User Guide for Update your ICT Skills

1 You will need to log in to

2 You will then see a list of available courses, select Key Skills

3 From the list select

Update Your Communication, Number and ICT Skills you may need to scroll down to see it.

The home page gives you links to the 3 sections. Click on ICT Skills

This training programme has been designed to help you to deliver ICTskills in a class setting or for users to use stand alone. A sample lesson plan is given below. Learning resources are available at levels 1 and 2.

Teachers’ Notes and Lesson Plan for ICT Skills

This package brings together a wide range of resources that are suitable for learners to use independently or for use in a classroom. Most of the material has been produced with public finance and are freely available on the internet. This package acts as an index and central reference point for these widely dispersed resources. The material has been referenced against Part A of ICTat levels 1 and 2. In addition you will find some self-check tests that can be used either to establish existing knowledge and skills or to review learning at the end of a session.

Most of the resources will open directly from the link and can be used immediately. The only exception is keyskills4u which requires you to go through the log in page even if you then use the material without logging in. It is advisable to open this site in advance to avoid delays during the lesson.

The object of collecting the material together in this form was to allow maximum flexibility in the use of the resources. They provide a useful refresher for anyone supporting learners as well as for the learners themselves.

Individual Use

In order to use the material individually learners will need to be registered on the e-Dysg site. To do this go to and click on Create a new account, each learner will need a valid email account to activate their registration.

Class Based Use

To use in a classroom setting (ideally with an interactive whiteboard)\or when working in the workplace, only the tutor needs to be registered and have access to the resources.

The session plan below assumes that the resources will be used in a group lesson with access to a whiteboard

Suggested Lesson Plan (Blue text as for example purposes, adjust as required)

Session Details / Resources / Aims and Objectives
Date
Time 1 hour assumed
Location
Group
Tutor / Internet enabled computer
Projector
White board (interactive if possible)
Wireless keyboard and mouse (if available – not essential)
Skillswise fact sheets (if appropriate)
Paper, pens etc, / To
Explore the concept of appropriate layout
Practice changing layout and assessing impact
Learning Outcomes – by the end of this session learners will be able to:
ICT 2
Know how to lay out text using tabulation, justification, spacing and supplied styles
Duration / Topic / Tutor / Learners / Resources / Assessment
5 minutes / Introduction / Is layout important? / Discussion / Formatted and unformatted text
10 minutes / Different layout styles / Demonstrating and leading further discussion / BBC bitesize resource
30 minutes / Practice / Facilitating / Using Layout sessions and practicing skills / Appropriate Layouts and Consistent Layouts
15 minutes / How much cn you remember? / Facilitating / Applying appropriate style to a short piece of text / Sample text / Teacher assessment or peer review

The Resources

We have tried to give you a wide variety of resources so that you can explore different ways of learning and find out what suits your learners best

All resources are hyperlinked – click on the name and it will open the website.

AECT and Dysg Generated Resources

These resources play Flash instruction packs which show exactly “How to” using animated and annotated screenshots. They are ideal for individual learners to refresh their memory or for class instruction

Key Skills Trainer

This is a web based set of lessons, short quizzes and games that allow you to learn the new skills and test yourself. Each section is short – usually taking 15-20 minutes to complete, many include notes that you can print out and keep. You will need to have access to the internet to use this resource, it works best if you can use sound either through speakers or headphones.

To find Key Skills Trainer type into your browser (Google or similar). Or if you are reading this on a machine that has internet access simply hold down the control button and click on the underlined words above.

You will see

Click here to open the programme

If this message comes up

Click on OK and then move your mouse pointer to the bar shown here

And select Allow Pop Ups from this site.

Now you can choose whether to Log In and have your results saved so that you can go back and see them later, or to use the Trainer but not save your results. It is up to you - no one else can see your results.

Select the skills you want to practice and click on the button

There will be a short pause while the programme loads!

You can listen to the introduction or skip it and go straight to the lessons

If you want to play the game click here

This menu lets you choose the lesson you want to do

Click on the Learn button to do the lesson or the Take Set A to see the short quiz that will test your skills

BBC Skillswise

The BBC has a huge range of resources to support adult learners. BBC Skillswise ( is the ideal place to start.

On your skills list we have given you direct links to each section. That means that if you use the sheet on a computer with internet access you can simply click on the name and you will be taken straight to the right section.

You can also get there by following the simple on screen links. Lets take 2 examples

  1. Using apostrophes

Apostrophes are part of Grammar, so click on Grammar

And there is the link

  1. Dividing

Click on Whole Numbers

And you will find

In every section you will find a useful fact sheet that you can print out and keep as well as worksheets, games etc to help you practice your skills.

BBC Key Skills

This part of the BBC website is aimed at young people doing Key Skills. You will find some useful resources here

Most of the information is about how to do a project; you may want to have a look through this again when you are ready to complete your portfolio.