Information Creative Technology?
ICT - in it's generic form - needs to be changed. It has been highlighted by a number of figureheads in education - particularly Michael Gove (Minister for Education) - as an area that requires drastic improvement.
Currently, ICT teaches students how to use applications in order to communicate information. According to Michael Gove earlier this year during the BETT exhibition, pupils are simply expected to show how to do simple tasks through generic software such as MS PowerPoint and Word using skills that they already have. This has therefore taken any engagement out of the subject which means no one will excel.
As an ICT teacher who takes the creative approach in all aspects of the subject, I know that Gove's opinion of how we all deliver it is false. Pupils do have to show these skills mentioned but only as part of creating a product for a particular purpose using a wide range of software and applications. In my school, we ensure that pupils are taught about the product life cycle where they learn about research, planning, design, creation, testing and evaluation. They learn about important factors in design so that pupils can understand how these and other skills can be used in real life - this can be using any software that is suitable. I can understand why some schools could deliver the curriculum in a non-creative way which would make the students bored to tears but surely these schools would be the minority? Any teacher who truly values their job and knows what they are talking about would realise fairly early on how to deliver a curriculum in ICT in an engaging way through creativity?
So here we are. The pendulum has swung so far in one direction that Gove's immediate reaction was to take a "revolutionary step" by swinging it just as much in the opposite direction. Computer Science is now the way forwards*. According to experts in the UK's IT industry, we have a severe lack of programmers and highly technically-minded from the UK which means people from overseas are being recruited. These programmers account for approximately 15% of jobs in the entire IT sector.
The idea is that Computer Science replaces ICT in order to get more pupils interested in the subject from a young age. If this plan gets the go ahead, pupils will no longer be taught how to present information, create products for different audiences, understand the design processes that take place in the production of media. This entire skill set will need to be taught through other subjects. Are other subject teachers clued up enough to do this? If not, where will the money come from to train them about creating professional websites, multi-page media-rich documents, relationship databases, modelling using complex formulae, representing data through new mediums such as infographics, presenting information in new ways such as podcasts, video editing and production (the list goes on)?
All of the skills that my pupils learn from me are transferrable and can be used in a wide variety of different workplaces that they might find themselves in when starting a career. Adding other skills to their techno-repertoire is no bad thing. Computer Programming is a welcomed addition to this. Not a replacement. Considering how many job roles are purely programming in the industry, why would it make any sense to only teach it?
Computer Progamming should be included in the programme of study for Key Stage 3 to introduce the subject to pupils. It should then be offered as an option in Key Stages 4 & 5 for those who are interested. Gove hasn't taken into account the ability of students when making these suggestions. Not all pupils will be able to access a curriculum in Computer Programming.
So my suggestion is this:
From now on, Information and Communication Technology will now be called Information and Creative Technology.
Depending on the ability of the students in each school, Key Stage 4 ICT will be compulsory but will be made up of options that would allow pupils to choose a qualification that they are interested in and therefore, be engaged in. This can include (but not be limited to) Computer Science, Photography, Graphics, Computing, Creative iMedia and ICT. All of which are GCSE qualifications, not vocational level 2 qualifications. As a result of this, Key Stage 3 would be more engaging as it would need to include all of the skills needed for students to succeed in KS4.
As a result, Gove will get his programmers, pupils will get a tailored curriculum and ultimately, our students will get a good, relevant qualification that they deserve. ICT Teachers will be given a choice of different qualifications that they can teach and can either embrace the change and teach something new or hone their skills and teach something they are comfortable with - no matter what those skills may be.
Let's not swing the pendulum, instead, let's leave it lying in the middle.
Not Art, not Science; ICT
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