Transcript The Computing Curriculum

How to get Computing taught in
25,000 schools
Simon Humphreys
Coordinator Computing At
School
COMPUTING AT SCHOOL
2008-2013
How CAS Started
Something is wrong
– but I feel powerless
Something is wrong
– but I feel powerless
How CAS started
If we get together,
perhaps we can get
something done
Computing at School



Simply a group of individuals, concerned
about the state of computing education in
our schools
Including:
 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
Varied backgrounds, with common concerns
CAS Membership
Joining Rate
CAS Regional Hubs
The Discussion Forum
CAS Events
CAS newsletter
THE CURRICULUM
What is CAS doing?
Influencing national policy
Computing: a curriculum for
schools
Directly support teachers
“on the ground”
The context
The context
ICT
Computer
Science
Maths
2002
N/A
28,000
-
2003
16,000
8,000
56,000
…
…
…
…
2012
11,000
4,000
85,000
Thesis
 Computer Science should be recognised in
school as a rigorous subject discipline, like
physics or history, quite distinct from the
(useful) skills of digital literacy.
 Just as every student needs to learn a bit of
chemistry, even though few will become
chemists, so every student should learn a bit
of computer science (including some
elementary programming) because they live in
a digital world.
 From primary school onwards (like science).
 Re-introduce the thrill and
excitement of computational
thinking and creation.
• Computer Science at heart of new curriculum
• Schoolchildren from age 5 to be taught programing
• Still includes digital literacy as major component
• Feb 2013 draft published for consultation
• July 2013 national curriculum published
Presentati
1
9
New Computing Curriculum
New Computing Curriculum
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 cont’d
Key Stage 4
CS in the EBacc
Challenge #1
Introduce a new subject
discipline, computer science,
to the UK education system,
starting from a
near-zero base
Challenge #2
Equip, support, affirm,
encourage our ICT teachers to
teach computer science
THE NETWORK OF
EXCELLENCE
Reflection on our challenges…
“Curriculum isn’t our biggest challenge. The
biggest challenge will be developing effective
teacher preparation and support…. Few
schools today have teachers with any formal
CS training. The computing community must
launch an unprecedented effort to prepare
teachers, working with in-service as well as
pre-service teachers, and in both traditional
and alternative certification programs.”
Jan Cuny, 2011
From ….
To ………
ICT Teacher
(2011)
CS Teacher
(2014)
Teaches on
application-based
courses
May/may not have
any CS training
May/may not have
taught CS post-16
Teach examined
courses in
Computer Science
Teach
programming
Continue to teach
digital literacy
and IT
Teachers need to be supported and empowered
Challenges … teachers
 Many ICT teachers have migrated from
other subject areas during the years
when digital literacy teaching was all that
was needed
 ICT teacher training is one of the hardest
subject areas to recruit to
 Teachers urgently need CPD at a time
when schools are reluctant to release
teachers
 Teachers lack confidence since the recent
“bad press” given to ICT teaching
Challenges … curriculum
 Pace of change is remarkably fast
 Several new school qualifications in
Computer Science available now for
teaching
 Michael Gove: “Disapplying the ICT
programme of study is about freedom. It will
mean that, for the first time, teachers will be
allowed to cover truly innovative, specialist and
challenging … they will have the freedom and
flexibility to decide what is best for their pupils.”
 Teachers need support to make use of
this freedom
Model of teacher professional development in the UK
Hubs &
Online forums
Network of
Excellence
Model (from
university to
school to
school)
Workshops/
Training
courses
Community
of Practice
Cascade
Training
Accreditation
Action
Research
Modeling
good
practice
CAS Master
Teacher/
Digital
Schoolhouse
model
Network of support
University
Education
department
Trainee
teachers
Experienced
teachers
without CS
knowledge
University
CS
Department
Experienced
teachers
with CS
knowledge
Master
Teacher
University
CPD
(<40) Schools
First three months, 250 teachers on CPD courses
Phase 1

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£200k seed finding Sept 2012
Over 600 schools
70 universities
120+ Lead Schools
28 CAS Master Teachers
250+ teachers CPD courses
700+ hours of CPD delivered
Network of Excellence Schools
Network of Excellence Universities
Phase 2
£2 million (2 years – but 5 year project)
600 Master Teachers
Primary and secondary
Each MT supporting 40 schools
Universities support with courses
Stability of GCSE numbers
Development of classroom ready
resources
 Towards a self-sustaining model

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Opportunity – and danger
 Opportunity: to make a decisive lasting
change that establishes computer science a
proper school subject, on a par with maths or
chemistry.
 Danger: raised expectations not met, enthusiasm
leaks away, teachers discouraged, system reverts
to the mean
It’s not enough to hope that someone else will
do it.
We have to.
There is no “them”.
There is only us.
What your institution can do
 Be a visible champion for computer
science [not just programming] as a
school subject, and help to explain what
that means
 Help to create a sense of optimism,
possibility, and unstoppable
momentum.
 Play a pro-active role in the
Network of Excellence. Actively
think “What can we do?” rather
than wait for CAS to say “Can you
do X?”.
Any Questions