learning areas to collaborate and enhance communication in different contexts for an identified audience.
By the end of Year 5 students:
Explore different digital media to communicate and collaborate; they:
- compose email to suit the purpose and audience and use electronic address list to communicate with groups
- use a range of online communication tools to share ideas and information
- participate in collaborative online projects with peers and online experts
- use digital concept mapping tools to present ideas and show relationships between main ideas and supporting details
- use spreadsheet software to present data and communicate findings
- use word processing, publishing and presentation software to convey messages and meanings for specific audiences through text and images
Apply standards and conventions when using ICT to communicate; they:
- use correct conventions of the email genre when composing and sending messages
- know that digital texts can be edited to improve the effectiveness of communication
- determine and select appropriate communication devices for particular audience and purpose
- use editing features of software such as spelling and grammar tools to improve writing for publication
- use consistent text and image formatting and page designs in digital products
Reflect on their use of ICT and identify ways to improve their effectiveness of communication; they:
- reflect on the editing process to improve effectiveness of communication
- consider the use of email when communicating with groups
- reflect on the choice of software used to communicate ideas
Explore different digital media to communicate and collaborate
| Examples of how ICT can enhance learning | Key learning area | Sample resource |
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Communicate with a class from a different country to develop a greater awareness and appreciation of other cultures within our global community. Use a safe online electronic system such as Learning Place web conferencing or project rooms to connect with students in other countries via email, chats, forums and blogs. |
LOTE |
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Collaboratively write a set of navigational instructions as text messages to communicate distance and direction. For example, use mobile phones with QR codes (see above) and compasses and follow the directions leading to a prize or treasure. |
SOSE: Place and Space |
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Read a book/novel and participate in online events like Learning Place Book Raps, the annual Online Literature Festival or the State Library's online book rave. |
English: Reading and Viewing |
Learning Place Book Raps, |
Participate in a Learning Place online chat with an ex-serviceman to hear personal perspectives and experiences of world conflicts. Work collaboratively to design a set of suitable questions and use chat transcripts to promote further discussions. |
SOSE: Culture and Identity |
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Participate in a blog as a character in role, posting personal reflections in the form of a diary. For example, assume the role of a convict recording events as they occurred during the voyage from England to Australia and subsequent detainment in a convict camp. Peers can read each other's blog entries and enter comments. Listen to a real diary transcript |
SOSE: Time, Continuity and Change |
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Compose, address and send an email message in a language other than English to students of a sister school in another country. |
LOTE |
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Use concept mapping software to diagrammatically present the lifecycle of a living thing. Capture daily or weekly images of a germinating seed. Create a photo story and add audio to describe the growth and structure of the plant over time. |
Science: Life and Living, Primary Connections - Plants in Action |
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Compose an email in English outlining suggestions for a shopping excursion. Send it to a guest in another country. |
LOTE: Intercultural Investigations |
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Use a concept map to graphically present Australian shopping practices and attitudes. Exchange emails to students of a sister school in another country to compare shopping practices. |
LOTE: Intercultural Investigations |
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Participate in an online chat with students in different countries to compare Christmas traditions and celebrations around the world. Visit The Learning Place Online Chats - Christmas Around the World. |
SOSE: Culture and Identity |
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Write a description of an invertebrate and include appropriate digital images. |
Science: Life and Living, Primary Connections - Schoolyard Safari |
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Use publishing software to design and create a brochure about a local event or place in another country. Email the brochure to students of a sister school in that country. Ask these students for feedback. |
LOTE
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Use webcam timelapse software to record the progression of the sun and shadows at set time intervals throughout the day. |
Science: Earth and Beyond |
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As part of a science investigation, measure the length of shadows cast at different times of the day. Record the results in a spreadsheet and present this information as a column or line graph. Discuss the results and make further predictions. |
Science: Energy and Change, Primary Connections - Light Fantastic |
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Communicate online with an author and respond to their work while they are in the process of writing. For example, participate in the Learning Place Online Literature Festival or use the Summer Reading Club to post comments into an author's blog. |
English: Reading and Viewing |
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Critically evaluate Internet sites used to translate text into other languages. Translate English text into a language other than English and vice versa. Compare the usefulness of Internet translation sites and handheld translators. Discuss the effectiveness of the results. Is the message lost in the translation? |
LOTE |
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Use a digital voice recorder to record an interview with an older resident to collect information about a local area. Share their information with the class via a podcast. |
English: Speaking & Listening, SOSE - Time, Continuity & Change) |
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Participate in a maths investigation and gather data for a simple survey using a hand-held digital recording device. Listen to audio recordings and collate findings using simple tally marks to find the most and least popular responses. Record the results in a spreadsheet and present the findings as a graph. |
Maths: Chance and Data |
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Participate in a range of activities to investigate the probability of events occurring. Present findings as tables and graphs using spreadsheet software. For example, red is the most common colour of Smarties; and when two coins are tossed, the most frequent combination is head and tail. |
Maths: Chance and Data |
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Use a concept map to present the main ideas and supporting details for an information report. Students select an event, research according to specific criteria and present findings in a word-processed information report. Use Inspiration to organise notes and answer who, what, where, when, why and how. |
SOSE: Culture and Identity, Time, Continuity and Change |
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Use publishing software to design and create a travel brochure advertising a significant Australian tourist attraction or significant place of interest, such as the Great Barrier Reef or Uluru. |
English: Writing and Designing |
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Use spreadsheet or word processing software to create a timetable promoting the starting times of events that will be held during a school sports carnival or cross country. Calculate the approximate duration of events and translate them into 24 hour time. |
Maths: Measurement, Time |
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Use concept mapping software to diagrammatically present the lifecycle of a living thing. |
Science: Life and Living |
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Using presentation software to design and create slides to share an information report about a planet within the Solar System. Use animation features to show motion paths of planets and moons. |
Science: Earth and Beyond, Primary Connections - Spinning in Space |
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Design and conduct an online survey to investigate water use in the local community. Use spreadsheet software to record the data and present the findings graphically. |
Science: Life and Living |
Apply standards and conventions when using ICT to communicate
| Examples of how ICT can enhance learning | Key learning area | Sample resource |
|---|---|---|
Select and add digital photographs or images to accompany text within a class newsletter to enhance the effectiveness of communication. |
English: Reading and Viewing |
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Assume the role of a child convict on the First Fleet and write a poem describing your experiences. Present the poem as a word processed document and use editing features to improve your writing before sharing your work with others. Proofread and use spelling and grammar tools. |
English: Writing and Designing
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Recite a poem and record your recital using a digital voice recorder. Share the recording with peers and invite peer assessment on such issues as expression, fluency and volume. |
English: Speaking and Listening |
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Use publishing software such as Writing Fun to design and create an invitation to a class event, such as a multicultural function. Attach the invitation to an email message and send it to invited guests. |
English: Writing and Designing
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Writing fun |
Design and create a website to share information about a significant event in Australian history, such as the Gold Rush, arrival of the First Fleet, Australian Federation, the Vietnam War or the World Wars. Consider the audience, page design, text and image balance, font style and size, and background colour. |
SOSE: Time, continuity and change |
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Plan a video storytelling piece using storyboarding tools such as Photo Story 3. Use photo or video editing software to enhance the piece. For example, including zooms, reveals, panning, animation, backtracks, sound effects and timing to create a mood. Atomic Learning sites are available free through The Learning Place Blackboard system (DETE employees only). |
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Photo Story 3, |
Reflect on their use of ICT and identify ways to improve their effectiveness of communication
| Examples of how ICT can enhance learning | Key learning area | Sample resource |
|---|---|---|
Examples of reflective statements made by students:
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