[Informatics] Enrolments 2016-2017

Thu Feb 28 05:03:28 UTC 2019

Relevant, appealing and engaging are good things to help refocus a subject but there are bigger forces at play too as the enrolment slip is nation-wide and across other STEM domains. Underlying reasons are complex and there are some odd paradoxes so no easy or quick fix. I was discussing at the DTLV, a VITTA survey run several years ago with the help of Paul Wright at a major career event. The results were surprising and humbling. Probably still relevant although it should be repeated.

I think the reference about a “lack of STEM teachers” is about the challenge for many who are ’teaching out of field’. This is especially the case for VCE Physics and many VCE Computing educators. Whilst it works for some educators, others cannot access (money, time release or resources) the necessary professional development or support networks around. Left alone, high and dry is horrid.

Having said that, I will salute my M.Teach DigiTech graduates who are now teaching VCE in schools around Victoria (and probably on this list). You all rocked and any school that took you you on board is very fortunate.

Regards Roland

> On 28 Feb 2019, at 10:00 am, John Bellavance <John.Bellavance at beaconhills.vic.edu.au> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
>  
> I really agree with Adrian’s sentiments. The challenge for us is below:
>  
> It's more a case of us needing to evolve our own local curricula to make IT more relevant / appealing
>  
> We need to cater for the needs of our current cohorts while making our core skills / concepts appealing and engaging.
>  
> John
>  
>  
> Dr. John Bellavance
> Head of IT Faculty and eLearning - Berwick
> 1300 002 225
> Extension: 1177
>  
> Berwick Campus
> 92 Kangan Drive
> Berwick  Vic  3806
> <image002.jpg>
>  
> From: informatics <informatics-bounces at edulists.com.au <mailto:informatics-bounces at edulists.com.au>> On Behalf Of Adrian Janson
> Sent: Thursday, 28 February 2019 9:53 AM
> To: Year 12 VCE Informatics Teachers' Mailing List <informatics at edulists.com.au <mailto:informatics at edulists.com.au>>
> Subject: Re: [Informatics] Enrolments 2016-2017
>  
> Hi Roland,
>  
> While this article is interesting (and I'm not refuting the facts), I don't like the premise that falling enrolments are due to a lack of STEM teachers. I don't deny that this could be a factor, but I feel it's more a case of us needing to evolve our own local curricula to make IT more relevant / appealing. We have to sell our disciplines. It's not enough (any more?) for us to rest on the belief that IT is a cool subject and students will take it up (which is what WE all believe of course). We need to cater for the needs of our current cohorts while making our core skills / concepts appealing and engaging.
>  
> Cheers,
> Adrian
>  
> On Thu, Feb 28, 2019 at 9:16 AM Roland Gesthuizen <rgesthuizen at gmail.com <mailto:rgesthuizen at gmail.com>> wrote:
> Australia is undergoing a huge STEM 'decay curve’ that runs across many subjects, not just ours. In a nutshell, it’s complex and extends down into the junior and middle schools. There is no easy fix (and a fascinating paradox!) but there are things we could all be doing better. 
>  
>      https://www.itnews.com.au/news/australia-has-a-stem-decay-curve-465567 <https://www.itnews.com.au/news/australia-has-a-stem-decay-curve-465567>
>  
> Matt and I are happy to help unpack some of the national reports that inform some of this at the DLTV DigiCON conference this year if anybody is interested. Love to hear your thoughts.
>  
> Regards Roland
> 
> 
> On 26 Feb 2019, at 12:10 pm, Mark <mark at vceit.com <mailto:mark at vceit.com>> wrote:
>  
> Hi all.
>  
> I was browsing VCAA's data on enrolments in Computing for 2016 and 2017 - as one does in retirement.
>  
> This is a distillation of the results:
>  
> <computing 2016-2017.jpg>
>  
> Maybe this is why Informatics - along with its hypothesis and MMOS - got the boot in the 2020 draft design.
>  
> Maybe...
>  
> -- 
>  
> Mark Kelly
>  
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