ICT - Programming: The 'Human Factor'

I have been reading the resumé of results from the consultation following disapplication of the Programmes of Study for ICT from the National Curriculum.  It makes interesting reading and you can find the document on:

http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/c/consultation%20results%20report%20ict%20disapplication.pdf

Amongst the generally upbeat responses was an understandable worry that the status of the subject could suffer and that a programme of Teacher Training needed to be put in place if new/challenging items were to be put in place, something that we noted in the previous blog.  An interesting response was that there was a risk that in some cases a school’s ICT curriculum would be based on the skills level of the teacher rather than the ability and interest of the pupils.  In response you could say that this is true for anything taught and it goes to the heart of regarding teaching as a profession rather than a job.

Time to consider the customers?

In this blog I’m considering methods to incorporate one of the recurring themes, programming, into a new curriculum.  I am supposing this to be a central item in the eventual new National Curriculum for Computer Science/Computing/ICT or whatever the new baby is to be called and I also suppose that this is likely to be a rubbing point for many teachers and pupils.  Perhaps the efforts of the great and good are worth looking at first.  There is a curriculum, “Computer Science: A curriculum for schools” already for you to incorporate into your current provision:

http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/ComputingCurric.pdf

Since this development has the backing of the BCS, Microsoft, Google and others it is probably close to the final document and consequently worth having a look at.  I suspect the problem in using this will be in the translation of the themes into lessons. There is a missing sub-text: for example, asserting that “both interpreted and compiled languages are “executable” does not get a lesson off to a cracking pace.  There is going to be a need for classroom teaching material in the form of a well-versed teacher and very probably, well versed teacher or not, pupil-centred text with exercises and examples.

There are many web-based learning schemes available, for example Code Academy which is a feature in the Autumn 2012 newsletter of the BCS:

http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/newsletter-autumn-2012.pdf

A problem with many of these is the lack of specificity in the available help feedback.  If your program doesn’t run there are many possible causes.  Those of a certain age will remember the seminal book “Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance” which recognised the limitations of a purely mechanical “scientific” approach to solving this type of problem.  The human approach to problem solving, with its reliance on minimum effort - “likely problems first” and even more so, “knowing you, I would expect that there is a semi-colon missing at a line end” are the short-cuts missing to a mechanical approach.  A personalised approach is needed.

Of course it’s one thing to comment and quite another to offer assistance and in an attempt to do one’s bit, I’m going to suggest classroom material for starting teaching programing to 10D strugglers, with as much emphasis on the missing 'Human factor' as this medium can provide.  This will start in the next blog, so until then,

Toodle-pip.

John Giles

John Giles is an educational consultant and author specialising in IT and computing. He works closely with exam boards, and has written syllabuses and exam papers.

Reforming the ICT Curriculum - Coercion or cooperation?

Following the Reformation a number of people found Good King Henry’s neck supports were uncomfortable - fortunately this turned out to be only a temporary problem for those afflicted.  It appears that changes following Gove’s January speech to BETT are likely to be somewhat kinder towards the teaching force, although the intention is to change the direction of travel, in this case from ICT (boo!) to the Nirvana of Computer Science.  A well intentioned move made not before time, but these columns have speculated on the two major problems to be solved before necessary improvements in the IT/Computing curriculum can be used to effect; these being teacher training and arranging a suitable bandwidth in the new curriculum to cater for pupil-all-comers.  It looks as if progress is being made, certainly the problem is recognised and proposals advanced for solutions to both problems.

In the case of Teacher Training, the press notice updated 22^nd October:

http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a00215981/new-industry-backed-plans-to-boost-computer-science-teaching

This reports that the intention is to provide annually around 50 scholarship programs at £20,000 each available to top graduates.  The training programs are set up by the British Computer Society (BCS), supported by Microsoft, Facebook, BT and IBM.  Graduates with at least a 2.1 will be eligible to apply for the one of these scholarships.  These graduates will have, in addition to “exceptional subject knowledge and enthusiasm for the study of Computer Science”, will also have an “outstanding potential to teach”.  The relationship between these students and the BCS will continue into their careers; it’s interesting to speculate on what is intended by this: are we talking about feedback for the next tranche of students, ideas for lesson plans or something more radical such as career advice and assisted professional development?

In addition to the BCS students, around 500 teachers are to be trained through a “Network of Computer Science Teaching Excellence”.  This grandiose title relates to a scheme to train up to around 500 teachers, so it could be one lucky individual I suppose, anyway these missionaries with some knowledge of ICT are to be trained to “better teach Computer Science”.  There is an information pack from the BCS which summarises much of this with further useful links:

http://academy.bcs.org/content/strategic-information-schools

It seems a worthy effort that might work, but I have never been able to pick someone with outstanding potential to teach without seeing them in action and then in an environment where they can show their potential.  Teachers so often prosper in their natural habitat (and not necessarily an academic temple) else the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and miseries.  Probably others will disagree and have more success at picking winners.

In the next blog we’ll look at proposals which impact directly on those taught.

John Giles

John Giles is an educational consultant and author specialising in IT and computing. He works closely with exam boards, and has written syllabuses and exam papers.

New Year is coming – keep taking the tablets

As a child of the sixties I was no stranger to books and magazines featuring artists’ impressions of cities of the future.  Sleek skyscrapers, elevated freeways and even personal jetpacks were all clearly going to be on offer; it was a case of when rather than if.  They indicated a clear optimism that the future was going to be better than the past and a belief that technology would be a key driver, presenting lifestyle choices that anyone in their right mind would seize.  When these did arrive, they somehow seemed a little less glamorous and not quite as exciting.  I’m still optimistic about the jetpacks though.

I think this resonates with ICT, which sometimes seems to arrive a little later than promised, not saving quite as much time as we’d thought and always needing a back-up.  However we’re still sometimes promised game changers and, true to my optimistic roots, I’m willing to believe it.

Copyright Sean McEntee

Enter the iPad.  Not being used to Apple systems I was keen to explore and wanted to learn about the potential for use in the classroom.  Three things won me over – Cox, the camera and Machinarium.  “Wonders of the Universe”, already a TV series and a book, was introduced as an iBook.  Seductive in its beauty and simplicity, it invited exploration.  Pictures grow to fill the screen and up pops Brian himself in an exotic location to explain some tricky concept.  What’s not to like?

The camera was next – not so much that the images were stunning as the speed and ease with which they can be displayed.  Anything in the classroom worthy of sharing, be it a chemical product from an experiment or a set of notes from a group task can be snapped and projected, without missing a beat.

Then came Machinarium.  A colleague of mine is involved in a British Council Anglo-Indian project (UnBox 21) to develop the use of computer games in science teaching.  Machinarium was one of his favourites; I asked my 18 year old son to road test it – last I saw of the iPad (and son) for the next four days.  The game is a surreal little world of problems to be solved by using logic, science and technology; entirely devoid of language it nevertheless stimulates a lot of discussion amongst users.

As many of you will know, New Year is closely followed by the ASE Annual Meeting, this time in Reading (January 2^nd – 5^th).  I’m running a number of sessions there for Collins including ones on iPads (as long as I get the kit back) and others on developing extended writing and effective revision strategies.  If you’re there it would be great to see you.  Either way, have a wonderful Christmas.

Ed Walsh

Ed Walsh is Science adviser for Cornwall Learning. In the past, he has worked extensively with teachers, schools, local authorities and national agencies in relation to science education.