[Year 12 IPM] IT in VELS

Fri Jun 2 12:49:24 EST 2006

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 <<insert web IDE>>?
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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