[Oz-teachers] [echalk] ICT as a Discretesubjector taughtcontextually within other subjects

Tue Jun 9 15:47:09 EST 2009

my feeling is that this division  (computing and ICT) is valid - and yet can be used to avoid some of the more promising opportunities

i can see how it makes sense at one level (we can all use email or facebook or google etc without needing to know much of the technical underpinnings)

but seems this division is often used to disparage or avoid computing (as hard, specialist) and encourage ICT (all those wonderful tools to use)

seems to me the risk is that this might place a ceiling on the power of the new media ...

just read first part of Andrea diSessa's Changing Minds (subtitled : computers, learning and literacy)
http://www.pyxisystems.com/file/ChangingMinds1-2.pdf

makes the case that a year 9 student can more efficiently represent Galileo's 6 theorems of uniform motion - since the development of algebra now allows a more powerful (symbolic) summary of his thinking  
: the simple forumula v=d/t whittles his theorems and proofs right down to the core concept

so contributions of historical genius (Galileo) are easily summarised and subsumed into general knowledge for all, by this system of representation

makes the case that new forms of literacy should emerge out of the the new possibilities for representation that the computer provides...(an argument that is found in Papert and Kay -- computer as the 'first meta-medium' )

diSessa :  "I think the dawn of computational media is precisely the right time to remake the experience of science and mathematics learning 
in schools so that interests and values are not ignored."

so i think saying that we use ICT to support to higher order thinking in various disciplines is good (and simultaneously to teach this version of ICT  (ie as application / collaboration)

and there is also a side that promises new literacies .. for example diSessa is an advocate of visual programming (Boxer) for young children ...we should be careful of ruling that approch out as 'smuggling in boring old computer science'  ...if we can find the right approach it is potentially a new and transformative literacy ...not technicalities of programming, but new ways of modelling and grappling with problems (Scratch is one example) 

eg the national curriculum could look at this sort of approach, and reconceptualise some maths and science curriculum - not that i think thats all that likely, unfortunately ...i imagine we will get ICT as application, illustrating/exploring (not seriously modifying) traditional content or assessment ..curriculum design is probably a conservative business i guess

cheers

rob 

________________________________

From: oz-teachers-bounces at rite.ed.qut.edu.au on behalf of Paul Reid
Sent: Sun 6/7/2009 11:23 PM
To: echalk email list; OzTeachers
Subject: Re: [Oz-teachers] [echalk] ICT as a Discretesubjector taughtcontextually within other subjects

There are two discussions here:

Alongside Graham's wise assertions <http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=17067&local_base=GEN01>  around HOTS and 'certain computing abilities like manipulating Boolean logic', is a review of ICT's place in T&L that focuses on the digital literacy and accompanying social software aspect.  IMHO these are two parallel yet distinct areas.   

More often these days I hear teachers simplify both aspects by describing them as "computing" and "ICTs".

On the subject of ICTs as a dicrete subject rather than computing is this review http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/primarycurriculumreview/ of the English primary school curriculum commissioned by Schools Secretary Ed Balls last year and is being drawn up by Sir Jim Rose, former chief of England's schools watchdog, Ofsted:

	'The Guardian' said the draft Rose Review requires primary school children to be familiar with blogging, podcasts, Wikipedia and Twitter as sources of information and forms of communication. Via: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/7962912.stm 

Does "familiar" mean they actually get to use them??

The pace at which ICTs are shifting means they will never be accessed by as traditional discrete subject.  It's impossible!  I get the feeling that by the time the assessment paper is written, printed, reviewed and delivered to the examination hall Google will have Waved and Binged it in the FaceBook.  It comes back to learning to change and changing to learn.

Some excellent conversations here lately.

Best regards,
Paul 

http://paulreid.id.au <http://paulreid.id.au/> 

On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 11:00 AM, Roland Gesthuizen<rgesthuizen at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you for sharing that link Graham, (great when they publish this
> online!) would be interesting to read the entire thesis. Glancing over the
> abstract I read:
>
>> .. Students with better developed computing  skills scored higher on
>> critical and creative thinking activities. This was most  significant for
>> students with better computer programming skills and the ability to 
>> competently manipulate Boolean logic. The most significant factors in
>> developing  higher order thinking skills were the students' levels of
>> computer skills, tempered  with their attitudes towards computers and
>> computer classes, and the teacher-student relationships within the
>> technology-rich learning environment.
>
> Bill Kerr did some work on higher order thinking (HOT) and programming a
> couple of years ago. Worth reading the notes on his blog.
>     
> http://billkerr.blogspot.com/2005/10/engagement-hands-on-higher-order.html
>
> and some of the thoughts he has gathered on how learning evolves on his wiki
>      http://learningevolves.wikispaces.com/
>
> Some of this is nicely summarised on this manifesto
>      http://learningevolves.wikispaces.com/game+making+manifesto
>
> Tony and Bill's work in this area inspired me to give Scratch and Python a
> better workout this year. It has been fun :-)
>
> Regards Roland
>
> 2009/6/7 <gpmcmahon1 at optusnet.com.au>
>>
>>
>> >
>> > Ken, I recall alluded quite some time ago about research etc that
>> > identified the collateral benefits to cognitive abilities by learning
>> > to program to an extent (by everyone). If he could refresh my memory,
>> > I would be most grateful.
>>
>> ..the baton has been picked up ...
>>
>>
>> http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=17067&local_base=GEN01
>>
>> cheers
>> Graham
>>
>> ---
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>
>
>
> --
> 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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