ICT to be replaced by Computer Science classes in school

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16493929

About bloody time too. Too late for the likes of me, but I wantfuture generations to know programming before they leave school. As someone who still struggles with the basics of programming, this is comforting to know that future generations will be more grounded in it.

What do you think?

Reply 1

yohoho_01

Original post by The_master616

About bloody time too.

Finally! D: I can't remember where I read the analogy, but a child's relationship with computers is similar to reading and writing; children can interface and interact with them, but they can't write or create code, which is the same as being able to read but not to write.

Look at the potential of a whole generation of coders! With mobile phones slowly overtaking traditional games consoles and PCs as the new primary method of playing videogames and using websites, it's never been more important to teach basic coding skills. And the amount of commerce around mobile applications!

I remember my IT lessons; databases, spreadsheets and word processing. I mean, really? We got a little HTML coding but this new Web landscape is dominated by HTML5 and CSS, and I asked my younger brother about his IT lessons; very much the same.

Rant over.

Reply 2

ch0llima

16

Good idea. Too much time is wasted in first year at university teaching hopelessly basic concepts like variables and loops - a lot more could be achieved if the groundwork was laid and nailed down while people are still at school leaving first year free for, *shudder*, rigorous university level work. The current system is like a first year English Literature undergraduate being taught the alphabet.

This, of course, relies on proper OO programming tuition happening in schools with meaningful tuition in languages like Java. None of this "OMG I MAED A BUTTON!1!1" rubbish in Visual Basic :colonhash:

and aimlessly faffing about in random MS Office applications.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 3

mahjongmagic

11

Original post by yohoho_01

Finally!

Agreed! My IT lessons involved nothing but powerpoints and endless reems of screenshots. :frown:

Maybe now, we can grant the next line of children with decent coding skills and leave them more able for work. You don't need to teach people how to use Excel, they can learn that in 10 minutes!

Reply 4

yohoho_01

Original post by ch0llima

aimlessly faffing about in random MS Office applications.

IT and MS Office is like a whole Maths curriculum based purely around using one type of calculator by one manufacturer, or an English module teaching one author and one series of books. For five years. D:

I wonder if schools were forced to adopt Open Source office suites, would they drop the ridiculous page-formatting, database and spreadsheet workshops? Plus they'd save a whole ton of money and teach kids to debate the morals and ethics behind open source software against the advantages of capital-backed software companies. Silly Utopian vision, really.

Reply 5

Nymthae

16

Disappointed I don't benefit, but it's definitely a good move. 5 years being told to start a formula with = in Excel is enough to put anyone off computers for life.

Although as it is, not sure how receptive a lot of older teachers will be to it. My IT department in high school was run by a man stuck in his ways and unreceptive to any change :| They're not all gaurenteed to be competent in that area...

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 6

whyumadtho

14

There's more to an ICT system than programming; I don't think it should be replaced, but perhaps coalesced with programming topics.

Reply 7

F1's Finest

21

i dont see the point, who wants to know how to program a pc, the whole point of ICT now is to teach them skills that will help them in the future like formatting documents and all of that......

maybe they should try to integrate computer science rather than making it full on computer science lessons

Reply 8

Sgt.Incontro

20

IT isn't even a subject.

Reply 9

yohoho_01

Original post by James A

i dont see the point, who wants to know how to program a pc, the whole point of ICT now is to teach them skills that will help them in the future like formatting documents and all of that......

I think in the past, maybe it was less important, but with mobile devices and iOS and Android becoming the two new significant operating systems with an eco-system based around small bits of coding and script which generate millions of pounds in revenue, it's undeniable that software has become a significant part of contemporary society and the world economy.

I mean, look at Angry Birds. It's no Call of Duty, but the impact of this app on popular culture can't be denied. A whole product assortment (speakers, t-shirts and toys) based around what is practically a Flash game. And even the word "app", which has seeped its way into our language.

It's a missed opportunity for children to be passive consumers rather than active. It's like teaching them to read but denying them the ability to right.

But I agree, maybe complementing existing lessons would help. Although 90% less MS Office wouldn't be a step in the wrong direction...

Reply 10

Psyk

16

Original post by James A

i dont see the point, who wants to know how to program a pc, the whole point of ICT now is to teach them skills that will help them in the future like formatting documents and all of that......

Who wants to know how to do scientific experiments? Who wants to know the meaning behind Shakespeare's work? Who wants to know what happened in the 1500s? Who wants to know how to solve quadratic equations? I could go on really. Sure, most people who do this at school won't end up using it in their job. But that's true of pretty much everything. The vast majority of content I learnt in school is completely irrelevant to what I now do for a living. But all that stuff has made me more rounded, and it's increased my general ability for lots of things. Computer science will train students to think logically. They might not end up programming for a living, but thinking logically will help with everything.

Original post by James A

maybe they should try to integrate computer science rather than making it full on computer science lessons

Yeah, there would definitely be scope for it in maths and science subjects. I'm sure that most real scientific experiments involve some programming, so why not teach school kids to use programming to analyse their results like real scientists do?

Reply 11

salvequamtu

2

I've been wanting to program for some time, tried to teach myself... but I give up as I can't find the time for it, as I'm doing AS Maths, Chemistry, Physics and DT.
I feel that by the time I get to University to study Computer Science a 14 year old will know how to program, apposed to me being a total noob at it.
How long do you guys think it would take in the first year of Uni to cover this 'new' Curriculum?

Reply 12

F1's Finest

21

Original post by yohoho_01

I think in the past, maybe it was less important, but with mobile devices and iOS and Android becoming the two new significant operating systems with an eco-system based around small bits of coding and script which generate millions of pounds in revenue, it's undeniable that software has become a significant part of contemporary society and the world economy.

I mean, look at Angry Birds. It's no Call of Duty, but the impact of this app on popular culture can't be denied. A whole product assortment (speakers, t-shirts and toys) based around what is practically a Flash game. And even the word "app", which has seeped its way into our language.

It's a missed opportunity for children to be passive consumers rather than active. It's like teaching them to read but denying them the ability to right.

But I agree, maybe complementing existing lessons would help. Although 90% less MS Office wouldn't be a step in the wrong direction...

Original post by Psyk

Who wants to know how to do scientific experiments? Who wants to know the meaning behind Shakespeare's work? Who wants to know what happened in the 1500s? Who wants to know how to solve quadratic equations? I could go on really. Sure, most people who do this at school won't end up using it in their job. But that's true of pretty much everything. The vast majority of content I learnt in school is completely irrelevant to what I now do for a living. But all that stuff has made me more rounded, and it's increased my general ability for lots of things. Computer science will train students to think logically. They might not end up programming for a living, but thinking logically will help with everything.

Yeah, there would definitely be scope for it in maths and science subjects. I'm sure that most real scientific experiments involve some programming, so why not teach school kids to use programming to analyse their results like real scientists do?

indeed, i used to like computers and i even built the computer im using now, but i dont think it will work for others... not everyone develops their logical side of their brain, they are however better at other things (so theses lessons wont be of much use too)

Reply 13

lambert1

This is bad for me i'm doing Computer Science next year and I don't want more competition in the job market.

Reply 14

Psyk

16

Original post by James A

indeed, i used to like computers and i even built the computer im using now, but i dont think it will work for others... not everyone develops their logical side of their brain, they are however better at other things (so theses lessons wont be of much use too)

Well we still force people to do maths and english when they have no interest in it. Will computer science even be a compulsory subject? Presumably at GCSE level it will be an option. So they'll all have the chance to give it a try and if they don't like it they don't have to do it for GCSE.

Reply 15

Rami101

9

way overdue...too late for me but it's about time it happened.

ICT was probably the most pointless subject ever.

Reply 16

allwordsaredust

Original post by Rami101

way overdue...too late for me but it's about time it happened.

ICT was probably the most pointless subject ever.

Agreed.
Oh god, I'm having bad flashbacks of ICT "Key Skills 2". Where you were treated with multiple choice exams with questions such as "How would you browse the internet?" A) Open My Documents... etc.
It challenged RE and PSHE (or whatever they're called now) in pointlessness.

i picked what?

About time. Too late for me, unfortunately, but it needed to happen and I'm glad it is.

I did IT for GCSE and then promptly washed my hands of it. Two years of doing the coursework tasks in about an hour and then spending a further ten hours taking screenshots and writing "Here I used a basic bit of HTML, aren't I great" over and over again was soul destroying enough. :s

Reply 19

F1's Finest

21

no, hell no, i hate ict !

ICT to be replaced by Computer Science classes in school

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you