[Year 12 IPM] IT in VELS

Tue Jun 20 10:11:40 EST 2006

"Information Technology (IT)" and "Information and Communications Technology
(ICT)" refer to a "discipline". i.e. a coherent section of the taxonomy of
human knowledge mirrored by separate university departments and dedicated
sections of many businesses as well as being the focus of a rather large
industry.
"Learning Technology (LT)" refers to a service provided to disciplines (like
the library or does anyone remember the AVRB ?) where skills and knowledge
are provided to students and teachers so that they can achieve higher
standards.  The skills and knowledge themselves are usually NOT the core
business.  
The problem/ confusion/ angst etc. arise from the fact that being both
continuously novel and ubiquitous, technology BECOMES part of core business
in all subjects. We are talking about "information" technologies (which
automatically include the unnecessary fashionable "C" tag) for the past 50
years.  We may well be talking about biotech in the next 100 (Would we still
call them computers if they lived inside us ?)
In maths, computer solution of algebra is not only an accepted part of
modern academic proofs, but also required for students to be competitive.
Just as effective use of the Kay & Laby Log Tables, or a slide rule, or a
compass and rule were in olden times.
The problem/ confusion/ angst etc. arise from the fact that the technology
is so new that it is only partly differentiated.  Currently, a very large
number of applications is served by a single type of physical machine.  This
encouraged centralization of resources as the most efficient way of serving
multiple needs (central shared computer rooms are cheaper than duplication
and specialization around the school).
As equipment differentiates to meet special needs AND becomes more and more
frequently required in each study, we have had a management move to "pods"
as a more efficient way of getting technology close to the learner as well
as attempting to force teachers to allow more student autonomy (movement and
self-directed study).
This trend will increase until computers are in high numbers in all
classrooms and/or in personal possession of all students.

Where does this leave "IT teachers" ?  As IT resources grow, there will be
an increasing need for teachers to be encouraged and assisted to use them
effectively.  There is "technical coaching" (efficient use regardless of
purpose) and "educational coaching" (effective use for education).  These
coaching approaches should always be combined. Otherwise techs can end up as
teachers aides actually slowing skill development  ("why learn how to use
the projector, when I can get a tech anytime I need one ?").
Thus IT teachers should fulfill roles like many other curriculum specialists
in trailblazing, providing on site formal PD, but MOST importantly,
providing on site assistance at the point of readiness to any teacher
needing help and guidance in effective educational use of the technology.
Without this approach, we will continue down the path of abuse that has
virtually killed the reputation of the "video" as an educational aide.
Remember, technological power has no relationship to application - I
remember the TV being introduced to Australia as a wonderful medium for the
education of all Australians !  The internet has already duplicated this
level of intellectual corruption.  i.e. "IT specialist" should become an
extra "tag" in schools that recognizes (and rewards ?) teachers who can
provide on site advice and PD in particular educational techniques and
technologies.

VELs has placed "ICT" very firmly as "Interdisciplinary" i.e.  NOT a
discipline.  VEL's has merged the 1980's tags of "Learning With" (open ended
learning tool); "Learning About" (study of IT as a formal discipline)  and
"Learning From" (computer based learning packages - mainly sold privately to
parents these days).  Thus, the subject looks intellectually vague and
subservient to "real" disciplines.  Even at VCE, the subject continues to be
a mix of historical demands to provide training for the workforce cf.
education for the citizen (these are VERY different concepts still hard
fought even after the demise of Tech schools, the rise of TAFE and VET and
now CAL).

I believe that IT teachers should continue to promote the study of IT as a
discipline. But, here the current courses are far more problematic.  Many of
them have been justifiably criticized as vehicles for the promotion of
teacher skill sets.  Courses are often constructed on the basis of "what am
I expert in" rather than "what should student be taught".  More innovative
teachers have followed the course design maxim of "what do the students want
to do ?" which is a basic course design question - among many.  
IT course changes have been at the mercy of a number of factors: a sense of
vulnerability; a growth in the desire to improve student engagement by
sliding into the pit of "give them what they say they want"; the increase in
middle school curriculum structures that decide on courses based on student
enrolments (votes); increasing admin budgets for "tech toys" allowing
courses with extreme costs per student to proceed in IT when they would not
be considered in any other area; hype promoted from high levels of
government that "if it is ICT, it is highly educational" (try this statement
for logical comparison "if it is on TV, it is highly educational").

IT discipline courses have a CENTRAL focus on the science and technology of
IT itself (see the contents list of any encyclopedia (e.g. Wikipedia
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology> ).  There are 100 ways
to skin a cat, but an understanding of these concepts, fundamental science &
technologies must be central.  Otherwise, it is just learning Visual Basic
for fun; or learning databases for ??; or learning PowerPoint for pretty
presentations; or (more recently) learning how to make better home movies
etc etc.
VCE IT is likely to survive as a useful subject for middle of the road
students to get some IT skills and confidence prior to the workforce, or
more able students to do a year ahead as a dry run for their year 12. Most
informed teachers and careers counselors will encourage able students
interested in tertiary IT qualifications to study higher maths and sciences
at year 12.

The other alternative for IT teachers is in creating essential
"interdisciplinary" skill sets and making the case that they are most
efficiently and effectively delivered by IT teachers as a separate subject
at some year level(s).  I think that this may work for a short time
(especially where it ties in with the needs of the timetable to maximally
utilize all available staff).  Sooner rather than later, the "disciplines"
will want to integrate the special skills within the actual context of their
use.

Holidays are great times for reflection.....

============================================================================
==========
Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager
digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au
Cheltenham Secondary College www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au
<http://www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au/>  Ph: 613 955 55 955  Fx: 9555 8617
============================================================================
==========

  _____  

From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
Behalf Of Leanne Wright
Sent: 20 June 2006 03:02
To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
Teachers'Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] IT in VELS

What an insult to IT as a subject and IT teaching generally. Apparently if I
understand your arguement correctly IT should only exist to present work
required by the other 'KLA's' and has no relevance or use outside this.
Anything else is classified as an 'artificial activities', which presumably
includes any attempt to give students IT skills which just might be
marketable in the outside world (you know, the one outside schools and
KLA's). 
A quick look in the employment section of Saturday's Age doesn't seem to
indicate much demand for employees producing powerpoint presentations of
Ancient Egypt or nicely word processed and formatted English essays and book
reviews. I find it astonishing that at a time when IT skills are being
increasingly used and frequently demanded in all areas of the workplace - a
claim which cannot made by many if any other KLA's - that attempts to give
students work related IT skills are described as 'artificial activities'
when they might just end up giving students the edge over other applicants
in an increasingly 'dog eat dog' employment market.
Leanne Wright

"Bell, Cameron P" <bell.cameron.p at edumail.vic.gov.au> :

No, the thrust of the argument is a trained IT teacher training the students

within the context of an appropriate KLA context. Not some stand alone unit 
with a vague artificial context.
Who is an IT teacher to say "No word art" anyway? I'm no graphic design 
artist, and a lot of "good design practise" is very subjective anyway, but
if 
a graphics/art teacher wanted word art, I'm not going to stand in the way. 
IT teachers should be about the mechanics of the process (if needed) not the

content, lack of, or over supply of.
My role as an IT teacher would be to consult with the KLA teacher about what

they want, how they want to implement it , and guide both them and the 
students on how to achieve their goals.
It is only a matter of time before the majority of teachers start to become 
comfortable and confident with the use of ICT, they will simply be unable to

avoid it. Those who a refusing at the moment are simply going to find 
themselves swamped with the possibilities ICT has to offer to their subject 
as our infrastructure increases and curriculums change.
I am saying something along the lines of:
"There is no subject called IT. There is a block of timetable time where 
students may access the infrastructure under the guidance of a trained IT 
teacher to implement a solution required for another KLA area. The IT
teacher 
uses his/her skills to provide an *efficient* working environment for an 
otherwise unskilled KLA teacher"
At the moment a lot of school labs are taken up with vague IT classes
teaching 
"skills" that may or may not be useful now or in the future, when there are 
KLA problems needing solutions *right now* and they simply don't have access

to the labs. (This situation may or may not apply in all schools, but it
does 
in many)
I think it is ironic(?) that the only place I saw the need for specific IT 
classes was at a 1-1 laptop school. The students always had access to the 
technology and consequently the students were left to their own devices - or

worse, given advice by teachers with no idea. They needed time to be allowed

to use their laptops under the trained guidance of an IT-trained teacher but

that conflicted with the "IT across the curriculum". The major problem as I 
saw it, was that the students were expected to use the laptops in all KLA's,

however, the Curriculum was never shortened to allow some time for the 
students to learn how to best use the laptops in the KLA. I was losing 
Science time, showing the students basic skills in ICT. They sorely needed 
the timetable time mentioned above to learn how best to use their laptops.

-----Original Message-----
From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of
frankm at sjcs.melb.catholic.edu.au
Sent: Fri 6/2/2006 6:05 PM
To: ipm at edulists.com.au
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] IT in VELS

Yep...that's what we need....each KLA teaching the students to use IT in
their own way. Love seeing those projects with masses of word art, fancy
fonts, money formatted to several decimal points...and by the way, let's not
forget the hand written name on the projects/reports....headers and footers
may not have been introduced.....

One would think there is a role for the IT people to introduce the basic
skills in a STAND-ALONE unit. At least, there would be some standard ways of
diong things introduced. The KLAs could then build on the skills already
introduced.

The reality is that there are MANY teachers who will not or cannot be
bothered or have no interest in teaching any ICT in their units, whether
VELS says so or not.

Regards,
Frank 

"Bell, Cameron P" on Fri, 2 Jun 2006 15:48:37 +1000 wrote:
> We have a LSF initiative - "Yarra valley e-Learning Community" and a key
> part of that is that we have:
> Learning Technology Coaches - each school has a full time teacher whose
> roll is to help teachers integrate ICT into their classes,
> Development Managers (4) who help develop units of work.
> These are crucial rolls and help us immensely in the incorporation of
> ICT - especially with the 1-2 notebook computers in Yr 7.
> So the "consultant" role exists in some schools, it is such a shame that
> this is only possible because of the special funding available due to
> the LSF.
> Cameron
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
> On Behalf Of Joel Walton
> Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 3:35 PM
> To: IPM; IS; IT 7-10
> Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] IT in VELS
> 
> Cameron,
> 
> Yep I couldn't agree more.
> 
> Stand-alone subjects and isolated/unrelated tasks in
> IT classes are rubbish!
> 
> A more inclusive/realistic utilisation of classes is
> needed. I am sure most computer teachers are inclusive
> of other areas in their tasks, eg investigating
> research topic etc.
> 
> And I would love to be a computing consultant to other
> subjects and aid the teachers in designing units of
> work, but no school I can think of in the government
> sector would realistically sanction that idea. :(
> 
> Because ICT is a lower priority most of the non-ICT
> literate or low-ICT literate because they don't know
> how to incorporated it or its "to much of a hassle"
> they will just get students to make a power point or
> publisher assignment.
> 
> File management is important, but its not something
> that I spend a lot of time on, I show them how to set
> themselves up in the first 10 minutes of the semester
> and then encourage them to keep putting their work
> into it, if it is not there it doesn't get marked...
> now that's incentive to maintain it without all of the
> constant hassle. :)
> 
> I must say before I sign-off... I don't want to sound
> like a broken record and a worry-wart, I will accept
> anyway that is better for the kids, if it reduces the
> number or eliminates stand-alone ICT classes that's
> cool... but so long as the skills are taught I will be
> happy.
> 
> I don't want the entire technology to be 'integrated'
> into a curriculum that eventually becomes power point
> presentations and attaching wheels to a model and then
> going....'oooooo' it rolls :)
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Joel Walton
> Technology KLA
> Shepparton.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of
> Bell, Cameron P
> Sent: Friday, 2 June 2006 12:49 PM
> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and
> Management Teachers'MailingList
> Subject: RE: [Year 12 IPM] IT in VELS
> 
> Interesting times!
> As a IT/Science/Maths teacher I would much prefer to
> see our school labs
> freed up from teaching "Office" to allowing me easier
> access to allow my
> Science and maths students time to develop solutions
> relevant to those
> subjects rather than developing some solution to an
> artificial problem
> created just so they can learn a particular software
> package.
> There are sufficient "real" solutions waiting to be
> developed for core
> subjects that there should be no need to create
> artificial ones.
> How often do you see students creating websites (even
> for a "client")
> just so they can learn <>?
> Would be much better that they were using the labs to
> create e-folios
> for other subjects or using Excel for a solution to a
> Science Prac.
> So where does this leave me as an IT teacher?
> 1) Trying to encourage those students who want to
> learn programming or
> advanced techniques or ICT theory so that I can
> justify IT as a stand
> alone subject.
> 2) A "consultant" to other teachers showing them how
> they can
> incorporate ICT into their subjects and ensuring that
> they have enough
> access to the labs to ensure they know they don't try
> to learn stuff for
> a one-off activity.
> The ideal role for an IT teacher would be like a
> librarian - you bring
> the students into your domain to find a solution for a
> "real-world"
> problem from a Core subject area - in consultation
> with that teacher.
> In my ideal school, the time taken from a stand-alone
> IT subject would
> be given to other subjects on the condition that any
> additional time
> they get would be to incorporate ICT into their area
> ala VELS.
> I now have students telling me that they have done
> Powerpoint etc since
> Prep. I have more and more teachers asking for more
> and more access to
> the labs. I am finding that there are more and more
> tools available for
> efficient file management (virtual folders, Learning
> Management Systems)
> and that no matter how much *we* think file management
> is important -
> most students couldn't give a rats as the software
> generally takes care
> of it for them and you could hardly call file
> management "engaging". 
> We need to loose the structure of IT classes and let
> students "play" and
> "explore the possibilities" within the context of a
> real problem.
> 
> That's probably more than 2c worth.......back to
> reports.
> 
> Cameron
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
> On Behalf Of Joel Walton
> Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 11:41 AM
> To: IPM; IS; IT 7-10
> Subject: [Year 12 IPM] IT in VELS
> 
> Hello Frank, hello all.
> 
> Yes your fears/concerns are shared with me.
> 
> We to still exist in our school as a department albeit
> a small one.
> 
> We have worked hard since I joined the school a couple
> of years back improving the outcomes and what subjects
> that we offer to our students.
> I have come in with the attitude that we are a
> sub-business within the school and we have to sell our
> classes to the students so that they will 'vote with
> their feet' and continue to select the Technology
> subjects each year. However, I am concerned that
> sooner or later the standing in the eyes of the
> students or in a more importantly the view from
> administration/education department will further
> decline and we will be marginalised out.
> 
> Currently we are starting next year a new program that
> will be a year 8 integrated subject which will have
> Math, English, Science, SOSE but no direct technology,
> art or health. This has taken 1 period off these 4
> areas but has also taken the periods of 1 elective
> block which further reduces the opportunities of
> technology subjects. Also the year level guidelines
> state that the electives the students must select 1
> from arts, SOSE, etc etc but NOT technology!!
> 
> Our concern is 
> * Where is the technology going to be included in
> these 'generalistic' classes?
> * The people creating the syllabus do they have a
> decent technological grasp so it can be included in
> the course beyond Word, Powerpoint & Publisher?
> * Will the teachers (Math, English, Science, SOSE)
> teaching the course be able to teach the technology,
> even if it is included in the course?
> 
> This could lead to students going through high school
> with no direct Technology classes except what they do
> in year 7!!
> Are we 'the clever country' with no ICT skills?? I
> often wonder
> 
> We/I just can not for the life of me work out why the
> department is marginalising a whole department
> ICT/Materials away where it is basically one of the
> few departments that relates to every job in the
> future. (apprentice through to office worker to stay
> at home parent)
> 
> If anyone can work this out for me I would be very
> appreciative.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Joel Walton
> Technology KLA 
> Shepparton.
> 
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: is-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:is-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Frank
> Merlino
> Sent: Monday, 29 May 2006 8:48 PM
> To: is at edulists.com.au
> Subject: [Year 12 Its] IT in VELS
> 
> Dear IS Colleagues,
> I am aware that ICT is to be integrated into all KLAs
> as part of VELS. I know IT is no longer strictly a
> KLA. The situation still remains, who is going to
> teach the basic skills of ICT? The usual answers are
> that these will be covered in various KLA units,
> teachers will implement programmes designed to teach
> the basic ICT skills etc..etc. May I suggest that this
> is a recipe for disaster? Ideally,the notion that ICT
> skills are introduced as require into units of study
> is great...ideally!! Experience shows that all sorts
> of excuses emerge from many teachers when it comes to
> teaching basic IT skills....couldn't book a computer
> room...we ran out of time...... I am not suggesting
> that teachers are not well intentioned, but for many
> the teaching of basic ICT skills is something out of
> their comfort zone.
> 
> We (as a technology faculty) still exist at the school
> I work in. I have managed to maintain several IT units
> in our vertical years 8-10 curriculum. We have set up
> a "foundation" unit that will be compulory for all
> students (it is a level 5 CSF unit). We will teach
> what we consider as basic knowledge and skills, eg.
> basics of hardware, word-processing, spreadsheets,
> etc, digital property rights etc. Our view is that at
> least teachers in "other" KLAs will not have to teach
> the basic skills but rather apply the basic skills and
> if necessary introduce extension ICT skills as
> required. The foundation unit will be taught by IT
> staff in a consistent manner, using IT formats and
> conventions. It was amazing to see the objections some
> KLAs had to this idea...all of a sudden their staff
> were going to become teachers of basic ICT skills, as
> long as the IT people told them what these skills
> were....a bit of PD here and there and hey, what's the
> problem?!!!"
> 
> For the present, we have managed to survive in this
> VELS environment, but for how long? We need to develop
> IT units that interest students. Our foundation unit
> has to be "spot on" in terms of the basic skills it
> teaches.
> 
> I am interested in what is happening in this area in
> your schools...or, as it is put in Parliament, "is the
> minister aware of an alternative policies?"
> 
> ...Be passionate about IT.......
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Frank Merlino
> Technology (IT and Systems) Co-ordinator
> Web Site Manager
> St. Joseph's College
> 135 Aphrasia St, Newtown
> Geelong, Victoria, Australia, 3219
> Phone: 03 52 268100 
> 
> 
> 
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Frank Merlino
St. Joseph's College
135 Aphrasia St
Newtown, Geelong, Vic
Australia, 3220
(03 52 268100)
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