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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Hello all,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I've been strangely quiet (ie busy) whilst this discussion
has rolled around, but I am also of the opinion that integration with specialist
support is the the way forward, and there is also room for computing in the
curriculum. In fact, in my perfect world, I'd have
both.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>My PhD considered "self-taught computer-using teachers",
and I'm not going to try to summarise it all here. There are some
observations which can be made. Firstly, there is remarkably little
research on such teachers, how they teach, what they value, how/what they teach
ICT etc etc. We can make links to studies (also relatively few in number)
which have considered teachers who teach outside of their speciality. Put
starkly: sometimes it works really well, and sometimes it doesn't. One
study I read of a non-legal studies teacher (from Qld) who took up teaching
Legal because there was no-one else to do it showed great success and
adapation. In general, the literature shows very little relationship
between capacity to teach in a particular discipline and formal academic
background in that area. So I would argue that the only ultimate thing
stopping our non-ICT colleagues from delivering good ICT is a desire to do
it.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>My thinking is not related to demolishing parochialism, but
this: the self-taught computer-using teachers I studied had an implicit (and
sometimes explicit) expectation that students "knew how to do it", that they
could simply "use" students ICT skills without having to teach them. There
is no way that we could ever fully equip, in a timely and effective manner,
students with all the ICT skills they may ever need in the range of other
subjects they are studying. In Science (my other discipline area),
we have certain expectations of the language and standard of presentation which
are required, for instance, in prac reports. It would be naive of me to
think that I never have to remind a student of how to write neatly, spell
correctly, title a table or write in past tense, although these are English
skills. I see that as the parallel with other subjects using ICT. In
fact, I think we need to deliberately move some (not all) ICT skills to be the
province of other subjects to teach because it is the means by which they will
"own" the skill rather than expecting to be a "consumer" of it. If we try
to 'keep it all to ourselves', we will never foster the desire in others to
develop; collaborative culture rather than consumer culture. That is not
to say that teachers don't need any formal knowledge of ICT (I think they
do). I once worked at a school which had a school objective that all
teachers would develop skills at teaching English (such was the ESL
population). This went well beyond the generic "we are all teachers of
English" but to specific teaching strategies; it was loved by some, and hated by
others; but we did it. We can "all be ICT teachers", but schools need to
help teachers get in touch with particular teaching
procedures.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I would also observe that a full discussion of the
parallels between language learning and learning ICT would be enormously
complicated. I'm not a teacher of English at all, but I know that in the
early years of schooling, immersion is a big part of language learning, but
so are approaches such phonemic awareness and spelling (and a language
teacher would be able to name quite a few other techniques). It is far
from simple to draw parallels between the two. Perhaps, to parallel
language learning closely, we would develop a range of interventionist
strategies to direct student learning about ICT (ie what might be the ICT
equivalent of 'phonemic awareness'?)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Language teachers in the early years use a nice phrase,
"barking at text" - kids who can apparently read the words on the page, but
don't understand a word of it. In our apparently ICT-savvy world, how do we know
that students aren't doing the ICT equivalent of barking at text? I once
knew a student who was writing some relatively detailed PERL in Year 7, and when
I met him in a programming class in year 9 I was amazed to find out that he had
absolutely no concept of a variable, and he struggled for some time to develop
one.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I had a colleague a couple of months ago say that she felt
generally OK with teaching ICT in her English classes, but she felt that she was
not doing justice to it because the only teaching approach that she had a
"demonstrating" - what could I offer which is 'more' than this; 'more' like how
ICT teachers do it. And it got me thinking - I do an awful lot of
demonstrating; the range of teaching procedures (to borrow a PEEL phrase) in the
ICT classroom about ICT content strike me a typically being pretty
narrow.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>And so my circuitous thinking bring me back to the wiki
which I established a while back <A
href="http://pdchandler.wikispaces.com">http://pdchandler.wikispaces.com</A>
specifically to help foster a community of ICT teachers which are concerned with
issues such as developing a range of interesting teaching procedures for ICT and
being interested in cultivating deep understanding (compared with barking at
text). I have some concern that we have used the "interest" generated by
using ICT in other subject areas as an excuse for not having terribly exciting
and engaging ways of fostering ICT knowledge of itself. And whether you
believe in "integrated" or "stand alone", these fundamental issues of pedagogy
need to be addressed. The wiki is a work in progress ... largely by me ...
but a community would be better ... please join in ....</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=259091006-19102007><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV><BR>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au
[mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Anne-Marie
Chase<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, October 19, 2007 3:21 PM<BR><B>To:</B> 'Year 7 -
10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List'<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE:
[Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Hello
all<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">I think this
idea of understanding what “ICT” is exists at industry level too. I was
involved in organizing a <A href="http://www.gogirlwa.org.au/">GoGirl</A> event
in 2005. The event is a Careers Showcase for female students to be
introduced to the many faces of the Information, Communication and Technology
Industry. I worked with a voluntary organisation from the IT industry to
organise the event which included speakers from the IT industry telling the
students about what they did and how they got there. It’s a great event
and the feedback from students and teachers is very positive. The speakers
included programmers etc which you’d imagine as being part of the IT
industry. However, the speakers also included a vet, a dentist and a few
others you wouldn’t really call the IT industry, yet IT was integral to their
job’s. IT is the tool in these roles. Incidentally GoGirl is
concerned with the falling number of students studying ICT and the need to
attract students to the ICT industry. At a speaker level the support is
great, at an organisation level the support from the ICT industry is virtually
non-existent as is the support from state (WA) and federal government. Not
sure what that says about a skills shortage in the ICT industry or the value of
the ICT industry to the economy.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">As for a
future model for ICT………. I think it would be great if an organisation like
VITTA or ICTEV could organize a group of interested parties, consulting with
industry (AIIA) and gov (MMV & DET) which could develop this whole line of
thinking and provide some sort of advocacy/lobby group role. At all levels
there is confusion about a way forward from classroom level, school leadership,
regional, state and federal government. It would be good to see IT
teachers push a direction.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Personally I
think integration of ICT with specialist support is the way forward. Like
the role of the Atelierista in Reggio schools. (An Atelierista assists children
to express themselves through materials (The 100 languages of children)).
This provides benefits too in terms of:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1cm; TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Project based
learning/constructivist approach<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1cm; TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Development of
multi-literacies <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1cm; TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Vocational
skills<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1cm; TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Resourcing –
access to skilled ICT teachers<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1cm; TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Resourcing –
access to specialist hardware and software<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1cm; TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Mentoring/PD
for teachers<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1cm; TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Encouraging
non-IT specialists to have a go etc etc<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Integration
offers the opportunity to draw on students ICT skills (digital natives) and
their interest and motivation in using ICT (assists with engagement). This
is the area I am currently doing a doctoral study in so anyone interested please
go to <A
href="http://digital-kids.wikispaces.com/">http://digital-kids.wikispaces.com</A>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">However, there
is a place for computing in the curriculum, is this different to ICT? I
read a recent post on Digital Chalkie with interest <A
href="http://www.digitalchalkie.com/2007/09/12/picaxe-2007/">http://www.digitalchalkie.com/2007/09/12/picaxe-2007/</A>
I kind of think computing is different/separate to ICT, yet I first learnt to
program when I was at school and I’m sure this has helped me in the digital
world, so not separate at all??? <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Cheers<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Anne-Marie<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=green size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: green; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Webdings color=green size=5><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: green; FONT-FAMILY: Webdings">P</SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial color=navy><SPAN style="COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=green size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: green; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">please don't print this
e-mail unless you really need to.</SPAN></FONT><FONT color=blue><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">
yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au]
<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Bill Kerr<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> 18 October 2007 04:53<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <st1:PersonName
style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: left bottom; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(res://ietag.dll/#34/#1001); BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat-x"
tabIndex=0 w:st="on">Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing
List</st1:PersonName><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B>
Re: [Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><BR>I had another go at this on my
blog:<BR><A
href="http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/10/decline-of-it-in-education.html">http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/10/decline-of-it-in-education.html</A><BR><BR>it
gets a bit complicated because probably many traditional subjects are at least
sometimes taught in routine, formulistic and uninspiring ways<BR>eg. maths out
of the textbook<BR><BR>certainly its asking too much for any teacher to be
continually innovative in whatever subject they teach, given the pressures on
teachers in general<BR><BR>but when computers came along as new, important,
"vocational" some of this was then converted into skill routines at the school
level - here's a new application (eg. Office), how do we use this properly -
initially this was enough to establish the subject but has not been enough to
sustain it R-12 or K-12 in the longer term<BR><BR>Yes the IT teacher knows how
to use Word better than the English teacher<BR><BR>But it's not reasonable for a
subject (IT) to sustain itself long term mainly on a skilling basis. It
would not be reasonable for any other subject to do that<BR><BR>In some
cases the forces for IT have not developed a compelling enough argument for IT
to be retained as a separate subject<BR><BR>In other cases a compelling argument
- a deeper approach - has been developed and the stakeholders (students, school
admin, universities) have heard it<BR><BR>For the students who think they are
"digital natives" it has to be a good argument since it is coming from the
"immigrants"<BR><BR>In other cases the argument has been developed but fallen on
deaf ears<BR><BR>I'm saying that its not reasonable and not inspiring for IT to
remain as a separate subject unless it does develop an argument that is
equivalent to the best argument that English, Maths, Science could develop. To
teach IT mainly as a skill is boring anyway - who really wants to do only
that?<BR><BR>These other subjects have a 400 year plus magnificent tradition
<BR><BR>Now what is it about IT that makes it equivalent to these subjects? That
is the argument that has to be developed for IT to compete long term as a
standalone with these subjects, if we want that.<BR><BR>Your comments could also
be read as an argument for a new subject such as "media studies"<BR><BR>How do
media changes effect our learning - eg. if students watch as much TV, play
computer games, web surfing, use their mobile phones etc. - how does that impact
on their ability to sit in a class and listen to a teacher? <BR><BR>Media
studies might be an elective in school - but there is something happening here
in the way media is changing that is having a profound effect on everything that
happens in school<BR><BR>IT teachers losing their subject is a wakeup call for a
bigger problem - like a species becoming extinct might signify a broader
significant change in the whole environment <BR><BR>-- <BR>Bill Kerr<BR><A
href="http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/">http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=gmailquote><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On 10/17/07, <B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Costello, Rob R</SPAN></B> <<A
href="mailto:Costello.Rob.R@edumail.vic.gov.au">
Costello.Rob.R@edumail.vic.gov.au</A>>
wrote:</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><BR>making the parallel with English / computer literacy
is suggesting that <BR>"digital native" status does not mean we necessarily
abandon attempts to<BR>build on kids skills in a concentrated way<BR><BR>what
are the ideas that computer literacy opens to us?<BR><BR>Well, what is software?
<BR>It is medium in which we carve and express ideas. It provides a milieu<BR>in
which we increasingly communicate. It is an increasingly dominant<BR>substrate
in our culture. It is mirror in which we see ourselves -<BR>watching my 5 year
old snap himself on the web cam. <BR><BR>there is a plasticity in software, that
means it can morph into every<BR>domain - can be video editing, email,
spreadsheets, game design,<BR>blogging, CAD etc<BR><BR>and teaching kids how to
work with it, be creative with it, in whatever <BR>form or context, can be
valuable<BR><BR>sometimes the very diversity of forms works against seeing what
the<BR>deeper ideas are<BR><BR>Also can lead to the "ICT is just a tool, lets
not focus on the<BR>technology" - "its teachers who make sure its used in
meaningful <BR>contexts" sort of thing<BR><BR>and I broadly agree with the
sentiment, in many cases<BR><BR>Yet given the plasticity of the software, it
would also be nice to let<BR>kids experience how to work with that - to take
control at that deeper <BR>level, to have some ideas of how to write it, not
just read (experience)<BR>it (=literacy)<BR><BR>Its harder, but
potentially it goes further than mastering applications<BR>- valuable as that
is<BR><BR>Kay says that putting a piano in a classroom is not going to make
<BR>musicians - the teacher, and the music (software) are the key elements
-<BR>the music is also the expression<BR><BR>the discipline of performing music
is "hard", takes years of training to<BR>reach higher levels <BR>and it builds
in complexity as it goes - builds on previous skills<BR><BR>Systems thinking,
object orientation, etc, is possibly as hard to<BR>master, just as useful and
adaptable when mastered - and accessible at<BR>earlier stages with
the right tools<BR><BR>Agree we don't have a clear sense of what these big ideas
are - too<BR>taken with the range of apps (=music appreciation,
reading?)<BR><BR>though playing with them does also give some measure of the
ideas, <BR>indirectly- and may payoff in other ways (the communication
or<BR>expressive or analytical power of the tool) - and may be appropriate
in<BR>many cases, classes etc<BR><BR>PS here's one spinoff of tinkering with
software at school age - <BR>wouldn't have occurred if I'd been left to the apps
of the day - a<BR>little induction into BASIC started the accessibility of
constructing<BR><BR><A
href="http://www.brainshapes.com">www.brainshapes.com</A><BR>experimental, may
change, copyright, incompletely documented etc<BR>cheers<BR>Rob<BR><BR>PS lots
of disciplines are making some sort of extended "literacy" claim<BR>- not just
ICT (financial literacy, ethical literacy, scientific <BR>literacy - the
multi-literacy grab-bag)<BR><BR><BR>> Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 10:17:10
+1000<BR>> From: "Bill Kerr" <<A
href="mailto:billkerr@gmail.com">billkerr@gmail.com</A>><BR>> Subject: Re:
[Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures <BR>> To: "<st1:PersonName
style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: left bottom; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(res://ietag.dll/#34/#1001); BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat-x"
tabIndex=0 w:st="on">Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing
List</st1:PersonName>"<BR>> <<A
href="mailto:yr7-10it@edulists.com.au">yr7-10it@edulists.com.au</A>><BR>>
Message-ID:<BR>> <<A
href="mailto:5d2dce520710151717x5d8d6618h6708ca82433b91bc@mail.gmail.com">
5d2dce520710151717x5d8d6618h6708ca82433b91bc@mail.gmail.com</A>><BR>>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<BR>><BR>> I'm interested in
this argument about the "information age" and "IT is <BR>> equivalent to
English", which has come up before on these lists<BR>><BR>> The term
"information age" is too vague now IMO. The "information age"<BR>did<BR>> not
start with the computer - it started with the printing press. <BR>>
...<BR>><BR>> The argument that "we can all read and write" implies that
IT is<BR>another<BR>> form of literacy (equivalent to reading and writing)
and so deserves<BR>an<BR>> equal place in the curriculum to English
<BR>><BR>> That argument might turn out to be correct, eg. we could argue
that<BR>> students<BR>> could learn to program the computer to represent
dynamic systems (eg.<BR>the<BR>> spread of AIDS or a traffic jam simulation
or global warming) and that <BR>> this<BR>> systems theory knowledge is a
new form of literacy required by the<BR>modern<BR>> citizen. If we understood
systems theory better then society would<BR>have<BR>> picked up on global
warming earlier or developed other perspectives on <BR>> global warming to
our current ones (ie. panic)<BR>><BR>> But it's wrong to equate the
ability to read and write English with<BR>the<BR>> ability to learn basic
computer skills.<BR>><BR>> The English curriculum does not or should not
justify itself in <BR>secondary<BR>> school on the basis of learning to read
and write. It might justify<BR>itself<BR>> on the basis that the study of
Shakespeare for example provides<BR>students<BR>> with new insights into the
human condition. <BR>><BR>> "Computer science" (which is perhaps not a
real science yet) could<BR>only<BR>> justify itself on this sort of basis -
that it provides new unique<BR>> insights<BR>> into the human condition.
<BR>><BR>> Integration of computers into the rest of the curriculum
(and<BR>computing<BR>> being phased out as a stand alone subject in the
middle years) is<BR>> proceeding<BR>> on the basis that all computing has
to offer is basic (computer) <BR>literacy<BR>> skills and that the "digital
natives" will pick that up anyway. The<BR>> comparison here is with oral
literacy. Humans learn to talk without<BR>formal<BR>> teaching. They don't
learn to read and write without formal teaching. <BR>That<BR>> process is
meant to happen in primary school and is the major focus of<BR>> primary
school. The ability to read and write then opens doors to the<BR>> collected
wisdom of humanity, be it through books or the web. <BR>><BR>> So, what is
the argument that computer skills are somehow equivalent<BR>to<BR>> English -
the subject which provides the underlying basis for all of<BR>>
modern<BR>> human knowledge, post Enlightenment? <BR>><BR>> Maybe there
is such an argument. But the fact that IT teachers haven't<BR>> developed it
coherently is the underlying reason why they are losing<BR>their<BR>>
subject.<BR>><BR>> --<BR>> Bill Kerr <BR>> <A
href="http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/">http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/</A><BR>><BR>><BR><BR>Important
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