[Yr7-10it] VELS and IT

Wed Jun 7 13:05:17 EST 2006

Here is my perspective and views:-

I have the advantage of being at the one school for the last twenty-five
years and have seen much change and much stay the same. I started teaching
Maths among other subjects in 1982. The "curriculum" that I was given for
Maths listed a number of topics including 'Computers'. I developed a
course using the four Apple IIe s. A few years later I was no longer
teaching Maths and realised that there was no education about or with
computers. I have always had the view that Information Technology should
be taught across the curriculum. I proposed a course to fill what I
thought would be a temporary gap until more teachers became computer savvy
and incorporated them in their teaching. Twenty years down the track, I am
still waiting. Although I have achieved some stunning converts, for the
majority of teachers ICT means getting students to use a word processor or
maybe PowerPoint. VELs has made my converts more passionate but has not
changed what goes in many of the other classrooms. I suspect that the
situation is much the same in many other schools.

Students do not need to learn about to learn about pens and pencils. I
suspect for many, they don't need to learn ABOUT computers either. They
are tools to education. Unfortunately if you leave many students (and
teachers) to their own devices, they are used appallingly. VELS does
nothing to address this. Computers are an essential tool for life and most
students need to be taught to use them efficiently. There is no garran tee
that VELs will do this. We will always need teachers with the skill and
passion. These teachers will continue to need a dedicated time slot to
teach a survival guide to ICT. Ideally we can use this slot to service
other curriculum areas

Cheers

Stuart walkerden

> I'm going to chip into the various positions which have been postulated.
>
> Firstly, I think we are all influenced by our respective backgrounds, and
> here's mine: my under-grad studies were in computer science; I loved
> writing compilers.  In education studies, I was inspired by the various
> possibilities of how to use computers in various subjects.  I spent a good
> deal of energy in my early years of teaching dashing around, trying to
> enthuse colleagues to use computers, with mixed sucess.  I was certainly a
> supporter of the idea of "dismantling" the 'tiny little electives' which I
> was teaching, and try to roll the computing/ICT into other subjects.
>
> I have moderated my stance somewhat in recent years.  Experience has shown
> that there's a genuine place for teaching "about" the technology, a
> genuine place for the "computer specialist", and much value in ensuring
> that there is an core of computing knowledge which we ensure that students
> encounter through their schooling.  (I am being guarded - the 'balance' in
> these might vary from school to school).
>
> One thing which I don't think us IT-types have fastened onto as much as we
> should have is the idea of "pedagogical content knowledge" (PCK), which is
> (according to theorists in the field of teacher's knowledge) the 'special
> type' of knowledge that teachers develop, which involves how to represent
> different types of content using different means.  Basically, greater use
> of computing/ICT in non-ICT areas will primarily be enabled in inhibited
> by how developed the teacher's PCK is ... the problem is that it is
> demonstrably true that PCK is jolly hard to foster.  But, ultimately, it
> is what we need to be doing.
>
> On another topic, like Paul Sipkes, I am constantly bemused to encounter
> the lack of computer literacy or the retention of knowledge.  Maybe this
> becomes an argument in favour of more "core" IT at lower levels.  It may
> also suggest that we need to teach differently.  One of the things which
> I've been rolling around in my mind for a few years is the need to teach
> more conceptually, and less with a skills focus.  That's not to say we
> shouldn't teach skills, but it describes the entry point.  In fact, I've
> been wondering about how to apply the "children's science" approach which
> has profoundly influenced science teaching over the last 20 years to IT
> and computing.   Some initial thinking about this is to be found on the
> wiki:  http://pdchandler.wikispaces.com   If we are to really "take things
> forward" we may need to re-think how we approach the teaching of
> "foundational" computing concepts and skills.  And if we do that, it is
> possible that new ways of integrating computing/ICT will become more
> possible or more valued.
>
> Regards,
>
> Paul Chandler
> paul.chandler at yvg.vic.edu.au
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Paul Sijpkes
> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 9:20 PM
> To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] VELS and IT
>
>
> At my school I teach IT and Multimedia, at year 10 level IT our curriculum
> covers: networks, the information processing cycle, spreadsheets, visual
> basic programming, graphics and web design (photoshop and dreamweaver) all
> in two 40 minute periods per week.  Trying to cover this many subjects in
> one year in so little time, the students only get the briefest of glimpses
> of what is possible within most of these areas.  It would be great to have
> specialist IT classes where we could teach the subjects Don mentioned as
> well as having ICT integrated into the other curriculum. I believe also we
> should be teaching basic ICT skills at junior level, some of my students
> in year 8 still don't understand that using Save As... can create a
> different file with a different file name.... something that really
> shocked me.  I've also had graphics and arts teachers complain to me that
> their students know how to operate a scanner at year 10 and 11 level,
> something that surely should be taught at junior level.  Note that I'm
> only speaking on my experience in one school as a new teacher.
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Don Morelli Edumail
> Sent: Tue 6/06/2006 11:15 AM
> To: 'Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List'
> Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] VELS and IT
>
>
>
> My 2c worth on the argument.
>
> I have often asked this question about who teaches the ABOUT IT as
> distinct from using IT as a tool. The answer that I have consistently got
> is that it is not the intention that classroom teachers from other KLAs
> teach the ABOUT STUFF (programming, OS, NOS, HARDWARE, ROBOTICS, CONTROL
> SYTEMS etc) and that this still needs to be taught by specialists.
> Specialist IT classes should still exist within the curriculum, and must
> not be allowed to be removed because of any VELS argument about
> integration of this into existing curriculum. However, these IT classes
> can now have less of a focus on applications and more on what is mentioned
> above.
>
>
>
> I share the frustration and am really worried about the fact that some
> schools are opting to drop IT classes at 7 to 10. We do need to stand up
> and make the various administrators aware of the ABOUT IT that seems to
> have fallen by the wayside, with the emphasis on applications.
>
>
>
> Don Morelli
>
> Leading Teacher ICT or whatever it is called now.
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Paul Sijpkes
> Sent: Tuesday, 6 June 2006 9:54 AM
> To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] VELS and IT
>
>
>
> Hi Frank,
>
>
>
> I've thought a lot about this, the only way it is going to work is if
> schools invest enough time into PDs (which we would teach) to train their
> staff in robotics etc...
>
> I've seen potential for teaching robotics in science, in particular.  In
> year 8 student study the different types of levers in the body, robotics
> would be a great way to engage them with this, but the problem is training
> the teachers to use it.  Programming could be fit into Maths and the
> Sciences, to model experiments, again this needs support from the schools
> and training for the teachers.  From my understanding, VELS relegates IT
> and technology teachers to classroom aides that assist teachers in using
> the technology.  This may not be a bad thing, the majority of parents and
> students do not see the need to learn the technical aspects of IT.
>
>
>
> I think the rationale from the planners is that, essentially, it is how we
> use technology as a tool rather than whether we understand the workings of
> its innards that is important.  Subjects such as programming may be
> touched upon in some subjects at pre VCE level but will ultimately be (and
> to a large extent already is) shifted to the TAFE system.
>
>
>
> Paul Sijpkes
>
> Academic Staff
>
> THE KNOX SCHOOL
>
> Independent Co-educational International
>
> Wantirna South VIC 3152
>
> Phone: +61 3 9801 9233
> Fax: +61 3 9887 1850
>
> Website: www.knox.vic.edu.au <http://www.knox.vic.edu.au>
>
> CRICOS Provider No: 00151G ABN: 16 095 158 222
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Frank Merlino
> Sent: Friday, 2 June 2006 5:46 PM
> To: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
> Cc: is at edulists.com.au
> Subject: [Yr7-10it] VELS and IT
>
>
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> Maybe someone can share their knowledge about this one with me....
>
>
>
> In the design of VELS, where did the "planners" think such areas as
> computer programming, robotics, learning about how computer systems work,
> etc were going to fit? One would imagine that in this day and age, it
> would be considered essential learning to know something about how
> hardware works, how programs work, how robotics is implemented and its
> basics, etc. Do the "planners" in their wildest dreams think these topics
> will be covered well in the "disciplines"? What's your opinion?
>
>
>
> 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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