[Gllug] open source centric ICT in Schools from Sept 2012 ?

[Alain Williams]

On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 11:21:00AM +0000, Khusro Jaleel wrote:

> why is the education secretary saying that "computer science" students 
> are bored out of their skull at having to learn Word and Excel all day? 
> What does that have to do with computer science?
> 
> Then I'm worried about what the industry really wants. Do they want 
> someone who is good at general computer science and maths or do they 
> just want to make sure there are enough developers who know about the 
> currently popular programming languages so jobs can be filled.

I heard an interview on the BBC R4 Today. The impression gained was that
programming was to write computer games and social web sites. Maybe that
is as far as it goes for the MP (I can't remember who).

There is a risk of conflating 2 very different things:

1) Using computers. Word processing, email, ...

2) Programming computers.

Both need to be taught, we cannot dismiss (1) as boring - the implication
being that you just sit someone down in front of a computer and they find a
way to muddle through using a word processor and writing email.

How to write email is one that I would cheer if it was taught. This is an
exercise empathy - understanding how your email will be read - and something
that most people fail dismally at, evidence: failure to trim irrelevant stuff,
putting too many people on a CC list, answering several questions without
saying which answer is to which question (ie top posting), ...

It would be good if (2) could be managed - give people some insight into some
of the most important tools that they will ever use - but we must not be surprised
if some people show zero interest in it.

-- 
Alain Williams
Linux/GNU Consultant - Mail systems, Web sites, Networking, Programmer, IT Lecturer.
+44 (0) 787 668 0256  http://www.phcomp.co.uk/
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