Qualifying in ICT

whiteandlight

Just found out that there wasn't sufficient demand for first year music so I'm teaching ECDL/ICT for the rest of the year instead as the timetable was done already. I'm qualified in music and maths but would be heavily IT literate, running my classroom on ipad+projector etc.

I'm just wondering has any qualified in ICT as an additional subject and how/where you did it. The Teaching Council does have the "part of a three year degree" mentioned but it has that down for Religious Education too and you can do HDIP in that in maynooth to qualify.

Chris68

I have ICT registered. I needed my honours degree in computers, my ECDL qualification and my JEB diploma. If you're teaching ECDL I'd hope you at least have that qualification? If you are examining the ECDL also then you'd need to have the ECDL Tester certificate too.

whiteandlight

Chris68 wrote: »

I have ICT registered. I needed my honours degree in computers, my ECDL qualification and my JEB diploma. If you're teaching ECDL I'd hope you at least have that qualification? If you are examining the ECDL also then you'd need to have the ECDL Tester certificate too.

I've done my ecdl! Degree and a diploma? Right in that case it's definitely off my list of possible extra qualifications! I'll stick with it as a hobby

mtoutlemonde

Musicmental85 wrote: »

I'm qualified in ecdl alright! Degree and a diploma? Right in that case it's definitely off my list of possible extra qualifications! I'll stick with it as a hobby

If you have your pgde you don't need the JEB - I'm an ICT teacher and don't have it and am fully registered. The JEB course is a FAS course that satisfies their requirements to teach IT in one of their training centres - When I looked at it before my dip it cost around €2000 and wasn't recognised by the Teaching Council. Have you used / been trained in the new ECDL system? Just wondering how did you get ECDL tester training if you don't have IT qualifications?
Information about the JEB here: http://www.progressivetraining.ie/computer-training/jeb-ireland/ - There will be many more offering the course, this is the first one I found.

bdoo

In reality there is no advantage to being registered to teach ict. I think that a lot of schools will jettison the ECDL over the next few years due to costs.

Anyone who can manage ctrl alt delete will be put into computers as a filler if they have to be.

mtoutlemonde

bdoo wrote: »

In reality there is no advantage to being registered to teach ict. I think that a lot of schools will jettison the ECDL over the next few years due to costs.

Anyone who can manage ctrl alt delete will be put into computers as a filler if they have to be.

I agree - thats why I did another subject!! I can see schools dropping ECDL as it is expensive and is not as relevant today with nearly every child having a computer in their home and knowing more about computers than I probably did when I started university I also can't see the department bringing in an exam in ICT as they would have to spend lots and lots to get some schools up to par. I think there should be because students (like myself prior to university) have no experience with coding and with the IT industry still growing it is necessary to attract new students. I know that there are coder dojo clubs - but not all students will be able to go to them and coding should be taught in school - it would also improve the results in maths and make students think for themselves!

whiteandlight

I have ECDL not that I've done the training course in it. TBH I am literally one of those added to the timetable as a filler. Having said that I have a great interest in ICT, done some coding in my own time and worked with students last year in computer club in school on lower level stuff including scratch and basic java through codeacademy.
Haven't seen the scheme of work yet so I don't know what is officially on it yet.

mtoutlemonde

Musicmental85 wrote: »

I have ECDL not that I've done the training course in it. TBH I am literally one of those added to the timetable as a filler. Having said that I have a great interest in ICT, done some coding in my own time and worked with students last year in computer club in school on lower level stuff including scratch and basic java through codeacademy.
Haven't seen the scheme of work yet so I don't know what is officially on it yet.

Well how did you get the tester certificate? Are you sure you are registered with ICS? You have to attend training every five years to maintain your certificate. Anyone can teach it but you have to be registered to administer the tests.
If you have freedom with the scheme of work - I would suggest Digital Storytelling - if you have the resources to do it - I did it during teaching practice - I loved it and more importantly the kids did do! My TP supervisor was also impressed. I didn't teach ICT since TP so didn't get a chance to do it - did a very small one for the TYs to describe their year.

whiteandlight

edited above, my fault!

rainbowtrout

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

Well how did you get the tester certificate? Are you sure you are registered with ICS? You have to attend training every five years to maintain your certificate. Anyone can teach it but you have to be registered to administer the tests.
If you have freedom with the scheme of work - I would suggest Digital Storytelling - if you have the resources to do it - I did it during teaching practice - I loved it and more importantly the kids did do! My TP supervisor was also impressed. I didn't teach ICT since TP so didn't get a chance to do it - did a very small one for the TYs to describe their year.

Also from what I remember there have to be two accredited testers in each centre, not just one, i.e. so you are not teaching the class and then administering their test as well.

The cost of ECDL is way too expensive (€1200 per year to be registered with ICS, no thanks).

bdoo

rainbowtrout wrote: »

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

Well how did you get the tester certificate? Are you sure you are registered with ICS? You have to attend training every five years to maintain your certificate. Anyone can teach it but you have to be registered to administer the tests.
If you have freedom with the scheme of work - I would suggest Digital Storytelling - if you have the resources to do it - I did it during teaching practice - I loved it and more importantly the kids did do! My TP supervisor was also impressed. I didn't teach ICT since TP so didn't get a chance to do it - did a very small one for the TYs to describe their year.

Also from what I remember there have to be two accredited testers in each centre, not just one, i.e. so you are not teaching the class and then administering their test as well.

The cost of ECDL is way too expensive (€1200 per year to be registered with ICS, no thanks).

What would you suggest instead rainbowtrout? I have been looking at this since we came back in Sept and the cost of it hit me between the two eyes - for the benefit.

Im sure thers something with fetac I could look at for next year. Could save me a rake of work if someone had a suggestion.

rainbowtrout

bdoo wrote: »

What would you suggest instead rainbowtrout? I have been looking at this since we came back in Sept and the cost of it hit me between the two eyes - for the benefit.

Im sure thers something with fetac I could look at for next year. Could save me a rake of work if someone had a suggestion.

We are also a FETAC centre. We offer full Level 5 certificates. While the paperwork is a bit of a pain in the arse, once you get your head around it, the qualifications are on the National Framework of Qualifications so students can put them towards a full cert in the future.

A couple of modules at Level 4 would probably be appropriate for second level students. With projects/portfolios of work/exams it would certainly bring a structure to a computer class and the students would get a qualification out of it. You can just focus on one or two modules instead of the hotch-potch bit of everything in ECDL.

Cons: Paperwork, registering as accreditted FETAC centre.
Pros: No cost to register as a FETAC centre, only cost is students fee for exam which is a lot cheaper than ECDL. Think it's €50 for a full cert (8+ modules) and perhaps €20 for any number of modules up to full cert.


This is a sample cert (Level 4) from FETAC and some of the modules offered within that cert. For anyone not familar with FETAC, a code beginning 4M is the full certificate, a code beginning 4N is a module within a certificate. Modules are called minor awards. Click on a module code/name and then click the link beside Component Specification to read what the module entails.

http://www.fetac.ie/fetac/awardsDirectory.do?method=getMajorAwardDetails&majorAwardId=12310&fromPage=awardsByField




Or these are all the individual Level 4 modules:

http://www.fetac.ie/fetac/awardsDirectory.do?method=getNFQMinorAwards&cmbResultPerPage=50

bdoo

Thanks,

We're a FETAC centre too, have two PLC's in the school so no bother there up to date on all the QA and stuff might get a move on it for next year. Can spend the 1200 euro on a couple of visualisers or something...

EDIT:

In fact we offer that course to the plc class so it seems a lot of the work is already done!!