On 2003-11-30 18:07:04 +0000 Thomas Adam <thomas_adam16@yahoo.com> wrote:
One of the problems here though is that there is no standardising of *how* and what we are taught computer-wise in schools.
Pshaw! I think the main problem is that there is too much standardising of how and what is taught, through ever-increasing national mandating and compulsion. The economic planning drives the education system drives the testing regime drives the assessment design drives the teaching programmes. Schemes of work must be filed far in advance. There are columns for formative assessment details and justification of why this is appropriate with respect to the final summative assessment. Deviation will be judged harshly. Keep to the programme. If you lose out to a snow day, drop that material and carry on regardless. The structure is king. So turtle graphics inspired Thomas onto greater things. For another, it may be objects and how they relate to each other. Someone else will be sparked by process design. How can they all be accommodated in a half-year plan without being hopelessly shallow or directionless? It's impossible. Worse, it's almost madness to try to make good teaching fit the bad system. The teacher will get roasted when the summary statistic of their students fails to meet the artifical paper score target required by the five-year plan. It's far safer to follow the herd and teach the kids to jump through hoops like mindless lumps of backing store. There are some brave souls who are doing truly imaginative things with computers that challenge the students, makes them think and teaches them real transferable skills. I salute all these intrepid individuals and wish them job security in this increasingly hostile climate. That said, what I think about this isn't really relevant to much any more, except as a possible future employer of some of the "products" (or should that be "outcomes"?) of our education system. I write this because I get rather cross at what I see. Bright kids with a clear interest and enthusiasm for real computing are told that they can't study fundamental concepts like logic in school, but must concentrate on their report-writing. I mean, as long as they have the English skills, they can learn to write reports later. It's not for computing tutors to teach general English. If students don't learn logic, I don't want them programming for anybody until they do. -- MJR/slef My Opinion Only and possibly not of any group I know. Please http://remember.to/edit_messages on lists to be sure I read http://mjr.towers.org.uk/ gopher://g.towers.org.uk/ slef@jabber.at Creative copyleft computing services via http://www.ttllp.co.uk/