VCAA, VELS and ICT
The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) causes some confusion with school administrators. For example, ICT is referred by school administrators as an "integrated study" when it part of an interdisciplinary domain. This is not the same thing and a google search for the terms integrated, ICT and VELS will quickly show this.
Like textiles or woodwork, ICT as a stand-alone subject can exist because it can address the standards in the Design, Creativity and Technology domain and perhaps also some standards from other domains. Schools decide how best to structure their subjects and may continue to organise curriculum around their current subject selections (or not) as outlined by the VCAA.
Being "ICT literate" goes way beyond just learning a few skills at using Office. As Margaret pointed out on the IPM list, a recent slash dot discussion revealed a swag of suggestions to help describe what it means to be computer literate.
When a senior administrator asked how many hours of professional development and training would be needed for any teacher to confidently and competently teach and assess the ICT standards expected in our new curriculum .. I raised my eyebrows and suggested a year of postgraduate tertiary study to secure an appropriate IT subject tag would be a good start. I would have given the same answer if I had been asked to assess the English standards of students my year 9 IT class.
I am encouraged by the goals of a rich curriculum but have some doubts about assessing students for learning areas beyond my training and competency or curriculum directions to do so.Somebody did mention that this was the case for any year 7 to 10 teacher. Perhaps this marks the birth of the generalist secondary teacher that can be called forth to teach and assess any topic and the end of secondary teacher subject tagging.
Like textiles or woodwork, ICT as a stand-alone subject can exist because it can address the standards in the Design, Creativity and Technology domain and perhaps also some standards from other domains. Schools decide how best to structure their subjects and may continue to organise curriculum around their current subject selections (or not) as outlined by the VCAA.
Being "ICT literate" goes way beyond just learning a few skills at using Office. As Margaret pointed out on the IPM list, a recent slash dot discussion revealed a swag of suggestions to help describe what it means to be computer literate.
When a senior administrator asked how many hours of professional development and training would be needed for any teacher to confidently and competently teach and assess the ICT standards expected in our new curriculum .. I raised my eyebrows and suggested a year of postgraduate tertiary study to secure an appropriate IT subject tag would be a good start. I would have given the same answer if I had been asked to assess the English standards of students my year 9 IT class.
I am encouraged by the goals of a rich curriculum but have some doubts about assessing students for learning areas beyond my training and competency or curriculum directions to do so.Somebody did mention that this was the case for any year 7 to 10 teacher. Perhaps this marks the birth of the generalist secondary teacher that can be called forth to teach and assess any topic and the end of secondary teacher subject tagging.