[Year 12 IPM] VELS - Who Cares???

Wed Jun 8 22:18:54 EST 2005

http://www.ictev.vic.edu.au/event/Activity_Interactive_Notes/VELS_Notes_2.doc
http://www.ictev.vic.edu.au/event/Activity_Interactive_Notes/VELS_Notes_1.ppt
Thank you Roland. My, it's scarey, isn't it? How will the poor kids cope
with all of this almost meaningless change (for change sake?) Can anyone
explain, using words of no more than two syllables, what all of this
fuss is really about? Apart from our obedience, and just doing as we are
told to do, why do it at all? Beats me!
Anyway, here are the two URLs that Roland is referring to, but does
anyone know where I can find answers to my perplexities above? I don't
mind change, but I like to have really GOOD reasons - ones that I can
believe in, and value myself...
Keith

On Wed, 8 Jun 2005 18:56:35 +1000, "Roland Gesthuizen"
<rge at westallsc.vic.edu.au> said:
> G'day all,
> 
> It depends on how schools wish to implement things but there is still a
> role
> for IT educator / experts in a school. There is a nice paragraph buried
> in
> the Standards that says ".. this does not preclude schools from also
> offering ICT as a stand-alone study ...". The challenge of course is how
> we
> can all best teach IT in the context of other learning areas. 
> 
> Paula gave a very good presentation on this at the recent ICTEV state
> conference with some animated slides that illustrated the different
> approaches that could be taken. After seeing this I began to realise that
> our school is probably already doing this. (phew)
> 
> http://www.ictev.vic.edu.au/event/conference.htm (scroll down - ICT in
> VELS)
> 
> Regards Roland
> 
> --
> Roland Gesthuizen - eLearning Coordinator - Westall Secondary College 
> http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
> Behalf Of Donna Benjamin
> Sent: Wednesday, 8 June 2005 8:25 AM
> To: ipm at edulists.com.au
> Subject: [Year 12 IPM] Year 7 Computing
> 
> Recent postings reminded me of this thread from last year. I hope you
> won't mind too much me reposting these witty words from Mr David Dimsey.
> 
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> From: David Dimsey <david.dimsey at geelongcollege.vic.edu.au>
> Reply-To: IPM List <ipm at fhc.vic.edu.au>
> To: IPM List <ipm at fhc.vic.edu.au>
> Subject: Re: OT Year 7 Computing
> Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2004 16:47:55 +1000
> 
> Frank -
> I think that you should re-evaluate the Year 7 English program, and
> float the suggestion that they give up the 5 periods a week currently
> allocated to English. The idea, of course, is that the important skills
> could be covered in other KLA areas.
> If IT skills can be taught in other KLA areas by teachers untrained in
> IT, then surely English skills can be covered in the same way (better,
> perhaps - the average IT teacher's English skills are probably higher
> than the average English teacher's IT skills; all IT teachers have
> passed Year 12 English, whereas very few English teachers have passed
> Year 12 IT). If IT skills are important enough to be included in the
> curriculum at all, then IT deserves its own time allocation, and should
> be taught by specialist IT teachers. 
> 
> I think part of the problem is the view that "IT is a tool" or "the
> computer is just a tool". You can make exactly the same statement about
> English (a tool for communication, entertainment, or expression) or
> Mathematics (a tool for numerical calculations and analysis) or History
> (a tool for understanding human behaviour).
> As we all know, the successful use of IT (checking email, using the
> Internet, creating word-processed documents, whatever) requires a
> particular mindset - thinking about information and data in digital
> terms - an understanding of how digital information is structured and
> manipulated, extensive training and practice in the tools and techniques
> of IT, and a particular vocabulary. Much like Science or Mathematics in
> many ways - each of which have a curriculum allocation and specialist
> teachers. (I would also suggest that IT will play as important a part in
> our students' lives as science or mathematics).
> The suggestion that Excel skills, for example, "should be reinforced
> and extended by the teacher whose curriculum requires them" is perfectly
> valid, in exactly the same way as writing skills should be reinforced
> and extended by the teacher whose curriculum requires them. But this is
> not to negate the place of specialist classes in the discipline (IT or
> English) conducted by specialist teachers.
> 
> 
> David Dimsey
> Director of Learning Technologies
> The Geelong College
> Talbot St
> Newtown VIC 3220
> ph:  (03) 5226 3173
> fax: (03) 5222 4046
> david.dimsey at geelongcollege.vic.edu.au
> www.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au
> > 
> > >>> frankm at sjcs.melb.catholic.edu.au 7/09/2004 2:47:54 pm >>>
> > Dear Colleagues,
> > We are currently re-evaluating our Year 7 Computer Studies programme. A
> > suggestion has been floated that the Technology faculty gives up the 2
> > periods/week/semester we currently allocate to Computer Studies in Year
> > 7 in favour of another KLA area. The idea is that the important skills 
> > ould be covered in oter KLA areas. Of course from year 8 students can
> > select IT units as part of our vertical curriculum structure.
> > 
> > I was wondering what experiences other schools have had with this
> > approach. For example, if Computing skills are to be taught in other
> > KLAs, are they being taught "properly"? How have other KLA programmes
> > adjusted to integrate IT into their programmes?
> > 
> > Regards,
> > 
> > 
> > ---
> > Frank Merlino
> > St. Joseph's College
> > 135 Aphrasia St
> > Newtown, Geelong, Vic
> > Australia, 3220
> > (03 52 268100)
> > 
> > For Help, Subscribe,Unsubscribe, FAQ and more go to
> > http://www.fhc.vic.edu.au/lists 
> > Comments to k.krozian at fhc.vic.edu.au 
> 
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Keith Richardson
Leibler Yavneh College
Elsternwick Ph (03)9528 4911
keithcr at fastmail.fm