COMPUTING: A CURRICULUM FOR SCHOLS

Simon Peyton JonesMicrosoft

CAS teachers conference, July 2011

What is education for

Education should prepare young people for

a world that don’t yet exist, requiring technologies that have not yet been invented,

to solve problems of which we are not yet aware.

What’s wrong?

Teach them how to fish (don’t give them fishes)

Teach disciplines as well as skills

• Principles, ideas• Knowledge, laws• Techniques,

methods• Broadly applicable• Dates slowly

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

Physics, chemistry, mathematics,

English

Budgeting, presentation skills, metalwork,

textiles

What’s wrong?

• 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 • Dates quickly

ICT(technology focused)

Dominant

Computing(discipline)

Barely taught

Range of 14+ different KS4 qualifications

No KS4 qualification at all [OCR piloting Computing

GCSE in 2010/11]

Need to tell ourselves

Need to tell our head teachers

Need to tell DfE

Need to tell ministers

If we say Computing is a discipline,

we have to say what it is

“Is there a core body of knowledge for Computing that doesn’t change from year to

year?” DfE offical, June 2011

Computing: a curriculum for schools

A working party of 11 people: incl teachers, universities, exam boards

You have seen at least two drafts

The “final version” has landed. Today.

(It’s not really final, of course.)

http://www.computingatschool.org.uk(follow the “Resources” link)

What’s in it?The same structure as NC Programmes of Study

(but in more detail)1. Importance of the subject

2. Key concepts

3. Key processes (what students should be able to do)

4. Range and content (what students should know)

5. Level descriptors

Total 22 pages.

General aims

Focus on fundamentalsNot much change year to yearNot much about Facebook, YouTube, mobile

phones

Focus on what the subject is, not how it should be taughtYou add the “how”

Focus on KS3 and KS4. We plan to add KS1 and KS2 in the next few months.

Ambitious but do-able

What next?

Computing: a curriculum for schools

Influencing national policy

Developing teaching material to support

delivering the curriculum

Nationally... the ice is cracking Focusing on the discipline of Computing is

completely in tune with ministers’ stress on fundamentals:

CAS is now beginning to get visibility at national level

Having a curriculum increases our credibility and influence a great deal

“Indeed the whole thrust of the new science curriculum – which aims to empower students to be “consumers of science” and which concentrates on engaging students in debate about GM

foods or climate change – is a shift away from preparing students to be scientists.” Michael Gove, Reform 2008

“Too much focus on user skills, and not enough on fundamentals and conceptual understanding.” Nick Gibb, Employers

consultation meeting June 2011

What next?

Computing: a curriculum for schools

Influencing national policy

Developing teaching material to support

delivering the curriculum

We need lots of material,to support teaching and learningof computingin the classroom

You are the leaders. You are here, enthusiastic, walking the walk.

Will you help others to do the same?

In the end, all of this will be a waste of time

unless you teach it