They suggest that we develop clarity over what terms we use, their suggestion is:

• Computing – The broad subject area; roughly equivalent to what is called ICT in schools and IT in industry, as the term is generally used.
• ICT – The school subject defined in the current National Curriculum.
• Computer Science – The rigorous academic discipline, encompassing programming languages, data structures, algorithms, etc.
• Information Technology – The use of computers, in industry, commerce, the arts and elsewhere, including aspects of IT systems architecture, human factors, project management, etc. (Note that this is narrower than the use in industry, which generally encompasses Computer Science as well.)
• Digital literacy – The general ability to use computers. This will be written in lower case to emphasize that it is a set of skills rather than a subject in its own right

This is the first of a total of 11 recommendations.  In total they are (in edited form):

Recommendation 1  The term ICT as a brand should be reviewed and the possibility considered of disaggregating this into clearly defined areas such as digital literacy, Information Technology and Computer Science.  The term ‘ICT’ should no longer be used as it has attracted too many negative connotations

Recommendation 2  The government should set targets for the number of Computer Science and Information Technology specialist teachers, and monitor recruitment against these targets in order to allow all schools to deliver a rigorous curriculum.

Recommendation 3  Government <snip> should ensure that there is coordination of CPD provision for Computer Science and Information Technology teachers that deepens subject knowledge and subject-specific pedagogy.   Government should set a minimum level of provision for subject-specific CPD for Computing teachers.

Recommendation 4  School infrastructure service providers, working with others, should prepare a set of off-the-shelf strategies for balancing network security against the need to enable good teaching and learning. Such a “Guide to Best Practice” should be used by schools and local authorities as part of any tendering process for outsourced service provision. (Sounds like BECTA to me)

Recommendation 5  Suitable technical resources should be available in all schools to support the teaching of Computer Science and Information technology. These could include pupil-friendly programming environments such as Scratch, educational microcontroller kits such as PICAXE and Arduino, and robot kits such as Lego Mindstorms

Recommendation 6  The Department for Education should <snip>  reform and rebrand the current ICT curriculum in England. Schemes of work should be established for ages 5 – 14 across the range of Computing aspects, e.g. digital literacy, Information Technology, and Computer Science.  <snip>the existence of separately-defined learning experiences will ensure that each strand is always properly developed – unlike at present.
A timetable distinction should then be in place from the age of 14, allowing pupils to make a well-informed choice to study for recognised qualifications in Information Technology and/or Computer Science.
Given the lack of specialist teachers, we recommend that only the teaching of digital literacy is made statutory at this point. However,
the long-term aim should be to move to a situation where there are sufficient specialist teachers to enable all young people to study
Information Technology and Computer Science at school. Accordingly, the Government should  put in place an action plan to achieve this.The schools inspectorates should monitor the implementation of this change to ensure that the problems of the current curriculum are not replicated.

Recommendation 7  In order to redress the imbalance between academic and vocational qualifications in this area – and to ensure that all qualifications are of value to those who take them – the departments for education across the UK should encourage Awarding Organisations to review their current provision and develop Key Stage 4 (KS4) qualifications in Computer Science in consultation with the UK Forum (see recommendation 11), universities and employers.Awarding Organisations across the UK should review and revise the titles and content of all new and existing qualifications in this area to match the disaggregation described above (e.g. Computer Science, Information Technology and digital literacy).

Recommendation 8  The UK Forum (see recommendation 11) should advise Awarding Organisations on appropriate assessment methods for qualifications in digital literacy, Information Technology and Computer Science.

Recommendation 9  The UK Forum (see recommendation 11) should put in place a framework to support non-formal learning in Computer Science and to support teachers.

Recommendation 10  Awarding Organisations should consult with the UK Forum (see recommendation 11 ) and HE departments to develop rigorous Level 3 academic qualifications in Computer Science

Recommendation 11  The Computing community should establish a lasting UK Forum for joint working and coordination between the many Computing bodies, in order to progress the recommendations within this report.

I can even agree that the current National Curriculum Programme of Study could be dis-applied in order to make way for these recommendations – I just think that having something in place PRIOR to removing the PoS would have been a good thing.

The report has been published (just after Michael Gove’s speech), the text can be downloaded here.

I am delighted to say that they seem to have got it right.  The report is entitled ‘Shutdown or Restart’ and is a very helpful document in my opinion.

As well as providing a definition of some common misunderstood terms the report contains 6 main findings that I find myself able to agree with

1. The current delivery of Computing education in many UK schools is highly unsatisfactory. Although existing curricula for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are broad and allow scope for teachers to inspire pupils and help them develop interests in Computing, many pupils are not inspired by what they are taught and gain nothing beyond basic digital literacy skills such as how to use a word-processor or a database. This is mainly because:
       1.1 The current national curriculum in ICT can be very broadly interpreted and may be reduced to the lowest level where non specialist teachers have to deliver it;
       1.2 there is a shortage of teachers who are able to teach beyond basic digital literacy;
       1.3 there is a lack of continuing professional development for teachers of Computing;
       1.4 features of school infrastructure inhibit effective teaching of Computing.
2. There is a need to improve understanding in schools of the nature and scope of Computing. In particular there needs to be recognition that Computer Science is a rigorous academic discipline of great importance to the future careers of many pupils. The status of Computing in schools needs to be recognised and raised by government
3. Every child should have the opportunity to learn Computing at school, including exposure to Computer Science as a rigorous academic discipline.
4. There is a need for qualifications in aspects of Computing that are accessible at school level but are not currently taught. There is also a need for existing inappropriate assessment methods to be updated.
5. There is a need for augmentation and coordination of current Enhancement and Enrichment activities to support the study of Computing.
6. Uptake of Computing A-level is hindered by lack of demand from higher education institutions.

There are some detailed explanations about where to go next and what to do.  I have some more detailed analysis of the report to do yet but so far I find this to be one of the best pieces of work I’ve seen outside of NAACE and BECTA.  The report is definitely a well through through and valuable contribution to the debate.

I Urge you ALL to download a copy – and (if possible) read it. Maybe give a copy to your head teacher?

IT is to remain compulsory at ALL KEY STAGES (but everyone is now ‘free’ to interpret what they think this means).

The other big announcement was that ICT could join the English Baccalaureate group of subjects.

Mr Gove highlighted 3 immediate aspects where technology can impact learning:

1. The potential to disseminate learning (examples quoted were O2, Kahn University, iTunesU and others)
2. Changing the methodology of both teaching and learning (eg games based learning and Adaptive Software (see web 4 in an earlier nugget))
3. Methods of assessment including the communication to both learner and parent.

Schools and businesses are encouraged to create their own curriculums.

The full text of the speech can be read here.

My reaction is that Mr Gove has missed the point.  It isn’t the curriculum that is at fault, fundamentally it’s about good teaching.

The Programme of Study (PoS)  is a fine piece of work but in general schools have given it little attention or importance, the usual model of one hour a week and non specialist staff has led to a ‘dumbed down’ curriculum in practice which can be taught by anyone who isn’t scared of a computer.  Resources are expensive and frequently schools ‘cope’ with what they have, underlying technologies are difficult and technical support is frequently insufficient (how many school have a really effective wireless network for example?).

ICT changes massively week by week and yet staff training is minimal – how many people even know how to search the web effectively for example? (“you suspect that you may have a serious illness, how would you search the web and filter out inappropriate articles”, “How would you find the latest research”?).  The work done by Alan November (eg Web Literacy For Educators) is hugely significant but how many teachers have even read this? how often is ‘web searching’ in ICT lessons about pretending to plan a trip?

I think that the PoS IS in need of an update and I think that clearer examples of what is meant at different levels would definitely be helpful.  I think that the addition of a ‘Computer Science’ course for those who want it should definitely be available in all comprehensive schools (up to A Level), I also think that there IS a place for vocationally orientated courses as well (eg ECDL or MOS – many people I know REALLY want to be able to make the thing just work and yet there are MANY office workers who cannot master basic word-processing skills (terrible online forms are a particular bugbear of mine). HOWEVER there is a LOT of good in what we have.

I feel that the ‘build your own’ curriculum idea has been responsible for some terrible schemes of work.  The idea that you can buy a complete set of lessons, plug in the children and that’s all you need – is a myth, whether is the Thomas Telford model or the National Strategies or Teach ICT or the Learn-ICT materials.  That isn’t to say these materials are ‘bad’ – quite the reverse – but it’s the way that they are used that is critical.

Fundamentally it’s about good teaching.

— old name, new use.

Maybe not ideal in a ‘corporate’ situation (like schools) but maybe a good one to have set up at home.

The new version (still in beta version) can be used on a bootable drive (eg CD or USB) so doesn’t need Windows to be working (or even installed) – so it could help you recover a ‘broken’ computer.  Early reports seem to suggest that WDO can find problems that MSE misses especially useful with the dreaded and secretive ‘rootkits’.

The download is a 200Mb+ file but may be worth getting hold of and adding to your security kit.

Windows Defender Offline Beta site

DfE announced changes in October 2011 – in order for courses to be counted in headline performance figures they have to demonstrate several key characteristics.  GCSE are therefore changing.

• All GCSE assessment will become linear, meaning that GCSE examinations are taken at the end of the course.
• The availability of examinations will be restricted to the summer only, removing the potential for resitting units.

EdExcel have a new BTEC in Information and Creative Technology, ready for first teaching in Sept 2012, draft specifications and sample assessment materials (SAMs) are now available. Note that the test takes place in an onscreen environment.  The first questiond are really simple but get tricky by the end.

The DIDA qualification will now contain an exam.  You’ll already know (if you follow DIDA) that the qualification is OK for final certification until Dec 2014, there are no details what the new course will look like and the chages won’t happen straight away but this might be one to keen an eye on.

In the mean time I still think that the GCSE in ICT offered by Edexcel is one of the better ones.  Details here

I ask this because a school in Kenya is in just this situation and has asked for help.http://kestrust.blogspot.com/

Number 1 for me is Scratch .  A brilliant tool that can be used at a range of levels, free and well supported.  Score would be about 90%.  To improve I’d like to see more support about what ‘getting better’ could be and for a way to move beyond this environment into a more fully featured SDK.

Crazytalk is great and could be used in a lot of contexts.  At the time of writing it’s on offer at £15.50 so not expensive.  It’s good ‘fun’ again but it seems a little more 1 dimensional – I’m not sure what you would achieve with 6 lessons with this software that you wouldn’t achieve with 1 BUT it could provide the engagement factor for more substantial work in other aspects (learning English for example).  A rating around 75% would be about right for me.

Another favourite for younger children is the 2Simple family. The main drawback would have to be the cost, the software itself is excellent and seems to do a focussed job well but the number of titles a school would need probably make this difficult to achieve. The software would score highly but the cost has to make it a 50% option I think.

I’ve not used Open Office for a long time – anyone got any thoughts?

I’d probably suggest Paint.Net and Picasa for images.

I’m not sure if foreign schools can use Live@Edu but if so then this would be a first class option for email hosting.

What do you think?

Recycled CD decorations (also circuit boards (and look out for the potato raincoat))

Social ornaments

Snowman USB Hub (robotic sound, scanning eye moving arms)

8 Bit ‘old school’ holly  Wreath

Three interesting design ideas and a snowman!

An evaluation of information and communication technology education in schools in England 2008–11.

Just over a third of the secondary schools visited were considered good or outstanding for the overall effectiveness of ICT. Pupil achievement in ICT was inadequate in almost a fifth of schools.

Key findings for Secondary Schools:

Weaknesses included

• limited teacher capability in key topics such as programming
• students repeating work from previous years
• The use of assessment was a considerable weakness
• lack of attention to the needs and interests of more able students
• not tracking the progress of pupils effectively in both specialist ICT classes and across the curriculum
• teachers and pupils lacking an understanding of current performance and what was needed to improve
• Key Stage 4 courses often failed to meet the needs of students
• In schools students who had not chosen an examination course in ICT did not follow the National Curriculum programme of study.
• Where vocational courses were chosen, the modules selected by the school narrowed the learning and limited the achievement of the students
• Very few examples were seen of secondary schools engaging with local IT businesses
• Important topics such as control technology or data handling were not given sufficient attention or were missed out completely.
• nearly half the students reached the age of 16 without an adequate foundation for further study or training in ICT and related subjects
• the issue of under-age use of social networking sites arose frequently, underlining the importance of schools continuing to maintain e-safety as a priority for staff training and awareness-raising with parents.
• For those students in Key Stage 4 who were not receiving specialist ICT teaching there was no systematic record of their learning in ICT

Report summary

This is so you can get the report that ‘The Titanic is Syncing’

Another variation on this theme

You are aware that Hope and Livingstone have written a report to bemoan the state of ICT in schools … here are a few highlights from the response from the Department:

’12. As outlined within the Next Gen report, ICT is currently part of the National Curriculum at all four key stages (ages 5 – 16) and allows for the teaching of some of the skills associated with computer science. However, the Government recognises that learning the skills to use ICT effectively and acquiring the knowledge of the underpinning computer science are two different (albeit complementary) subjects. Furthermore, the Government recognises that the current ICT programme is insufficiently rigorous and in need of reform.
13. The Government is committed to introducing a slimmed down, more focused, and more rigorous curriculum. As part of this commitment, a review of the National Curriculum was launched on 20 January 2011. The review aims to develop a new National Curriculum which clearly sets out the core knowledge that all children should acquire, while giving teachers more freedom to decide how to teach and design a wider school curriculum that best meets the needs of their pupils.
14. Department for Education Ministers announced at the outset of the National Curriculum review that English, maths, science and physical education would remain as subjects within the National Curriculum in all four school Key Stages. They are currently considering the place of all the other subjects that currently feature within the National Curriculum, including ICT, and will bring forward proposals shortly. If ICT were to be included as a discrete subject within the new National Curriculum, then work on a new Programme of Study would begin next year. As part of that process the review will consider the teaching of computer science within ICT. The Government recognises that, in the event of ICT not remaining part of the National Curriculum, attention would still need to be given to ensure children could acquire computer science skills. The Government would work with the sector to find the best way to achieve this.
15. The Government recognises that the IT GCSE is in need of reform, and will be looking at ways to improve the course. The Government welcomes e-skills UK’s “Behind the Screens” project which aims to trial a possible reformed IT GCSE curriculum. e-Skills UK are aiming to establish a new way of delivering IT in secondary schools, initially concentrating around Key Stage 4 and bringing in employers to provide a bank of resources as stimulus materials for the Government supports the alignment of industry interest in computing curriculum around this pilot activity.
16. In addition to the curriculum review and the pilot IT GCSE the Government recognises the potential developments such as the Raspberry Pi computer project have for stimulating and motivating children to understand basic computer science in schools. Much as the BBC Micro inspired a generation of computer programmers in the early 1980’s the Raspberry Pi could provide the platform for teachers and pupils to gain hands on programming experience. Raspberry Pi is an example of how games developers are finding innovative and affordable solutions to tackle the perceived issues highlighted in the Next Gen Report.’