When Google head Eric Schmidt visited the UK last year, he was scathing about the way ICT is taught in schools. "Your IT curriculum focuses on teaching how to use software, but gives no insight into how it's made,” he said. It’s a message the government has taken on board with its latest plans to remove the ICT curriculum and give teachers free rein to focus on computer science and programming. Education minister Michael Gove hopes this will make the subject better suited to the needs of industry and create greater flexibility in responding to rapidly-changing technology.
Alan Brown, head of college ICT at Thanet College, welcomed the move. “We should always look to provide what the industry is looking for. IT is so fast-moving, reinventing itself every six months and education to a certain extent lags behind the leading-edge.” David Willmot, head of faculty at Blackfen School for Girls, agreed. “There will be some people who are disillusioned by the challenge, but our view is we will rise to it.
Willmot said the move will allow him to introduce a wider range of applications to students beyond the standard Microsoft suite. “While there are some very good Microsoft products, there are better products available for certain applications. This will enable us to introduce a greater variety,” he said.
Brown said the college’s next move will be to look at the materials available, such as those being provided by trade body BCS. “The awarding bodies will need to come up with methodology to operate at the same standards. The qualifying authorities need to ensure all schools and colleges are delivering a similar level product.
Some examining bodies are already seeking to provide a new ICT curriculum for schools to follow. Exam board OCR said it has already developed a new ICT qualification, which it hopes to make available to schools by September 2012. The new programme aims to focus on practical real-life skills and will provide computer programming and coding, it said.
Willmot said the move will allow him to introduce a wider range of applications to students beyond the standard Microsoft suite. “While there are some very good Microsoft products, there are better products available for certain applications. This will enable us to introduce a greater variety,” he said.
Brown said the college’s next move will be to look at the materials available, such as those being provided by trade body BCS. “The awarding bodies will need to come up with methodology to operate at the same standards. The qualifying authorities need to ensure all schools and colleges are delivering a similar level product.
Some examining bodies are already seeking to provide a new ICT curriculum for schools to follow. Exam board OCR said it has already developed a new ICT qualification, which it hopes to make available to schools by September 2012. The new programme aims to focus on practical real-life skills and will provide computer programming and coding, it said.
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