MJ Ray <mjr@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
On 2003-11-30 17:51:46 +0000 Colin McQueen <cmcqueen@mcqueen.uk.net> wrote:
Absolutely not! Many teachers fall back on this because to nteach and assess capability is harder and needs someone who themselves is capable. But the drive is NOT to tick off skills. As a Key Stage 3 Consultant for Hampshire LEA I can guarauntee
How can you guarantee that?
I meant guarantee that consultants are working at changing this practise. Don't you applaud the effort? or should we just submit? <snip>
the recent web technologies training that teaches the advantages and disadvantages of using a text editor, word processor and HTML editor for making web pages.
HTML is gone. xhtml and CSS are what should be taught now. Why just different editing? Where's format conversion, xml transformations, string templating systems, retemplaters and the other concepts that are really used in the wild today?
ROTFL. Everyone starts somewhere. Anyway CSS ARE in the latest training module for teachers. HTML is not gone. Its still in use. As are RISC OS computers for example. You don't just immediately switch to the latest version in schools that is ridiculous. Who's going to pay to train staff?
and the latter purports to create mini software engineers: 15 year olds doing system analysis - get real. They have to start somewhere in learning the vocabularly and process even if they don't have the K+U or maturity to really attempt this.
Excuse my naive opinion of this, but doesn't software engineering basically combine a little computing knowledge with a lot of communication work (should be taught in native language subject lessons) and a design process (should be taught in Art and Design)?
Sorry I don't understand your point? Unless its about ICT doing the job of the English teacher. The point is the pupils need somewhere to put this together. Technology teachers are too busy with design and making to deal with the "computer technology" in most cases. English teachers don't have the time to have pupils doing "computing" projects in their lessons. Or may I can't work out what you are saying at all?
Tests like CLAIT and ECDL don't provide any guarantees that those who pass them can use IT effectively. I agree but no qualifications or lessons in ICT guarantees even less.
No qualifications guarantee anything about ability. All they do is take a snapshot of student knowledge and we hope that it's correlated. I don't understand why that is even debated. I think the OP was suggesting that they're distractions from learning.
So how do you teach IT? : We should not forget its ICT the communication aspect is vital IMHO.
Communication technology, eh? Do you teach them how to work telephones and faxes properly too? ICT is such a fuzzy cross-subject topic. Who
No because its not about skills but yes I do cover the "appropriateness" of the telephone/fax/email/chat room/letter/signal light etc. etc.
killed computing and gave its time to all these other subjects?
Who was supposed to get trained up enough to teach the use of ICT in their own subject when they barely have time to do their own syllabus?
But you're missing out the vital bit. We are pushing that you cannot just assess the quality of the work done but MUST assess the process pupils have gone through.
How do you assess process? Teachers can't be everywhere at once. Are extra assessors used in Hampshire?
You get pupils to annotate the work as they go. You talk to pupils, you target the top and bottom because yopu know the rest are coping at the level of process you are teaching. these are basic teaching skills that we lost because we were so preoccupied with getting pupils one to a computer and giving them time working with applications. Skilling them up. The emphasis now is on them UNDERSTANDING what they are doing so they can transfer skills and develop them faster.
Knowing which button to press to produce bullets is irrelevant; or should be. So you could theoretically assess ICT via a theory exam only? Q1. Describe the process you would go through to ....
You can theoretically assess computing via a theory exam only.
But where is the fun in that?
You can do the Times crossword? Can this be taught or is it a function of IQ?
No, you can teach a lot of the skills. Different methods of pattern matching with good English vocab and grammar will go a long way. There's still another aspect to them, though.
When do girls get encouraged to be software engineers?
I have never understood all this sexual discrimination. When do boys get encouraged to be programmers?
Dunno but there atre far more male programmers than female. -- Colin McQueen