[Yr7-10it] ICT in the Essential Learning Standards

Sat Jun 25 00:44:25 EST 2005

Thanks Roslyn,

You paint a rather grim picture for ICT across the state. From where I'm
sitting I can only agree with you. The administration at my school has been
trying for years to get rid of Junior 7-8 ICT ...sorry, integrate it into
other KLAs. With all due respect to our colleagues, the ICT teachers here
don't see the ICT skills in very many of our other teachers. It's a good
theory, but practically I just don't see it working effectively, at least
yet. My cynical view sees some people using ICT time as 'ok kids you have
the assignment, here are the computers,' and off the kids go while their
teachers mark work or check their email. The end of Junior ICT at this
school is inevitable. Other KLACs are already lining up for the extra
periods. 

In defence of integrating ICT into other disciplines, someone recently said
to me something like, 'Schools used to teach touch typing but who does it
now?', as he smartly laughed.  A rather smug comment maybe, but I see this
same mind set, or perception towards ICT. As a counter argument, one of my
Cisco Networking students brings his laptop to class, and during my frequent
PowerPoint lectures he sits there, and as he stares at the screen, he madly
types away. The other students cannot believe what they see. They stare in
amazement. These other students take notes (as you know) by looking at the
screen, writing/typing a few words, looking back at the screen, and so on. A
touch typist in the classroom is rare and really stands out. Sure these
other students can get by, but how much better are they if they have good
typing skills. I see the ICT skills that ICT teachers teach being lost as
our classes are integrated into other subjects. You've heard the argument
before, but here is again: we all are supposed to teach English/literacy
skills, so why not integrate English into all the other KLAs? Why not? The
logic is the same. Why don't we do it? Because most of us are not trained,
or don't have the English skills that an English-trained teacher has. How
are ICT skills any different??

I think I'll forget about all this and have a nice, relaxing two weeks. I
hope everyone out there can do the same.

Jim Bunn
CCNA CCAI
Technology Coordinator
Hampton Park Secondary College
Victoria  Australia

bunn.jim.c at edumail.vic.gov.au 

  _____  

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Meadows, Roslyn M
Sent: Thursday, 23 June 2005 7:26 PM
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] ICT in the Essential Learning Standards

Thanks Paula,

Having poured over the documentation, publications, powerpoint
presentations, DVD and website since I first saw the VELS booklet last year
(and went "oh shock horror!"), I believe that I, like most others on this
list, fully understand the gist (and possible implications) of VELS. 

But it is our collective fear that given the opportunity, and an already
crowded curriculum, many schools will take the opportunity to hit the delete
button on ICT as a separate subject and attempt to integrate it into other
subjects - thus freeing up a couple of periods per week in Year 7 and 8,
which will then be 'up for grabs' by other KLA's. Being a small learning
area (3 teachers at BSC) we will rarely have the 'numbers' in the vote that
may or may not take place (in our school it will be a decision made by the
principal). And sometimes these school based decisions are not made on
educational merits alone, but are more influenced by peoples' personal
agendas, which members of staff are on the committee that makes the
decision, the lobbying by some and the personalities of the lobbiers. It's
all a matter of politics really! I have seen this happen numerous times in
my years of teaching.

In the previous emails to these lists which describe the experiences of
other schools who have already tried to integrate ICT, the ICT teachers were
overwhelmingly disappointed in the outcome. 

The standards that each student must attain are in the VELS documentation,
but who will be following this up to make sure that these standards are met?
Will the VELS watch dogs be at every school to make sure that ICT skills are
being learned? What will happen in a couple of years time once Maths or SOSE
have gained these extra periods each week - will the ICT component of their
course eventually be watered down to the bare minimum, or even less? 

And how can an English, SOSE, Maths or Science teacher with little or no
interest in ICT (and perhaps little or no ICT knowledge or skills) replace
an enthusiastic ICT teacher who has the knowledge, interest and the
experience teaching these skills? I am sorry but I see ICT skills as being
much more relevant to today's students than, for example -  what food
ancient egyptians ate or what they wore (the subject of a Year 7 history
assignment that consumed many hours of cutting out, colouring in, and
drawing pictures that my daughter had to complete)

As an aside  - I did a brief 'hands up' survey earlier this week of two year
8 classes on "What is your favourite subject?" Only 3 subjects got a
guernsey - ICT, Sport and Art - with the overwhelming majority choosing ICT.
(They have studied databases, web design, flash and image manipulation this
semester - all of which has been put into the context of real world and
relevant situations - thanks Greg Bowden for your text and CD ROM). Perhaps
this is a reflection of my enthusiasm for the subject (one would like to
think so), perhaps it is because they are always so engaged that there is
never any misbehaviour (and one of these classes has a number of 'difficult'
students, which makes life rather tedious for the other 'good' kids),
perhaps it is because they just love sitting at a computer. How will the
kids feel if you take ICT away and give them an extra period of say, Maths
and SOSE each week?

So I continue to ask "Has VELS got it wrong?" (By even considering giving
schools a chance to integrate ICT across the curriculum) And I still
strongly believe that ICT should be up there with the big four (English,
SOSE, Maths, Science). And I don't believe that it can be successfully
integrated across the curriculum. It should not be considered just as a tool
to be used in other areas of learning - as in

"...students will apply ICT knowledge and skills to:

*     develop understandings (ICT for visualising thinking)

*     demonstrate understandings (ICT for creating)

*     share understandings (ICT for communicating)

in other areas of learning."     (my underlining)

Millions of people around the world are employed in the ICT and related
industries, compared to the number of people employed in, for example,
history or art related industries. Yet history is considered important
enough to warrant 3 periods per week for one semester for 4 years, (about
240 periods) whereas ICT gets 2 periods per week for 1.5 years, (about 100
periods)  - and may lose this. ICT should be considered as a learning area
on its own; it should not just be considered a tool to be used in other
learning areas.

Sorry to bore you all - I feel quite strongly about this. 

Keep smiling everyone - holidays are just about upon us!

Ros Meadows

Bentleigh SC

9579 1044

 <mailto:meadows.roslyn.m at edumail.vic.gov.au>
meadows.roslyn.m at edumail.vic.gov.au

  _____  

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Christophersen, Paula P
Sent: Thu 23/06/2005 4:31 PM
To: IPM List; Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: [Yr7-10it] ICT in the Essential Learning Standards

Dear colleagues

Lately there has been some discussion about the 'interdisciplinary' nature
of the ICT domain and its status in the Essential Learning Standards. Being
a member of the Interdisciplinary Learning strand does not preclude ICT from
being offered as a dedicated subject. Being interdisciplinary means that in
their learning, students will apply ICT knowledge and skills to:

*     develop understandings (ICT for visualising thinking)

*     demonstrate understandings (ICT for creating)

*     share understandings (ICT for communicating)

in other areas of learning.

How they actually acquire these knowledge and skills is up to the school.
For example, the locus of learning may be in a dedicated ICT subject where
students would develop/acquire ICT knowledge and skills using authentic data
and information pertaining to other domains. OR, other schools may construct
a learning environment where the acquisition and application of ICT
knowledge and skills occurs in non-ICT classes. The choice is yours. The
Essential Learning Standards document does not mandate how students will
acquire the ICT knowledge and skills, but it does state the standards that
must be demonstrated at progressive levels of learning. 

I'm very happy to respond to any queries you may have regarding this matter.

Regards

Paula Christophersen

ICT Curriculum Manager

VCAA

41 St Andrews Place

EAST MELBOURNE 3002

(03) 9651 4378

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