[Yr7-10it] Captain, there be IT ahead

Tue Dec 23 10:02:13 EST 2008

Dear colleagues

My following comments are not quite on the topic, but I think there is a connection. I'm speaking from a non-school situation so my ideas may be a little 'academic', but here goes ...

When we think about the role of ICT as an interdisciplinary domain in the VELS and how school embrace it, we need to consider the 3 As: Acquisition; Application and Assessment.

Acquisition: where and how are the students going to acquire the necessary ICT knowledge and skills to meet the required standards, as stated in the VELS? And these standards are closely linked to what students are expected to be able to know and do in their discipline-based domains. Schools need to consider who is best to 'teach' these ICT knowledge and skills, and in what setting this occurs. For example, if all staff are ICT competent, then learning can take place in a variety of classes (of course, this would be coordinated at the year level). If on the other hand, the level of ICT competence varies, then schools need to think about who is best to teach the students and consider where the learning happens. If there are dedicated ICT classes, then what is absolutely critical is that the data and information that is being processed when students are learning ICT knowledge and skills, must relate to another domain, because real learning only takes place when there is a real purpose.

Application: this flows on from the last sentence - if there are dedicated ICT classes, then decisions need to be made to determine how these ICT knowledge and skills are going to be applied in other areas of learning. This is at the heart of what interdisciplinary means - ICT focuses primarily on procedural knowledge - the how, the process; these need to be used to help students make sense of declarative knowledge, which is the primary focus of the disciplined-based domains (the facts, contentions, the content etc)

Assessment: who is going to make the call about whether students have demonstrated the required standards? For many non-ICT teachers, this would be a difficult ask. The standards require unravelling and I know that many IT teachers have worked hard to reconfigure the standards in a more 'user friendly' way to help non ICT teachers(refer to http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/domainsupport/ict/concept.html the key concepts information provided on the VELS website - this may help some teachers). A situation may apply in your school where ICT is applied in many classes, however the assessment call is made only by the more competent and confident teachers - remember these ICT knowledge and skills do not have to be assessed in every learning situation. Yes, we would like ICT applied in all relevant situations, but this does not mean they have to be assessed in every situation.

I wish everyone a good Christmas and a well-deserved break. I look forward to chatting in 2009.

Regards
Paula

________________________________

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Kent Beveridge
Sent: Mon 22/12/2008 9:16 PM
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Captain, there be IT ahead

Hi Margaret, you know what, I agree with what you wrote...quite valid.
My role next year incorporates, in part, ensuring that staff in other - nonIT - areas, can use the technology effectively to produce the outcomes you discuss in your email. The challenge as I see it, how well will they 'apply' those skills? What about the skills I have as part of my speciality that they struggle with..some technical and some non-technical? 
Ahh, life's little challenges...
Speaking of little challenges...best wishes on motherhood!  (knowing you, they'll be VERY organised I'll bet...).
KB.

Kent Beveridge,
I.T. co-ordinator
St. Brigids Catholic Sec. College
 http://www.stbc.vic.edu.au/ <http://www.stbc.vic.edu.au/> 
Horsham Ph (03) 5382 3545
email.. kbeveridge at stbc.vic.edu.au
Hear about the bloke who struggled and fell?  At least he gave it a go!!
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________________________________

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Margaret Lawson
Sent: Sun 12/21/2008 6:21 PM
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Yr7-10it] Captain, there be IT ahead

I believe, in schools there is a confusion between student confidence
with technology and competence with technology. There are several
research reports out there that talk about Multitasking Generation and
how teachers and parents are often blinded by students who can easily
adapt to technology, and they perceive this confidence as the students
having advanced technology skills.

Yes the kids are confident and they pick things up quickly, but often
their computing habits lack substance.When I used to teach Year 7 and 8
IT many years ago, we used to focus on supporting IT across the various
subject areas building effective information processing skills so that
the kids could produce quality work. Most of what students do with
computers isn't necessarily good quality - it has bells, but there is no
focus or completion of tasks. Students need to know how to type properly
and I don't think that there are any short cuts with this skill. It is
better for their confidence in using the computer and their their health
(ergonomically). As for the basic skills in WP, SS, DB .... these
fundamentals allow subjects to jump right in and teach appropriate ICT
units rather than having to back-track with kids and teach them simple
information skills such as adding a header and footer.

Lets not confuse the technology confidence generation with the
technology competent generation and giving kids laptops does not mean
that they automatically assume these skills overnight. Giving kids
laptops without these skills can sometimes do more harm than good.

I am all for appropriate integration of IT across the curriculum, but
unless schools are willing to train non-IT teachers with the skills
needed to run effective IT units they need to keep their junior IT
classes in one form or another. I have worked in many schools and not
many of them are willing to invest the PD time in their teachers to
effectively run a fully integrated ICT program in schools.

2 cents worth!!!

:-)

Margaret Lawson
(currently on maternity leave from St. Michael's Grammar School,
returning in 2009)

Jim Bunn wrote:
> We've been without year 7 and 8 IT for the past two years. It was the dream
> of the administration for years to fully integrate IT in the junior school,
> and used the introduction of the year 7 - 8 Learning Centre to do it, saying
> that it was mandated with the Learning Centre. IT still operates with
> electives at years 9 and 10, and they are popular with the students.
>
> I yearn for IT to be put back into the curriculum, even lumped with all of
> Technology as it used to be, but to have it as a domain of its own, that
> would be pretty special.
>
> Jim
>
>
> Jim Bunn
>
> Technology Coordinator
> Hampton Park Secondary College
> 8795 9400
> CCAI CCNA ITE1
>
> bunn.jim.c at edumail.vic.gov.au
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Roland Gesthuizen
> Sent: Sunday, 21 December 2008 11:36 AM
> To: Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List; eLearning mailing list
> Subject: [Yr7-10it] Captain, there be IT ahead
>
> One thing is certain for 2009, and it is very likely to be change.
>
> There has been some disquiet brewing how many secondary schools have quietly
> dismantled technology and IT areas of the curriculum, sometimes under the
> broad aim to create 'integrated' subjects. In reality, the result has
> sometimes been a poor caricature and does not provide any real scaffolding
> to encourage students to take up IT or trade subjects. The reasons are of
> course quite complex but this and other directions taken by schools have not
> helped the skill shortages that are looming in both areas.
>
> I note that QLD has just put IT and technology back onto the radar.
> There will be 12 domains offered over 3 years (Years 10-12). These are
> English, Maths, The Sciences, The Arts, HPE and Personal Development,
> History, Geographical Studies, Human and Social Sciences, Design and
> Technology, Business Studies, LOTE, and Information Technology. Each domain
> will have a core and electives (specialist, extension and
> transdisciplinary). With the senior phase now being Years 10-12, 'core' is
> really Year 10. .. yes, you read this right .. IT will have it's own domain
> - Information Technology.
>
> Considering that some of the VELS was inspired by the New Basics program
> from QLD, it is interesting to watch this development, those surrounding the
> national curriculum and the future of the VELS in Victoria.
>      http://education.qld.gov.au/corporate/newbasics/
>
> I am curious what others think of this or the grouping of core subjects and
> domains that we have offer in Victoria?
>
> Regards Roland
> --
> Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
> http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au <http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au/> 
>
> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
> the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
> --Margaret Mead
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>  

--
Margaret Lawson

Konstant Kaos Designs

ABN 50 523 597 927

26 Nash Street
Northcote 3070
Victoria Australia
M: 0407 896309
P: 9489 6309

margaret.lawson at konstantkaos.net

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