Task 1: Summary of the legal framework of the use of ICT in the ESO

There is no doubt that technology has changed our lives during the past decades and that it plays an essential role in our culture. More than ever, we are connected in a way that has never been possible before. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance for the younger generations to acquire knowledge on how to use ICTs effectively. Some years ago, what we now know as ‘digital competence’ was not required for teaching. However, bearing in mind the fact that schools should prepare students for life, nowadays the digital competence has been incorporated into our educational system. Therefore, this requires the correct integration of ICTs in the classroom and a proper training for teachers on the use of these devices in class.

Linguistic competence, which is one of the main competences recognized in “el Real Decreto”, can be achieved through the use of digital resources if used correctly. According to the legal framework of the use of ICTs in the ESO, digital competence is present in every part of the curriculum in all stages of Secundaria Obligatoria, mainly in block 5, which focuses on transversal elements. ICTs enhance the teaching and learning process, facilitate self-learning and self-evaluation and motivate students. We should educate our students in this topic so that they become aware of all the possibilities that the use of ICTs offer to them, as well as learn about the ethical and legal limits that this use imply.

Teachers should receive some instruction on how to foster the student’s personal development and how to train young people for a professional future that will most likely require of them a high knowledge on this subject. One of the main advantages of ICTs is the huge amount of information that they provide. However, this also implies a need to teach our students how to classify it, filter  and select it. In the ESO, early teenagers and teenagers should be taught to denounce bad practices such as cyberbullying. Besides, it is worthy of note that, according to "el Real Decreto", the students’ own projects and tasks can be greatly benefitted by knowing how to use certain apps and devices that can contribute to making the final product look more aesthetically pleasing or professional.

Overall, these are some of the main reasons why students should be taught about ICTs in the ESO according to this document, but there are many more and we, as teachers, should make sure that our future generations know how to make the best of them and can benefit from all the positive aspects that technology offers if used adequately.