Fewer takers for technology studies

By PAUL BRISLEN

A move to offer a unified ICT curriculum at secondary school is caught up in the struggle over the controversial NCEA assessments programme, says the head of computer science at a Hamilton high school.

The department head, who did not wish to be named, says the lack of such a unified information and communications technology (ICT) curriculum means students are being disadvantaged.

Many are ignoring computer science and related information technology options as a result.

"There's very little co-ordination between schools as to who offers what. Opportunities for students to do certain courses depend on where they go to school."

The department head is concerned students aren't being encouraged into ICT courses and said, if anything, the new NCEA assessments worked against ICT.

"Students can't earn achievement standards, only unit standards for their work. They can only pass or fail."

Achievement standards range from "excellent" and "merit" to "not achieved".

The HOD said he had seen good students not choose ICT classes because they could not add to their grade point average - something that is closely scrutinised at tertiary level in areas such as dentistry, optometry or law.

"They look at ICT and say no because it's only a pass or fail."

He said also the approach to teaching ICT varied from school to school because of the ministry's lack of direction.

"The approach most take is very much a problem-solving one. It doesn't look at the wider issues."

He said the teaching was more about training students to address technical problems rather than educating computer scientists.

"Both the UK and Australia addressed the curriculum issue around 15 years ago and here we are still dithering."

But the ministry defends its approach to ICT, saying there are no plans to review the way ICT is taught in secondary schools.

"Problem-solving and project-based subjects using ICT in innovative ways are more appropriate at this level," a ministry spokeswoman said.

"Many schools support ICT through different subjects and IT is a tool for learning. ICT skills can be gained through the technology curriculum and computing courses."

Issues such as skill shortages were addressed by other government agencies, she said.

"The Government supports ICT through a number of initiatives, for example through the Ministry of Economic Development via the Growth and Innovation Framework."