Re: Courses

[Malonowa <malonowa@wanadoo.fr>]

Ian Bicking wrote:

> So, when talking about IT in the schools in the US, one has to be
> flexible if one wants to be inclusive at all.  For this reason, a
> canned distribution could probably only go so far.  Would it allow
> email?  Would it expect an Internet connection?  Would it presume
> the resources for individual student accounts?  Is the computer
> situated in a lab, classroom, or office?  Does the computer direct
> activities (as in edutainment), or is it a tool (as with a spreadsheet)?
>

I think when I talk of a canned distribution in this context I'm really referring to a
project to develop as many intranet uses as possible. If enough diversity is provided
then teachers will be able to download and install what they think's relevant to their
pupils. This project shouldn't really presume anything.

The idea behind intranet usage is that given an overall technical framework teachers with
little technical knowledge could develop their own materials. Teachers with no technical
knowledge can develop the content. This could lead to more people developing resources
and hence greater diversity. At the outset, teachers will be more likely to develop
content that's applicable to their school using our framework and related tools - or
their own. If this content is then useful to others so much the better. If not then it's
done their pupils some good and may well act as a catalyst to the ideas of others who may
have slightly different requirements.

I think generally, when developing software we need to think of ways for this software to
be used as broadly as possible. We call this sort of software, 'Open software' in
England. I don't know if this is an international term. To start with, I'd avoid
edutainment titles and specific curriculum resources (except for intranet) since as you
point out it'd be difficult to use these everywhere. But good generic applications could
be used and developed further by most teachers. If you look back a few mails I mentioned
an idea for a word processor for very youngs ones that you could also use for a number of
other applications - this is the sort of thing I mean.

You can integrate tools such as spreadsheets into edutainment.

> > Kids start using databases, spreadsheets, charting tools, logo, control technology
> > at 5 years old but the IT side of this is very much abstracted. This software is
> > used in all subjects, data and practice being topic related. It's interesting to
> > note here as well that there is extensive use of "Concept Keyboards" and other
> > input devices at primary level.
>
> What's a Concept Keyboard?

A concept keyboard is a touchpad which comes in sizes A3 and A4. It is a matrix of maybe
100 or more touch swiches. It's connected by, I think the serial port on PCs. What you do
with this keyboard is to produce overlays which map to the switches underneath. A picture
or word on an overlay can consist of many underlying switches. So instead of having to
type or use a mouse the student just has to touch pictures on the overlay. These can be
very useful particularly with pupils who have physical disabilities. They're also useful
for older pupils to facilitate rapid data entry when collecting survey data and other
similar things.

> I'm afraid I wasn't able to get a good feel for what they really do with
> computers in England.  The National Curriculum was kind of vague,
> as I suppose it has to be if it isn't to become terribly outdated very
> quickly.
>
> There were many references to simulations -- what sorts of
> simulations do they use, and how are they connected to the larger
> curriculum?

IT is not connected to the wider curriculum in England, the wider curriculum finds ways
of using it. Really, there are hundreds and hundreds of applications specifically written
for schools in England and they're mostly very well thought out. I'd note here that
British teacher's wouldn't buy any of the programs that you use in the US. These
companies have tried and failed to enter the market in England.

Simulations - logo is a simulation. Teacher's generally use the word modelling software
here and it simply refers to a piece of software where pupils can enter some kind of
input to change an outcome.

This is done using programs like logo, or adventure games, for example. How about
simulations of going shopping. Growing plants - science.

A spreadsheet is also a piece of modelling software - as are charting programs.

I think you need to be aware that there is no subject - IT as such. The IT curriculum is
taught in all subjects - and at primary level and lower high school - never or rarely on
it's own.

Take history for example, you may study the 1st World War so you might want to look up
data from a database of sources of evidence (data handling requirements). You may have a
simulation of being on the Western Front where you're given situations and you have to
choose what to do (modelling requirements). You'd definitely need to write about it all
(communication, presentation). You might need to look at the number of people killed,
other economic factors using data in tables on a computer, maybe print charts from this
(modelling, data handling, communication, presentation).

So IT is taught in every subject and each teacher must find ways of implementing it in as
much as possible of what they do.

The range of apps. available is very diverse. IT in British schools is taken very
seriously. Each authority has teams of specialists to guide each teacher in their usage
of IT. What to buy, how to use it etc. To explain in any detail how teachers actually use
IT probably beyond the scope of e-Mail since it's become so deeply integrated in all
teaching for so many years. It'd be difficult to seperate it all out.

I hope this answers your question but please keep asking things and gradually I may start
to make sense.

Roman.