10 key principles for ICT in RE
1. Start with the RE aims and objectives

The key question is ,“How is using the ICT producing netter RE than if I were using other resources or methods?”. If you cannot answer wholeheartedly that this is so then you should not be using the technologies. However, don’t get stuck that ICT = the computer suite there are many other ways of using ICT.

A way of thinking about this is to ask yourself, is the teaching and/or learning that is taking place with the ICT more:

  • Effective (does it better): Using a video projector for showing slides, images and videos - more
  • Efficient (does it quicker): Putting your teaching resources onto a series of slides means that these can be adapted, developed and differentiated as well as placed onto the school Learning Platform for students to access when they are out of the classroom.
  • Transformative (does it in a new way): Using a website to gain access to a resource that would otherwise be impossible such as the ‘Ask a Rabbi” service at www.askarabbi.com
A school wanted the local vicar to come in to talk about his own faith and how this effected the way he led his life. The vicar could only come in once so the school arranged to video the interview so that is was then available for the other classes.
Students were collecting data on views on euthanasia. One student used the voice recorder on their mobile phone to make a “vox-pop” of opinions of 10 of their friends.
2. Be aware of your and your pupils’ ICT skills
Do you know what your pupils can do? If they are creating websites, making podcasts, running a blog and editing a stuident newspaper then can you use that in your lessons? Are you setting work for your pupils to do which allows they to make the best of the ICT skills that they have? If you are using technologies in the classroom do you have the skills to fix minor problems?
3. Be aware of learning styles
Research from the IoE indicates that teachers using IWBs spend more time teaching didactically then those with ordinary whiteboards. Get the technologies into the hands of the students (digital video, digital cameras) and use sound, image and moving images as well as text.
A junior school took their 9 year old students on a ‘spirituality walk around the local area, the student, working groups used a combined video, stills and voice recorder to collect data on things which they considered reflected a spiritual or religious dimension.
4. Motivation should be a reason but not the reason
ICT is exciting but don’t allow this to be the only reason to use it ­ refer back to point 1 above.
5. ICT should be used to access resources that are enhanced by the medium

These may include diversity, personal viewpoints, authentic voice and multi-media. There are some amazing resources out there in cyberspace a couple of my absolute favourites are the Children Talking database and You Tube both of these give you the chance to explore the diversity of religious ideas and beliefs in the world.

A few places to begin in your search for great resources are RE Online, The BBC's religion pages, Becta's Curriculum services and the Teachers’ resource exchange. [We will look at some of these later]
A teacher wanted data on how young people viewed death and after death. They used the Children Talking database to gather views from young people from a number of religions and different situations. This was data that the students would not have had access to another way. The students then added to the dataset by putting their own thoughts and views forward.
A teacher was exploring the tale of the Good Samaritan with her class. She looked on YouTube© and found many different interpretations of the tale. She used a couple of these with her class before asking them to make their own using PhotoStory3 – free storyboard software.
6. ICT should encourage learning from as well as learning about
A good way to encourage this is to set up a webquest and explore a whole new world. Setting a problem and then a series of tasks where the pupils have to search for the answers in cyberspace is a fantastic way of developing their own thinking and problems solving skills and fits in well with the PLTS approach in the new secondary curriculum.
A teacher wanted students to explore views on experimentation on animals. Putting "animal experimentation" into Google gave 3/4 of a million hits! So he set up a webquest using 5 key sites that he had chosen. The students were given a series of tasks to complete using the websites as resource.
7. ICT should encourage discussion, debate and collaboration it should be participative and interactive
Start to explore they ways in which e-mail, blogs, wikis can be used. Have a look at Nodehill's RE weblog as one example of how Mrs G.Bushell and her RE students are using a blog.
Students in a school were studying Bar/Bat Mitzvah. They got into e-mail contact with a school in Israel so that the UK students could talk to real Bar/Bat Mitzvum and ask about their experiences. This e-mail dialogue between students of a similar age was very effective.
8. Be aware of the amount of effort it will take
Don’t try and do everything at the same time. ICT will make teaching and learning more effective, efficient or transform it BUT it does take time and effort to effect the change. Also remember that you don’t have to re-invent the wheel; check places like the Teachers’ Resource Exchange http://tre.ngfl.gov.uk/ where you might find a resource that you use the 3 ‘A’s, Amend, Adapt, Add! Check schools.becta.org.uk/ for a host of ideas on using ICT and, in the words of the song, take one step at a time!
A teacher liked to use quiz activities as plenaries and reinforcements in their lessons. They wanted to make a “Who wants to be a millionaire” type quiz but did not have the skills to make this. They searched on the Teachers’ resource exchange and found a quiz that they could easily, and quickly adapt.
9. Use ICT to take part in continuing professional development and become part of the community of practice
Are you feeling isolated as the only specialist in your school? There are a number of on-line places where you can come and join a community. Try NATRE, the The TES staffroom or the Yahoo RE teachers’ group.
A new Head of RE was wondering which GCSE syllabus to use – by going onto a forum they were able to communicate with more experienced colleagues and solicit a range of advice before making a decision.
10. Make sure you have a fall back plan
Whilst things have got MUCH better in the last few years it is still possible that the DVD player will fail, the batteries will be flat, or the network will be down so you need to have an emergency ‘when it goes wrong’ plan. You will not need this the vast majority of the time you use the technology but belt and braces!
Top