Hazelwood Integrated College
Hazelwood wins specialist ICT status
Classroom 2000 (C2K) is responsible for the provision of an ICT managed service to each of Northern Ireland's 1,200 schools. It is the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative in Europe. Northgate Managed Services works in partnership with C2K to deliver the managed service which ensures ICT is fully embedded in all aspects of education supporting transformation in teaching and learning. Hazelwood Integrated College has always been an eager participant in the classroom computer revolution. Now it is in the throes of software evolution, arming students with skills that could be their path to careers.
The 800-pupil school has more than 400 computers. All classrooms have cable access. Each of the 60 teachers has a managed desktop and a data projector.
Specialist ICT Status
Hazelwood is the latest N. Ireland college to receive specialist ICT status. The accolade brings an £800,000 windfall over four years, which is likely to create teaching jobs as the school expands its computer-based learning facilities.
Staff say this latest prize, and success in AVCE results in IT and Business Studies, reflect its commitment to embedding ICT as a resource for stimulating academic and vocational talent. All post-16 students receive instruction in basic ICT programs.
"It is not an option," emphasises Gavin Robinson, Hazelwood's ICT coordinator.
"Learning the basics, like word processing is where it all starts. It becomes a confidence-building exercise that eventually takes you out of the box and out of your own comfort zone to explore new horizons."
IT and Business Studies students last year tackled a new challenge, a project management module. Under a visiting professional project manager, they jointly worked on a variety of tasks. Inter-personal skills and ICT were a joint catalyst for the final outcomes.
"We had to get Project 2003 installed on the system so that they could undertake a business venture using this management program," Gavin says. "It was a real life scenario which involved collaboration, team leadership, people being responsible for certain jobs, collecting and managing information, visual and graphic research. That went beyond the 'bedrock' ICT knowledge. That was using ICT more adventurously."
ICT Across all Subjects
Across five classes in the senior school, more than 90 per cent of students got grades A-C in AVCE in IT or in Business Studies exams in 2005. The IT and Design department has begun to roll-out interactive whiteboard installation to the English, Geography, Maths, Music and Home Economic departments.
Gavin says: "A lot of teachers, particularly in the maths department, have found the software that is used has enhanced their lessons. We have gone for Promethean whiteboards. In Home Economics, they used to give out paper when they were making a menu. Now it is just projected up on to the screen."
Computers are due to come into play in PE department too. Dartfish software analyses athlete during football, long jump, high jump or other field events. It enables student and teacher to pick up on weak points. The Music department is set to use Soundhouse to teach guitar and other instruments.
Principal Noreen Campbell, who retired last year, identified IT infrastructure as pivotal to development. The school raised around £100k to buy 100 computers. Hazelwood became an accredited ECDL centre where, in 1997, Gavin and colleague Wendy McConnell began tutoring more than half of the then 40-plus staff to ECDL success. When the C2k managed service came on stream, we immediately added another 100 computers. Computer activity and availability has flourished since then.
Gavin says: "Computers are the backbone of the system. I don't think you can do the other things - such as creativity issues and getting kids to work independently or work collaboratively - without having, firstly, the hardware infrastructure and, secondly, the basic grounding in the Microsoft Office application packs. The difference it makes to some kids' coursework and research work is phenomenal."
Collaborative Working
Chatting in the modern school on the slopes below Cave Hill and facing out over Belfast Lough, Gavin flicks on a laptop and demonstrates a polished collaborative contribution to emPowering Schools by Hazelwood and six other schools, involving Art, Music, Technology and Maths departments.
The presentation comprises projects which involved cross-school and inter-departmental work on the theme "using digital imagery to enhance learning". Components include studies of the work of a restaurant, remembering the dead of World War One and Picasso-like artwork based on digital photography and student artwork. Each segment demonstrates practical skills such as scripting, filming, editing, music-choice, graphics, putting functions in sequence and deadlines.
The work now forms a portfolio of computer and digital best practice which has been submitted to the Regional Training Unit for online demonstration to schools and students as a working guide to project compilation. Gavin put together the final presentation using the Opus Headstart.
Hazelwood has won specialist school status for innovative development plans in moving image and digital arts. Last year it bought eMacs and iMacs and set up a special editing suite to provide students with practical editing skills. The successful bid for specialist status was the result of intensive extra hours' work by part-time ICT teacher Jennifer Johnston and school principal Eileen Lenehan, who has carried forward her predecessor's commitment to ICT.
Gavin says: "We are now a specialist school in moving image and digital arts. So, C2k has meant that we have been successful in establishing something beyond C2k. If C2k were not around, a lot of schools would not have the software availability that they have. There are 200 software titles and schools wouldn't have the budget to purchase those on their own."
