{"id":36849,"date":"2023-10-20T14:46:35","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/national-curriculum-review-gets-a-patchy-report-card-for-ict-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T14:46:35","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:46:35","slug":"national-curriculum-review-gets-a-patchy-report-card-for-ict-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/national-curriculum-review-gets-a-patchy-report-card-for-ict-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"National curriculum review gets a patchy report card for ICT – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The maker versus user distinction is critically important in technology education policy, but goes unaddressed by the federal government\u2019s Review of the Australian Curriculum<\/a>, according to Startup Victoria<\/a> chair Leni Mayo.<\/p>\n

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The review, released over the weekend, recommended that a design and technology learning area should be introduced from year 9.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhile there is a clear case for the introduction of the ICT capability to run right through the whole Australian curriculum, we are not convinced that a separate subject of the kind that has been designed needs to be mandatory at any level,\u201d the review states.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHowever, it definitely should be an elective subject from lower secondary school onwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The report contained opinion from a subject matter specialist, Phil Callil, the director of IT and eLearning at Yarra Valley Grammar and former president of the Victorian IT Teachers Association.<\/p>\n

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Callil sounded a warning in the report about the aspirational nature of the curriculum. He says while some of the aims may be achievable and sustainable in years 7-10, it will likely contribute to a \u201cmile wide and inch deep\u201d approach in the \u201ccrowded curriculum\u201d of primary school.<\/p>\n

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The review also noted the view of the Catholic Education Office, which says that a significant number of teachers believe the learning technologies curriculum was not relevant to primary students and is contributing to an overcrowded curriculum.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe maker versus user distinction is critically important, and I didn\u2019t see that distinction made in any way, shape or form in this report,\u201d Mayo tells StartupSmart<\/i>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think Australia is facing a huge cultural problem in that we see ourselves as users of technology and we\u2019re not providing sufficient support to students who want to make the technology of the future.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThese people are grossly lacking support, particularly in high school, and the evidence of that is a drop of 50% of students that transition from high school to (tertiary) computer science over the last 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mayo says he would have liked to see the report provide a \u201cclear articulation\u201d on how to improve that.<\/p>\n

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The Australian Computer Society (ACS), which in its submission to the review strongly endorsed the creation of a digital technologies subject, welcomed the report but is concerned that it recommended that technology learning starts at year 9. It believes that could put students at a significant disadvantage against students from the United Kingdom, who will be learning technology and ICT from the foundation level.<\/p>\n

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ACS chief executive officer Alan Patterson says in the report that ICT should form a core part of the curriculum.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhile it is good to see improved recognition of technology in the report, it stops short of recommending that students be given a technology education from early in their schooling life,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBy year 9, students will have already missed critical opportunities to build their digital literacy and capability.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf we don\u2019t step in today and start providing the right digital education from a young age, we are at risk of having a generation of school leavers who will miss out on the education they need to be the innovators, entrepreneurs and digital leaders of tomorrow.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt is these students who will lead the economy in years to come. We owe it to them to give them the very best chance.<\/p>\n

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\u201cSome of the recommendations are a small step in the right direction, but what our curriculum needs is a giant leap into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Follow <\/i>StartupSmart on <\/i>Facebook<\/i><\/a>, <\/i>Twitter<\/i><\/a>, and <\/i>LinkedIn<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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