ICT

We depend on computer technology in so many aspects of daily life from mobile communications all the way through to shopping on the internet. The aim of this subject is to familiarise our students with this expansive use of technology and to appreciate the reasons for its application to solve many real life situations. Computer literacy is also important for our students to be equipped to make the most of information and communication technologies.

Students learn to feel confident in their use of office applications, such as word processing, desktop publishing, website authoring, spreadsheet and database. Their analytical & problem solving skills are stretched in their use of a programming language to solve problems. The acquisition & application of useful skills for life is what this subject is all about.

  •   Year 1 and 2

    • Assessment is ongoing through tasks, assignments and tests. We set vocabulary tests and the use of English to explain the concepts we encounter in the subject. At the end of the school year there is a longer examination designed to test all the material taught over the year. In this examination students identify the correct use of computer jargon and solve practical problems to demonstrate their software based skills.

      In terms of practical skills these are developed in word processing, spreadsheet modelling, desktop publishing with some aspects of computer graphics, internet searching, website authoring, presentations and programming in Visual Basic. The aim is to not only develop computer literacy, but to cover the Czech curriculum and to act as a primer should students wish to continue with ICT to complete an IGCSE.

  •   Year 3 and 4

    • IGCSE in Years 3 & 4

      At this level the student that opts to study this subject gains a depth of understanding about the use of computer technologies in many aspects of everyday life. They are able to appreciate the application of databases, such as a library or medical appointments system. The use of computers in problem solving is explored through programming and expert systems, such as medical diagnosis.

      Besides the theoretical aspects we focus on the advanced use of functions in spreadsheet modelling, database design as well as advanced word processing skills and the integration of data from differing sources into one final document. Students explore and use complex calculations using a spreadsheet & the use of data logging.

      This all culminates in an internationally recognised ICT qualification that tests both theoretical and practical applications of knowledge and skills. It makes for ICT literate individuals who can apply their new found skills to any arena of study or work.

      Year 3 Czech Programme

      This year allows students who do not pursue an IGCSE in ICT to complete the Czech syllabus and in so doing they work with creating and manipulating databases and in learning how to mail merge as well as creating integrated documents which is excellent preparation for academic work in later years where projects demand the inclusion of charts and graphs, tables of data and images in a professional looking report.

  •   The Department
    • I’ve been intrigued by what we can achieve with ICT. It’s not only about number crunching or automating business procedures. It can be used creatively as well. ICT can change lives and create choices. I know this better than most. Originally I trained as an artist (or painter to be precise) and only used computers to type up my dissertation because it was novel at the time and artists and computers are seen as a bit of a contradiction. How can our logical and creative, even emotional sizes be reconciled. My MSc in computer science involved a lot of maths and a lot of programming logic but we don’t limit ourselves to a traditional computing education at ECP. Programming plays its part but we also create. We create websites, presentations and publications that allow imagination to be expressed and our students are interested in style as well as content and effectively use graphics and text together to extraordinary effect. After having managed the introduction our new management information system to school my own database and application skills are kept current and I am involved in finding solutions that work for the school. This knowledge enriches my teaching practice at IGCSE level where I can draw on a real situation to contextualise the otherwise dry subject of how information systems work.
  •   Beyond ECP

    • The department hosted a group of heads of subject from Prague international schools not too many years ago and this potential source of inter-school collaboration. We can boast of one student who gained a place at Oxford University for a computing and mathematics degree course.