Advancing Understanding of the Roles of Computer Science/Informatics in the Curriculum

• In Event: Pursuing Technology-Enhanced Quality Learning for All: Strategies Developed From the International Summit on Information and Communication Technologies in Education (EDUSummIT) 2015

Abstract

In this paper we present the findings and consequent research and policy recommendations of the EDUSummIT 2015 Working Group 9 (TWG9), which has been conducting an extensive global review of the changing school curricula for the teaching of Computer Science/Informatics in schools.

Background to the research
Arguments for the inclusion of computer science/informatics in the core curriculum to meet the needs of educating children with 21st century skills have confirmed the importance of computational thinking. A large body of evidence over more than 40 years across the world (Voogt & Knezek, 2008; EDUSummit 2015 - Working Group TW9, 2015) and substantial earlier research conducted by Papert (1980) has shown the educational benefits of learning computing and problem solving skills such as abstraction (generalising solutions), data representation (simulations and modelling), automating solutions (algorithms). More recently researchers, e.g., Wing (2008) have shown the value of creativity in problem solving using computers. These all form significant foundations for not only computing skills and theories but also for many other traditional subjects in the curriculum such as Science, Mathematics, Geography, etc.

Rationale for a Computer Science/Informatics Curriculum
IT increasingly pervades many aspects of everyday life in business and leisure in most developed and developing countries and is growing in use in formal and informal education. Numerous government reports have acknowledged that this technology revolution has major implications for the current and future education of the world’s citizens (Webb, 2014). However, the Information Technology in Primary and Secondary Schools Handbook produced by a range of IT in Education experts across the world (Voogt & Knezek, 2008) and more recent EDUSummIT discussion papers have shown that the school curricula in most countries have been slow to respond to this technological revolution and struggle to keep up with the education needs for a 21st Century work force. Consequently, over the last two decades many IT – resource rich countries have been strongly differentiating between ICT as the use of computers in the support of teaching and learning of other subjects and digital technologies as a subject which encompasses computational thinking and coding.

Issues and Challenges for Researchers, Practitioners and Policy Makers
The TWG9 working group has identified a range of issues and challenges which researchers, practitioners and policy makers face in order to address the need for educating all their students in computing within a CS/Informatics curriculum. These include the effectiveness of various government strategies to provide sufficient IT resources to schools, the relevant skills of existing and future teachers, the design and content of different computer science curricula and the longer term implications for a 21st century education.

The paper will present the TWG9’s analysis and findings of the issues and challenges identified and current government strategies and what research has to say about the current effectiveness in different economic and social settings.

Authors

• Margaret Josephine Cox, King's College London

• Mary Webb, Kings College, London

• Andrew Fluck, University of Tasmania