[Yr7-10it] VELS and ICT – An Attempt to Model an Ideal Working Relationship

[Robert Ruzbacky]

Hi Keith,

I think your model would work in a school. And yes, ICT trained teachers
are important. I have worked in the IT industry for 7 years (programming,
systems admin) and am amazed if schools actually believe they don't need
any IT trained teachers or even do away with core IT altogether. Also a
teacher should drive the direction of the IT of the school, not the LAN
manager (unless they are a teacher :)

The reality in the workplace is that students of tomorrow need a good
grounding in software packages, including word processing, spreadsheets,
presentations, publishing and databases. Many need to be comfortable with
Internet, e-mailing, chat, forums, etc and their correct use including
dangers and netiquette (yes 1/2 my year 7 class had never used chat,
despite many saying that our young are "breathing" IT). Subjects such as
programming and multimedia also teach students to think and problem solve.
Hence the ICT teacher can provide the grounding and educate other teaching
staff. I don't see for example an English teacher spending time teaching
their kids touch typing and the finer points of using word processing,
though they could facilitate the use by doing an assignment in the
computer room. In fact, non-ICT teachers don't need to be experts in
software - the students can help out and these teachers can do more PD if
they wish to learn more.

I don't see VELs as killing ICT - in reality, I don't have time to do much
ICT in my mainstream maths classes as I have heaps of content to cover. I
would have to do a unit of work around ICT, then book computer rooms, etc,
etc. If I don't cover the main content (also in VELs), my students won't
have a hope when they get to tertiary studies. Also I find if a student is
not motivated, no amount of bells and whistles software is going to get
that student to learn. ICT like other things (eg: use of a video camera,
use of a calculator) is a tool, not the be all and end all. In maths, I
found it more valuable for students to think in 3D by creating a paper
model and showing solid objects than getting them to rotate a 3D object on
a computer screen. Hence ICT skills need to be taught formally but can
exist alongside VELs. With VELs, don't forget you can do other hands on
things (eg: use some robotics, use a video camera, use some art equipment,
etc, etc).

Regards,
Robert Ruzbacky
St Aloysius College





> Last night I had a dream. And in that dream I saw how we might avert the
> demise of our beloved area of study - ICT.
> Death by VELS - feared by some, ignored by many - is a stark reminder
> that we must remain vigilant and be prepared to act when necessary.
> Here is my attempt to 'see' a possible future in which both can survive
> - VELS and ICT.
> I await your response.
> Keith.
> Keith Richardson
> Leibler Yavneh College
> Elsternwick Ph (03)9528 4911
> keithcr at fastmail.fm
>
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> Association Inc



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St. Aloysius College
31 Curran Street, North Melbourne, Australia
P.O. Box 2072, Hotham Hill,
North Melbourne, Vic. 3051
Telephone: 03 9329 0411
Facsimile: 03 9328 2801
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