Why The New Computer Curriculum Makes Educational Sense

WHY THE NEW COMPUTING

CURRICULUM MAKES EDUCATIONAL SENSE

Keynote 2Simon Peyton JonesMicrosoft Research

andThe Computing at School Working Group

Information and Communication

TechnologyA statutory part of the national curriculum,

from primary school onwards.

ICT is failing our kids The most exciting discipline on the planet

comes over as dull and de-motivating

“The image of IT-related degrees and careers was that they would be repetitive, boring, and more-of-the-same; for example use of IT office applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases”. The next bullet says “The ICT GCSE had a major part to play in creating their (negative) impressions”. [2008 “IT & Telecoms Insight Report” published by Eskills UK]

“The assessment requirements of some vocational qualifications may actually be limiting students’ achievement. In many of the schools visited, higher-attaining students were insufficiently challenged....much of the work in ICT at Key Stage 4, particularly for the higher attainers, often involved consolidating skills that students had already gained proficiency.” [2009 Ofsted report “The importance of ICT”]

A-level Computing declineMaths

80,000 and rising

Diagnosis

Disciplines• Principles, ideas• Knowledge, laws• Techniques,

methods• Broadly applicable• Dates slowly

Skills• Technology,

artefacts• Machines• Programs• Products• Organisations• Business processes• Dates quickly

Physics, chemistry, mathematics,

English

Budgeting, presentation skills, metalwork,

textiles

Diagnosis

• Principles• Ideas• Laws• Broadly applicable• But needs application• Dates slowly

• Spreadsheets• Databases• Powerpoint• Using the web• Safety on the internet• Plan communication projects• Analysing and automating

processes

ICT(technology focused)

Dominant

Computer Science

(discipline)Barely taught

Range of 14+ different KS4 qualifications

No KS4 qualification at all (2009)

Diagnosis

• Principles• Ideas• Laws• Broadly applicable• But needs application• Dates slowly

• Spreadsheets• Databases• Powerpoint• Using the web• Safety on the internet• Plan communication projects• Analysing and automating

processes

ICT(technology focused)

Dominant

Computer Science

(discipline)Barely taught

Range of 14+ different KS4 qualifications

No KS4 qualification at all (2009)

Too much focus on

technology

Not enough on ideas

A radical shift of perception

Computer science is a

niche university subject for socially-

challenged male geeks

Computer science is a foundational

discipline, like maths or

physics, that every child

should learn, from primary

school onwards

What most people think

The reality

What is “Computer Science”?

What students should know: languages, algorithms, data structures and representation, architecture, programs, communication and coordination.

What students should be able to do: computational thinking, abstraction, modelling, design, problem solving, programming.

What might that look like in practice?In primary school?

Look ma! No computers

http://csunplugged.org/sorting-networks

What is “Computer Science”? Foundational

Not just “coding" or "programming” (although that too) Not just to get a good job (although that too) Not just for geeks, or even future software professionals

Primarily rooted in ideas rather than technologyhence using the term “computer science” rather than “information technology”

Ubiquitous: biology, ecology, design, engineering, astronomy, medicine, even law, archaeology…

A quintessentially STEM subject (involving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Why every child?

We live in a world suffused with digital technology. Ignorance of how that technology works means being a slave to it. The choice is: “Program or be programmed” (Rushkoff).

Computing teaches unique thinking and problem-solving skills: computational thinking, abstraction, creativity, and precision.

Information and computation gives a new “lens” through which to look at the world: eg flocks of birds, cell biology, cancer propagation, economics, ecology.....

Much paddling under the water

Livingstone/Hope report

Royal Society Report

Review of the National Curriculum

...and much more...

New title, first teaching Sept 2014

Nota Bene The POS does not abandon ICT. The

thoughtful and purposeful use of computers to get stuff done remains super-important.

Coding does not equal computer science. Programming is to CS as lab-work is to physics. Getting fixated on coding focuses attention on technology rather than ideas.

Technology-enhanced learning is also super-important -- but is a totally different matter to Computing, and a whole-school responsibility.

Progression

Tech

nolo

gy

En

han

ced

Learn

ing

Computer

ScienceICT

Age 6

Age 11

Age 14

Age 16

CS A range of qualifications at age 16 ICT

Academic CS GCSE

Applied ICT GCSE/BTec

Technical vendor qualsEg systems administration, network

management, database (Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle, etc)

FE CollegesApprenticeshipsA levels

QualificationsAwarding bodies Number of GCSEs

in Computer Science

Sept 2009

0

Sept 2010

OCR 1

Sept 2012

AQA, WJEC 3

Sept 2013

CIE, Edexcel 5 All awarding bodies are now offering a Computer

Science GCSE, to complement their ICT GCSE

Computer Science is an EBacc subject

MAKING IT REAL

Job done? Absolutely not!

It’s no good writing a Programme of Study that schools cannot deliver

Two massive challengesEquip, support, affirm, encourage our ICT

teachers to teach computer science

Attract qualified computer scientists into teaching, now that their subject is actually on

the curriculum

Initial teacher training Vital to attract teachers with computing

subject knowledge into the profession

DfE has now announced (Oct 2013)A hundred £25k scholarships for high-flyers in

ComputingBursaries for ITT

for Computing teachersat the same levelas Maths or Physics

School Direct

Supporting existingteachers Old model: DfE rolls out

national training programme

New model: DfE sets policy framework, we do the work

The Computing At School working group (CAS)

Simply a group of individuals, concerned about the state of computing education at school in the UK

Varied backgrounds, common concerns Teachers Industry (eg Google, Microsoft) University academics (incl CPHC, UKCRC) Members of exam board (eg AQA) Members of professional societies (eg BCS) Parents Local educational advisers Teacher trainers

Now fully part of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT

Few staff, little money, no office. Many volunteers

Now 3,158 4,517 5,682

6,642 members

453 572 joined in the last 30 days

Grass roots organisation

Membership Not all teachers! But a lot of

teachers

Over 75 CAS "hubs"

Our friends... we love you

Apps for Good cs4fn Code

Club

Computing at SchoolYoung

Rewired State

NextGen skills

campaign

Technocamps

CoderDojo

Hack to the future

YouSrc

Make Things Do Stuff

Raspberry Pi

Greenfoot

Inspiring kids about computer science worldwide

Print magazine, webzine, school shows

Present interdisciplinary computing research with off-beat twists

Learn computing through magic, chocolate, beheaded queens, mazes, 'badly designed' babies...

Magazine sent to thousands of schools

Major impact over 8 years+

New cheap hardware platforms

Code Club

CPD and the Network of Excellence

Massive challenge250,000 primary teachers20,000 secondary teachers

Computing at School (CAS) and the British Computer Society (BCS) have launched a national Network of Excellence for Teaching Computer Science

800+ schools signed up

Single goal: support andequip our teachers toteach Computing

Primary and secondary

Modest DfE funding

The Plan Most ££ funds Master

Teachers, half a day/week, to develop and deliver CPD to neighbours

Sept 2013: 64 secondary MTs, 14 primary 770 schools, of which 208 lead schools

Aiming for 600 MTs

75+ university CS departments and schools of education involved

Corporate support: Microsoft, Google, Morgan Stanley, Ensoft, OCR, Metaswitch....

Challenges The new POS is, in effect, launching an entirely

new school subject (good, but challenging)

Turbulence and “ICT bad” messages have led to fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Teachers have little time and less money. Getting cover for teacher absence is hard.

New CS GCSEs are (by design) demanding. What will that do to your league table results?

Scaling up CAS from a bunch of volunteers to a serious organisation capable of training the computing teachers of the nation

And yet... ..we can do this! So much energy So much goodwill

"We" = schools, companies, professionl bodies, IT professionals...

We are riding an unstoppable wave of creative enthusiasm

Do not wait for someone else to do it. We have to do it.

And we can, if we put our minds to it.

What you can do

Treat the new Computing curriculum as a strategic opportunity for your school

Invite your Head of Computing to put forward a plan for exploiting that opportunity; discuss with SLT and governors

Join the Network of Excellence (as a Lead School); partner with nearby schools; run a hub.

Be pro-active, not re-active

Air cover from the Head is absolutely crucial

http://www.computingatschool.org.uk