New Curriculum: ICT integrated in all subjects, Teacher re-training on going

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 syllabusICT application (How ICT will be integrated for the task category)
Field workUse of cameras to take
photos and record videos
Locate places on a mapUse digital maps such as
Google maps or an equivalent application.
Presentation in classUse presentation
application
Search for key words and
meanings
Use online dictionary or
search online
Make drawing/graphicsUse publishing
software/Word processor
Role play, narrationsUse audio and video
recordings
DemonstrationsUse audio/video
recordings, models and simulations
Locating and putting marks on an areaUse digital/online mapping
Show data charts,
statistics
Use spreadsheet software
Data analysisUse spreadsheet or any other specialized data analysis software
Group discussionsMind mapping software
Search for extra reading materialsDownload files from the Internet
Writing equations and
formulae
Use equation editors
Carry out academic researchUse 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.

Rogers Mukalele Presenting a group presentation about assessment in ICT during a New Curriculum Master Trainers workshop at Seeta High School Mukono on Jan 29, 2020
ICT Group: Some of the ICT Master Trainers who attended the training on New Curricullum rollout

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. 

Mr. Sam Kuloba addressing the Master Trainers at Seeta High School Mukono in Mbalala on Friday 28th January 2020

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.

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