Conventicle 2013 Digital Technologies Australia, England & the Literature

The Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum: Challenge and Opportunity

The 2nd Adelaide Conventicle, 2013

Rebecca Vivian, Katrina Falkner & Nickolas Falkner | CSER Group

Next Generation ICT Curricula

• Reports from Europe, UK, the US and Australia

• Driven by a recognised need to teach students how to be digitally literate and creators of technologies

• To prepare students for many jobs that use technologies

• New national curricula in Australia & England in 2014

– Introduce computer science and computational thinking as a learning area

University of Adelaide 2

Australia: Digital Technologies




“Identify, explore and use digital systems”

“represent and play with a sequence of steps to

solve problems”

“how people use different information systems”

5- 7 yrs old



“explore representations for the same data”

“transmit different types of data”

“implement visual programs with user input

and branching”

8- 11 yrs old



12-16 yrs old “how digital systems represent whole numbers”

“components of digital systems…”

“using information systems... new applications of systems”

“define problems in terms of data and functional

requirements…”

“algorithms…”



“how… data are represented as binary”

“how data are transmitted and secured”

“model processes and object…”

“trace algorithms to predict output…”

“branching, repetition, iteration…”

12-13 yrs old



“stored in binary with compression…”

“develop cases to validate algorithms…”

“develop modular digital solutions…”

14-16 yrs old

England’s Computing Curriculum


• Understand what algorithms are and how they are implemented

• Create and debug simple programs• Logical reasoning to predict program

behaviour• Manipulate digital content• Common uses of technology• Safe and respectful use

England’s National Curriculum


• Design, write & debug programs• Sequence, selection, repetition

• Detect errors in algorithms and programs• Computer networks• Searching the web

• Use software to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish goals

• Safe technology use



• Computational abstractions• Understand several key algorithms

• Use 2 or more programming languages• Understand Boolean logic

• Numbers represented as binary• Hardware, software components and networks

• Data types• Create digital artifacts

• Safe use



• Study aspects of IT and CS at depth• Develop capability, creativity and

knowledge in CS• Apply analytical, problem-solving,

design and computational thinking• Understand how changes affect safety

Comparisons

Australia England


Digital literacy &

computational thinking from

first year

Introduces programming through a focus on the problem

solving abilities

Focuses explicitly on programming and

programming languages

Introduces digital representation at an early point

Stronger focus on understanding data

Focuses on a stronger understanding of abstraction

More advanced software decomposition and design

methodology

The Challenge

• A new learning area with rapid implementation

• Many teachers are unfamiliar and untrained in computer science and computational thinking

• Existing CS programs (cs4fn, CS Unplugged) are aimed at changing perceptions

• CS education research is growing… but what about research across the early years?


The Literature

• What research exists to guide teaching CS to students aging from 5 years to 18 years?

• Which methodologies have researchers used?

• Which Digital Technology concepts do the studies investigate?


Method

• Google Scholar & ACM Digital Library

• 2003- 2013

• F-12 (ages 5- 18)

• Research papers & reports

• Activities teaching CS-related concepts

• Any context

… returned 71 relevant papers


Simon’s Classification System

• Topic what the paper is about

• Context the subject area

• Scope the breadth

• Nature the type of paper


Location


US, 39

Europe, 15

Asia, 9

UK, 2

Australia, 1NZ, 1

Other, 4

Year Published


0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ’10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13

Scope


Intensive program/ initiative, 31

Single case, 17

Multi-institutional (different schools),

10

Institution (within school), 9

Not applicable, 4

Context & Topic


Context/Top

ic

Ability/

aptitude

Assess.

techniquesAssess. tools Curriculum

Perceptions/

interestT/L

T/L

techniquesT/L tools Total

Broad-based 3 2 5

Computation

al thinking1 2 3 3 9

Curriculum 1 2 3

Data structures 1 1

Gaming 2 1 3

Hardware/architecture 1 1

Information systems 1 1

Integrated curriculum 1 2 3 1 7

Introduction to IT 2 2

Mathematics 1 2 1 4

Programming 11 4 1 7 8 31

Project 1 1 2 4

Total 12 2 2 5 14 1 19 16 71

Topic


Topic Lower (5-9yrs)Mid/Upper (10-

14yrs)HS (14>) Broad-age

Ability/aptitude 4 6 2

Assess. technique 2

Assess. tools 1 1

Curriculum 4 1

Perceptions/

interest9 3 2

T/L 1

T/L techniques 1 10 6 2

T/L tools 4 6 4 2

Total 10 31 22 8

Resources & Tools


Early Yrs

(5- 9yrs)

Mid/Upper Yrs

(10- 14 yrs)

High school

(14+)Total

Tangible programming tools 5 14 2 21

Other resources/tools 3 1 5 9

Curriculum resources

(CS Unplugged)0 3 4 7

Electronics 0 4 2 6

Non-digital activities 0 2 3 5

Robotics 1 3 1 5

Game creation environments 0 4 0 4

Java and java-programming tools 0 2 2 4

Game or PC puzzle 0 2 1 3

CS Concepts


Communication of Problems and Solutions

Algorithms (following and describing) 29

Implementation (translating and programming) 34

Specification (descriptions and techniques) 18

Data

Data collection (properties, sources and data collection) 3

Data interpretation (patterns and context) 8

Data representation (symbolism and separation) 12

Digital systems (hardware, software, and networks on the Internet)

Hardware and software 7

Networks and the Internet 9

Interactions (people and digital systems, data and processes) 8

Broad-based concepts 8

Abstraction (hiding irrelevant details) 7

Impact (impacts and empowerment) 1

Opportunities


CS F-10 Pedagogy

Particular focus on the early years needed

Effective pedagogy

How students perform and measured learningoutcomes

Computational thinking

Methodology, sample & scope

Authentic classroom environment & situation

Beyond outreach programs, connected with curricula

Longitudinal, larger random samples

Teacher experience & development

How to support teachers and their needs

Understanding teacher experiences & their influence

Solutions?

• National scale & urgent

• Supporting teachers (domain knowledge and comfort)

• Developing effective pedagogy for all year levels

• Collaboration between teachers in primary schools, high schools and university with educational researchers

• Developing community networks

• Resources and lesson ideas that map to the curricula

• International collaborations & research


Questions & Comments?


Thank You

[email protected] Science Education Research (CSER) Group

Presentation based on a paper accepted for ACE 2013, co- authored with Associate Prof Katrina Falkner and Dr Nickolas Falkner

Conventicle 2013 Digital Technologies Australia, England & the Literature

Education

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