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Electronics, Communications Technology (ECT) impacts on our lives in a countless number of ways, ranging from our everyday use of heating, lighting and water systems, to our interactions with systems which control power, computers and communications, motor vehicles and transportation.

However our education system has made little significant effort to educate young people in the basic skills that under-pin ICT. These skills are related to what is becoming known as electronics and communications technology (ECT). There has been little effort in the past decade to teach pupils in schools about some of the details of the all pervasive technology that surround us, for at the core of all ICT systems are electronic circuits and systems.

The Electronics in Schools Strategy is part of DATAs Digital D&T initiative and is an ambitious attempt to address this need to interest and educate a significantly larger number of young people in ECT. The intention is that this will increase the level of technological literacy in ECT. The project aims to encourage young people to consider working in this dynamic sector of industry that needs able young people who can develop, service and maintain the increasingly complex electronic highways and control systems that are the key building blocks of a modern technological society.

Les Porter is an accredited EiSS trainer and at Ideas In2 Action we deliver CPD courses for teachers to help them deliver ECT material at Key Stages 3 & 4. This CPD takes the form of a four day course, which is usually delivered in 2 x 2 day blocks and is supplemented by assignments and case-studies undertaken in the teacher’s own school. Participants on the course are entitled to payment to their school in the form of supply cover and on completion of the assignments each delegate receives a voucher for £400 to buy ECT equipment for their schools.

Ideas in2 Action delivers the ECT CPD either at our premises in Metheringham in Lincolnshire or in conjunction with The Design and Technology Education Centre at Sheffield Hallam University. For some LEAs we have developed a course that can be delivered in teacher centre or schools within the LEA consortium.

The photographs that appear on this section of the site introduce you to some of our clients who have previously undertaken our ECT training and the following link will take you to a resistor calculator which you might find useful in your electronics teaching.

Registered course delegates can download their course manual from this link.

The Electronics in Schools Strategy.