[Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures

[burnhams at bigpond.net.au]

I have actually had a win at Mt Lilydale. Having tried (with varying degrees of success) to integrate ICT in Year 8 for the last three years, we are reverting to core ICT classes in Years 7 & 8. This is predominantly to meet the VELS progression points. We have found that whilst many teachers are willing to have their students use ICT in their classes, they are reluctant (and unskilled) to teach them anything new. It took a significant amount of campaigning to achieve this, but we now do have a hope of teaching the kids some new skills. Our problem now is that we don't have enough trained teachers to take the load. This is a problem that I think we are going to be able to overcome.


---- Jim Bunn <bunn.jim.c at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote: 
> Hello all,
> 
>  
> 
> As Rachelle has already indicated, there is no compulsory ICT at Hampton
> Park Secondary College (new from this year) and the administration (having
> wanted this for years) has used the move from the CSF to VELS as a virtual
> mandate for the dissolution of ICT classes at years 7 and 8. Fully
> integrating ICT at years 7 and 8 was done under the guise of it being a
> requirement under VELS. I argued many of the very valid points made by those
> replying to this thread, and it's made no difference whatsoever. 
> 
>  Nerrida Burnham
eLearning Coordinator
Mt Lilydale Mercy College
Lilydale
> 
> At the end of last year I thought that the one good outcome of this
> disastrous move was that at least most of the teachers previously unable to
> get their non-ICT classes into a computer lab would now be possible. Alas,
> no. One of our four computer labs (for 1300 students!) has been dismantled
> and the computers dispersed elsewhere, like into a Pod, or the new Learning
> Centre or just not re-leased. Another is scheduled to go as well. My cynical
> nature says that it all comes down to saving $. 
> 
>  
> 
> And guess what. It's driving good ICT teachers away from here. One has just
> resigned, another is leaving at the end of the year, another is trying to
> leave, and yours truly is counting the days until I'm out of here as well.
> What a sad state of affairs. Grumble, grumble.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Jim Bunn
> CCNA CCAI ITE1
> Technology Coordinator
> Hampton Park Secondary College
> Victoria  Australia
> 
> 8795 9400
> 
> 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 Colin SUTTON
> Sent: Thursday, 11 October 2007 8:59 PM
> To: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
> Subject: [Yr7-10it] Year 7-10 IT structures
> 
>  
> 
> Hi all
> 
> My school, Montmorency SC, has NO compulsory ICT!
> 
> A student can go through 6 years of schooling here and do NO formal IT.
> 
> No other school I have ever taught in (2 in Vic, 3 in QLD and 4 in the UK)
> have ever had this! 
> 
> It seems unbelievable that in the Information Age students are not formally
> taught ANY ICT.
> 
> They have to learn another language, do wood, metal, cooking and sewing -
> useful and even essential - but the ONE thing none of them can avoid is ICT!
> 
> 
> Sure, many can play games and surf to sites, but they are not formally
> taught a wide range of other useful or essentail skills.
> 
> Schools I have taught in elsewhere had at least one semester of ICT at Year
> 7 (Yr 8 in QLD as secondary starts in Yr8). 
> 
> Most had an elective system that required them to do at least ONE or more
> units at 8/9 or even again in Yr 10.
> 
> Comments anyone?
> 
>  
> Regards
> 
> COLIN _______________________________________________ 
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