- Email: [email protected]
Informatics and teacher training
125
Conference Reports
Informatics and Teacher Training The Technical Committee 3 (TC 3) of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) oversees the activities of five Working Groups, one of which, W G 3.1, is concerned with the field of teacher training. W G 3.1 organized a working conference at Birmingham Polytechnic, U.K. from July 16-20, 1984. The theme of the conference was "Informatics and Teacher Training". Twenty-four lectures were presented, each of which was followed by a discussion session. The task of organizing the conference was undertaken by a committee under the Chairmanship of Brian Samways, Director of Birmingham Educational Computing Centre. We present below a report on the presentations at this workshop:
Opening Session J. Eames (City of Birmingham Education Committee) formally welcomed members of the conference to the city, as did G. Shaylor (City Planning Officer, Birmingham). The latter, as the officer responsible for advising the City on measures to deal with its severe unemployment and recession problems, stated that he looked to IFIP to contribute to solving some of the problems through assisting in the use of new technology in training programs for young people and for the unemployed. P. Bollerslev (Chairman of IFIP W G 3.1) welcomed members of the conference on behalf of IFIP. He outlined the work that the Working Group has done since its formation in 1967. From the early 1970's, it had recognized Teacher Training as a key issue, first of all in Secondary Schools and more recently also in Elementary Schools. Bollerslev expressed his conviction that a great deal would be achieved by the highly qualified North-Holland Education & Computing 1 (1985) 125-130
group meeting in Birmingham, and emphasized that this was a working conference.
Opening Address Teacher Training in England, Wales & Northern Ireland R. Fothergill (Microelectronics Education Programme, U.K.) provided a description of the Microelectronics Education Programme (MEP), which is sponsored by the Departments of Education of England, Northern Ireland and Wales and which has within its remit responsibility for teacher training in microelectronics for primary and secondary schools. Fothergill gave a brief survey of the various approaches to the teacher training problem that have been adopted during the last three and a half years since the programme began. Some of the approaches involve the provision of hardware to help teachers get started. The most substantial approach, Forthergill claimed, focuses on tutored courses at different levels of difficulty over a wide spectrum of subject areas. Backing this up are distance learning packages for those who prefer this approach or who cannot easily attend courses. In addition, there is a range of supplementary materials and books attempting to give depth and perspective to the studies. Finally, Fothergill pointed out, the curriculum development activity is an important part of the programme.
Keynote Address David Tinsley (Education Officer, Birmingham Education Department, U.K.) has been a member of Working Group 3.1 for over fifteen years and recommended such an association. Why, he asked the conference members in his Keynote Address, has the theme of teacher training been chosen as the theme of the conference when so much work
0067-9287/85/$3.30 © 1985, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
126
Conference Reports
has already been done on the issue by the Working Group? Simply because teacher education is regarded as the fundamental issue in the development of informatics at both primary and secondary level. He believes that we must continue regularly to review our theories and practice in this important field. Tinsley described the themes of the conference and pointed out those particular elements which have arisen in his own career which might prove helpful as a stimulus to debate. He presented five phrases which illustrate his local experience of teacher training in Birmingham and explained their relevance to the objectives of the conference participants in some detail: (1) "Teachers need time", (2) "Concepts not hardware", (3) " N o t invented here", (4) " W h o teaches the teachers of teachers?", (5) "Students know more than teachers". Session 1
(Chairman: Donovan Tagg) Lower Secondary Education - The Netherlands
The Organization for Post-Academic Education in Informatics in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has developed a model syllabus for post-academic courses in informatics for teachers, comprising a model syllabus for pupils as an integral part. In a lecture entitled "In-Service Teacher Training in Informatics", T.J. van Weert (Institute for Teacher Education, The Netherlands) presented part of both model syllabuses: "literacy in informatics" is intended for all pupils in the age range from 12-14 years and "in-service courses in informatics" is intended for teachers in lower secondary education who want to teach informatics as a discipline. The Institute for Teacher Education, " U b b o Emmius", has developed a literacy course in informatics for all teachers along the lines set out in the model syllabus (literacy in informatics) for all pupils. Van Weert also discussed this course in his presentation.
tion, and a curriculum for teachers who need to be trained to teach this school curriculum. The main emphases in both curricula, Kristel explained, are learning to use programming methodology and acquiring insights into the fundamental concepts of machine architecture. Iceland Y. Pbtursson (University College of Education, Reykjavik, Iceland) divided his presentation into four parts. First, he described in-service courses for teachers in compulsory education (for teaching pupils aged 7-16) held in the summer 1978-83 and for teachers in the upper secondary school (for pupils aged 16-20). In the second part of his lecture, he described the program at the University College of Education, explaining that this course is a part of the Mathematics Division. The third part of his presentation focused on Informatics in the teacher program at the University of Iceland. The University mainly prepares teachers for teaching in the upper secondary schools. In the final part of the lecture, entitled "Informatics and Teacher Training in Iceland", Pbtersson discussed future programs in informatics. Danish Teacher Training
In a lecture entitled "Teacher Training, Informatics and the Social Sciences", L.R. Johansen (Danish Ministry of Education) described Danish teacher training, especially in the social science-based subjects and the introduction of informatics into Danish teacher training. He identified specific ethical, political and economic arguments: informatics must be seen in connection with social, cultural, economic and political structures and processes in society. Johansen identified some problems in the concept of knowledge and educational theory and practice and provided examples of his ideas. Finally, he discussed the development of informatics literacy for all teacher students.
Upper Secondary Education - The Netherlands
Session 2
(Institute for Teacher Training, Nijmegen, The Netherlands) presented a sequel to T.J. van Weert's lecture. He described a Dutch proposal for a curriculum in informatics for children in the higher levels of secondary educa-
(Chairman: Peter Bollerslev)
T.
Kristel
Literacy Through LOGO
According to S.H. yon Solms and M. Friedman (Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg, S.
Conference Reports
Africa), there is a dire need in South Africa, as in other countries, for teacher literacy in informatics. A group of South African computer specialists and university teachers, convinced of the benefits of the computer language, LOGO, started a project to expose teachers and school children to computers and computer literacy using LOGO. The ten-week, 30 hour teachers' course instructs about 40 teachers in the use of LOGO. The course material has evolved over the last two years and at present consists of a manual which contains instructional material and problems to solve. No lecturing is done and the two-member groups work through the manual at their own pace. Von Solms and Friedman discussed the contents of this manual as well as the L O G O orientation program they run for schools. Training in LOGO R.V. Nicholov (Centre of Mathematics, Sofia, Bulgaria) discussed an experiment carried out by the Research Group in Education at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for using L O G O as a training tool in programming, mathematics, physics, foreign languages, drawing and music at some schools. Special attention was paid to the problem posed by the insufficient training of teachers for the purposes of computerized education. Nicholov also summed up the experience in organizing the education and preparation of teachers for their work with L O G O at schools. Education of Young Children J.L. Wright (University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A.) began her presentation by noting that the microcomputer allows the young child to process information in new ways. True interaction, she said, demands that the child manipulate a code understood by the machine. Naturalistic research on children's concept development, as observed in their exploration of the microcomputer, suggests that teacher/child/microcomputer interaction can promote both convergent and divergent thinking. In her lecture, entitled "Informatics in the Education of Young Children", Wright stated that it is important for those who teach about the microcomputer to remember that it has not been an integral part of many adults' environments. It is thus necessary to make time available for each
127
adult learner to move through the same stages of discovery, involvement, and self-confidence observed in the children, before teachers can focus on the creativity of this new tool and implement it into their own curriculum. Teaching LOGO to Teachers Computer literacy has become the watchword in American education in the past five years. There have been many approaches to this new curriculum item, but no approach to computer literacy has generated more controversy than LOGO. C.D. Martin (George Washington University, D.C., U.S.A.) and R.S. Heller (University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A.) described in their presentation the philosophical background of LOGO. They examined the ongoing controversy concerning how L O G O should be used with children. Finally, they described a graduate level L O G O course for educators designed to help them deal with these issues at the implementation level. Their lecture was entitled "Teaching LOGO to Teachers: A Look at the Issues".
Session 3
(Chairman: Tom van Weert) Work of A TEE P. Gorny (University of Oldenburg, F.R.G.) described the efforts of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE) during the last five years to identify the effects and implications of the new information technology on the European educational systems and to develop common strategies to cope with the connected problems related to its introduction. The ATEE working Group "Information Technology" (IT) has presented reports on informatics teaching, on IT applications in general and on special education, at the ATEE annual conferences. Gorny's subjects of discussion ranged from societal implications of IT, to informatics curricula in schools and in teacher education, to programming languages, software development and software exchange. A series of national reports published by ATEE describes the state of developments of informatics in teacher education in European countries. He also discussed the latest
128
Conference Reports
effort of the working group: a model syllabus for literacy in information technology for all teachers. Methods and Dichotomies R.P. Taylor (Columbia University, U.S.A.) was concerned in his presentation with teaching computing, especially at the secondary school level. He outlined the methods course for secondary school teachers of computing science that is part of a teacher training curriculum oudine that the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is currently considering for issue as an official curriculum recommendation. Case Studies in the U.K. Many changes have taken place in the education system of the United Kingdom during the last twenty years, most notably the change to comprehensive schools and the attendant disappearance of grammar schools. The vast majority of children between the ages of 11 and 16 are now educated in non-selective schools. However, the technological revolution of the computer and, more recently, the microcomputer, has produced changes which were not foreseen even a few years ago. In particular, B.H. Blakeley (University of London, U.K.) noted that the enormous growth in the number of microcomputers in both primary and secondary schools has created a need and a demand for teacher training at pre-service and in-service stages. There is now a great variety of such training and the case studies which Blakeley presented at the conference were intended to provide insights into a cross-section of that training.
Session 4
(Chairman: Frank Lovis ) The Open University Project Tim O'Shea (Open University, Micros in Schools Project, U.K.) provided a general account of the history and current activities of the Open University's Micros in Schools Project. Since early 1981, the staff at the Open University has been designing, preparing, testing and distributing a variety of self-study packs intended for use by
school teachers. The topics covered by the packs are "awareness", "educational software", "computers in action in the classroom", "microelectronics", and "inside microcomputers". The packs provide the teacher who studies them with a course of practical work which relates directly to classroom applications of microcomputer technology. O'Shea concluded his presentation by discussing the problems involved in maintaining the usability and relevance of these materials for the remainder of the decade. Educational Software Pack According to A. Jones and J. Preece (Open University, Micros in Schools Project, U.K.), one of the biggest problems which faces teachers using microcomputers is the lack of good educational software. Yet few courses successfully tackle the problem of training inexperienced teachers to develop the skills necessary to choose educational software wisely. Most courses lack an appropriate framework which would provide teachers with the skills and experience necessary to judge software critically. The Educational Software Pack produced by the Open University does provide such a framework. Jones and Preece discussed both the philosophy and design of this pack and described how the pack was produced and evaluated.
Session 5
(Chairman: Peter Barker) Primary Schools in Scotland Despite earlier attempts, significant progress in getting computers into the primary schools has only been made since the arrival of microcomputers in 1978. Computing in the classroom made slow progress until the Department of Industry's Micros in Primary Schools Scheme overcame the problem of lack of equipment by offering primary schools selected hardware at half price, plus a starter pack of software. Schools and teacher training are now in a state of transition with the arrival of computers in the classroom and the advent of a new four-year B.Ed. course in primary education, with a strong computer content. According to A.R. Wills (Dundee College o f Education, Scotland),
Conference Reports the future looks promising, with computer-related innovations potentially leading to the development of a curriculum with more active pupil participation. Wills noted further in his presentation that there will be problems with the curriculum, but with appropriate software and in-service training, teachers can use modern technology to prepare pupils for the challenge of the real world outside school.
129
done better by the computer than the human teacher. Lee then provided a concrete list of some benchmarks for CAL design and implementation.
Session 6
(Chairman: David Tinsley) Value of Materials"
Informatics in Norway J. Walstad and J. Wibe (Trondheim College of Education, Norway) presented the plans for the introduction of informatics in Norwegian schools, a development project supported by central authorities. Extra resources, Walstad and Wibe explained, will be given by the government for buying computers, for education of teachers, software development and projects at certain schools. They then described the teaching of informatics at various stages of the Norwegian school system and the education of teachers. German Democratic Republic L O. Kerner(Paedagogische Hochschule, Dresden, G.D.R.) presented a lecture entitled "Teacher Training and Education for Mathematics and Informatics in the German Democratic Republic". He feels that if and how the social functions of education are fulfilled depends largely upon the standard and the effectiveness of the work done by teachers. That is why the training and further education of teachers has been made a key task in the overall development of society in the G.D.R. Kerner described the educational program in Mathematics and the curriculum in Informatics, as developed and practiced in the German Democratic Republic.
R. Lewis (Institute for Educational Computing, Lancaster, U.K.) discussed various forms of materials used with microcomputers. Those which create opportunities for pupils to engage in various forms of problem solving, assisted as appropriate by their teachers, were examined by Lewis in detail. The evaluation of such materials by developers and teachers was described and the importance of teacher/pupil relationship in this context was stressed. Professional Development in Australia The development of computer education in Australia has occurred at different times and in different ways in each State and Territory. As a consequence, there is a variation in the methods and styles of professional development for teachers. In 1983, the Australian government initiated a Federal program to provide an Australia-wide focus on computer education. J.H. Hammond (NSW Institute of Technology, Sydney, Australia) and K. Penter (Education Department, Perth, Western Australia) described some of the initiatives that are currently being undertaken in two States, which fit the proposals of the Federal Government plan for the professional development of teachers. The M E C C Method
Toward a Theory of CAL The problems of CAL applications are traced to lack of research-based guidelines for courseware development and evaluation: In particular, the attempts of teaching professionals to evaluate poorly developed CAL materials seem to reflect the current practices in a "cart-before-the-horse" order. S-S. Lee (University of British Columbia, Canada) suggested that we should first clarify what can be
The Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation (MECC) has been training large numbers of Minnesota educators in instructional computing for over a decade. MECC's approach began with a focus on timeshare computing and then shifted to the use of microcomputers. As described by D. Rawitsch and R.A. Pollak, MECC's work in this area is unique in the United States in that it is the only example of a statewise training effort in
Conference Reports
130 instructional computing government funding.
supported
by
state
was presented, followed by a more detailed discussion of courses intended for primary school teachers and conclusions drawn on basis of the experience acquired.
Session 7
Training in Hungary (Chairman: Ulrich Bosler)
Swiss School of Informatics The Migros Club School is the largest adult education institution in Switzerland. T Steiger (Federation of Migros Cooperatives, Zi?rich, Switzerland) made an attempt to depict the complex system of the sources of information which are relevant to the development of the courses of instruction as well as to the further education of the course tutors at migros. The whole system, Steiger explained, is based on the unity of the staff in those institutions responsible for development and for teacher training activities. In his lecture, the institutional organization of the school, as a factor for the feasibility of teacher training, was the central subject.
Teacher Training in Geneva J-B. Roux (Etudes Pddagogiques de l'Enseignement Secondaire, Geneva, Switzerland) began his presentation by pointing out that Swiss structures resist changes. Because of questions of prestige and regional rivalries, Switzerland has perhaps missed some of is opportunities in informatics. The first problem to solve, according to Roux, is the training of people in informatics, as demonstrated by his case study taken from the Canton of Geneva. He noted that awareness of informatics comprises more than learning an interdisciplinary tool or a way of thinking; it is relevant to the nation's culture in general. Israeli School System A short overview of computer activities in the Israeli school system was presented by D. Millin and B. Barta (Ministry of Education and Culture, Jerusalem, Israel). These activities have led to the requirement to provide computer education to all students at colleges of education and to all teachers actively employed in schools. A scheme of courses
The first computers in Hungarian secondary schools were installed in the middle of the seventies. On the basis of the experiment in 1981, the Ministry of Education decided on a program which aimed at installing microcomputers in secondary schools, which has resulted in the installation of more than 1000 microcomputers. According to L. Varga (L. E6tv/Ss University of Budapest, Hungary), the universities play an important role in training teachers for the use of these computers.
Closing Address J.D. Tinsley (Education Office, Birmingham, U.K.) pointed out that in comparing the variety across the world of organizational arrangements for teacher education, it has been important to focus on the needs of the individual teacher, who needs time to come to terms with new technology. The conference's focus on the best examples of current practice, Tinsley asserted, helped to identify the essential components of all such activity. The quality of educational software was questioned at the conference and the methods of evaluation necessary to prevent new generations of teachers and learners from exposure to the inept were considered. Tinsley feels that this pooled experience provides a clearer perspective which will benefit current work and assist future plans. The Proceedings of this IFIP Working Conference have been edited by F.B.Lovis (The Open University, U.K.) and E.D. Tagg (University of Lancaster, U.K.) and published by North-Holland under the title " I n f o r m a t i c s and Teacher Training". 1984 -t-254 pp. ISBN 0-444-8763%1. Price: US $/Dfl.
N.A. Schreiner-Novick Conference Reporter
Conference Reports
Informatics and Teacher Training The Technical Committee 3 (TC 3) of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) oversees the activities of five Working Groups, one of which, W G 3.1, is concerned with the field of teacher training. W G 3.1 organized a working conference at Birmingham Polytechnic, U.K. from July 16-20, 1984. The theme of the conference was "Informatics and Teacher Training". Twenty-four lectures were presented, each of which was followed by a discussion session. The task of organizing the conference was undertaken by a committee under the Chairmanship of Brian Samways, Director of Birmingham Educational Computing Centre. We present below a report on the presentations at this workshop:
Opening Session J. Eames (City of Birmingham Education Committee) formally welcomed members of the conference to the city, as did G. Shaylor (City Planning Officer, Birmingham). The latter, as the officer responsible for advising the City on measures to deal with its severe unemployment and recession problems, stated that he looked to IFIP to contribute to solving some of the problems through assisting in the use of new technology in training programs for young people and for the unemployed. P. Bollerslev (Chairman of IFIP W G 3.1) welcomed members of the conference on behalf of IFIP. He outlined the work that the Working Group has done since its formation in 1967. From the early 1970's, it had recognized Teacher Training as a key issue, first of all in Secondary Schools and more recently also in Elementary Schools. Bollerslev expressed his conviction that a great deal would be achieved by the highly qualified North-Holland Education & Computing 1 (1985) 125-130
group meeting in Birmingham, and emphasized that this was a working conference.
Opening Address Teacher Training in England, Wales & Northern Ireland R. Fothergill (Microelectronics Education Programme, U.K.) provided a description of the Microelectronics Education Programme (MEP), which is sponsored by the Departments of Education of England, Northern Ireland and Wales and which has within its remit responsibility for teacher training in microelectronics for primary and secondary schools. Fothergill gave a brief survey of the various approaches to the teacher training problem that have been adopted during the last three and a half years since the programme began. Some of the approaches involve the provision of hardware to help teachers get started. The most substantial approach, Forthergill claimed, focuses on tutored courses at different levels of difficulty over a wide spectrum of subject areas. Backing this up are distance learning packages for those who prefer this approach or who cannot easily attend courses. In addition, there is a range of supplementary materials and books attempting to give depth and perspective to the studies. Finally, Fothergill pointed out, the curriculum development activity is an important part of the programme.
Keynote Address David Tinsley (Education Officer, Birmingham Education Department, U.K.) has been a member of Working Group 3.1 for over fifteen years and recommended such an association. Why, he asked the conference members in his Keynote Address, has the theme of teacher training been chosen as the theme of the conference when so much work
0067-9287/85/$3.30 © 1985, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
126
Conference Reports
has already been done on the issue by the Working Group? Simply because teacher education is regarded as the fundamental issue in the development of informatics at both primary and secondary level. He believes that we must continue regularly to review our theories and practice in this important field. Tinsley described the themes of the conference and pointed out those particular elements which have arisen in his own career which might prove helpful as a stimulus to debate. He presented five phrases which illustrate his local experience of teacher training in Birmingham and explained their relevance to the objectives of the conference participants in some detail: (1) "Teachers need time", (2) "Concepts not hardware", (3) " N o t invented here", (4) " W h o teaches the teachers of teachers?", (5) "Students know more than teachers". Session 1
(Chairman: Donovan Tagg) Lower Secondary Education - The Netherlands
The Organization for Post-Academic Education in Informatics in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has developed a model syllabus for post-academic courses in informatics for teachers, comprising a model syllabus for pupils as an integral part. In a lecture entitled "In-Service Teacher Training in Informatics", T.J. van Weert (Institute for Teacher Education, The Netherlands) presented part of both model syllabuses: "literacy in informatics" is intended for all pupils in the age range from 12-14 years and "in-service courses in informatics" is intended for teachers in lower secondary education who want to teach informatics as a discipline. The Institute for Teacher Education, " U b b o Emmius", has developed a literacy course in informatics for all teachers along the lines set out in the model syllabus (literacy in informatics) for all pupils. Van Weert also discussed this course in his presentation.
tion, and a curriculum for teachers who need to be trained to teach this school curriculum. The main emphases in both curricula, Kristel explained, are learning to use programming methodology and acquiring insights into the fundamental concepts of machine architecture. Iceland Y. Pbtursson (University College of Education, Reykjavik, Iceland) divided his presentation into four parts. First, he described in-service courses for teachers in compulsory education (for teaching pupils aged 7-16) held in the summer 1978-83 and for teachers in the upper secondary school (for pupils aged 16-20). In the second part of his lecture, he described the program at the University College of Education, explaining that this course is a part of the Mathematics Division. The third part of his presentation focused on Informatics in the teacher program at the University of Iceland. The University mainly prepares teachers for teaching in the upper secondary schools. In the final part of the lecture, entitled "Informatics and Teacher Training in Iceland", Pbtersson discussed future programs in informatics. Danish Teacher Training
In a lecture entitled "Teacher Training, Informatics and the Social Sciences", L.R. Johansen (Danish Ministry of Education) described Danish teacher training, especially in the social science-based subjects and the introduction of informatics into Danish teacher training. He identified specific ethical, political and economic arguments: informatics must be seen in connection with social, cultural, economic and political structures and processes in society. Johansen identified some problems in the concept of knowledge and educational theory and practice and provided examples of his ideas. Finally, he discussed the development of informatics literacy for all teacher students.
Upper Secondary Education - The Netherlands
Session 2
(Institute for Teacher Training, Nijmegen, The Netherlands) presented a sequel to T.J. van Weert's lecture. He described a Dutch proposal for a curriculum in informatics for children in the higher levels of secondary educa-
(Chairman: Peter Bollerslev)
T.
Kristel
Literacy Through LOGO
According to S.H. yon Solms and M. Friedman (Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg, S.
Conference Reports
Africa), there is a dire need in South Africa, as in other countries, for teacher literacy in informatics. A group of South African computer specialists and university teachers, convinced of the benefits of the computer language, LOGO, started a project to expose teachers and school children to computers and computer literacy using LOGO. The ten-week, 30 hour teachers' course instructs about 40 teachers in the use of LOGO. The course material has evolved over the last two years and at present consists of a manual which contains instructional material and problems to solve. No lecturing is done and the two-member groups work through the manual at their own pace. Von Solms and Friedman discussed the contents of this manual as well as the L O G O orientation program they run for schools. Training in LOGO R.V. Nicholov (Centre of Mathematics, Sofia, Bulgaria) discussed an experiment carried out by the Research Group in Education at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for using L O G O as a training tool in programming, mathematics, physics, foreign languages, drawing and music at some schools. Special attention was paid to the problem posed by the insufficient training of teachers for the purposes of computerized education. Nicholov also summed up the experience in organizing the education and preparation of teachers for their work with L O G O at schools. Education of Young Children J.L. Wright (University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A.) began her presentation by noting that the microcomputer allows the young child to process information in new ways. True interaction, she said, demands that the child manipulate a code understood by the machine. Naturalistic research on children's concept development, as observed in their exploration of the microcomputer, suggests that teacher/child/microcomputer interaction can promote both convergent and divergent thinking. In her lecture, entitled "Informatics in the Education of Young Children", Wright stated that it is important for those who teach about the microcomputer to remember that it has not been an integral part of many adults' environments. It is thus necessary to make time available for each
127
adult learner to move through the same stages of discovery, involvement, and self-confidence observed in the children, before teachers can focus on the creativity of this new tool and implement it into their own curriculum. Teaching LOGO to Teachers Computer literacy has become the watchword in American education in the past five years. There have been many approaches to this new curriculum item, but no approach to computer literacy has generated more controversy than LOGO. C.D. Martin (George Washington University, D.C., U.S.A.) and R.S. Heller (University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A.) described in their presentation the philosophical background of LOGO. They examined the ongoing controversy concerning how L O G O should be used with children. Finally, they described a graduate level L O G O course for educators designed to help them deal with these issues at the implementation level. Their lecture was entitled "Teaching LOGO to Teachers: A Look at the Issues".
Session 3
(Chairman: Tom van Weert) Work of A TEE P. Gorny (University of Oldenburg, F.R.G.) described the efforts of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE) during the last five years to identify the effects and implications of the new information technology on the European educational systems and to develop common strategies to cope with the connected problems related to its introduction. The ATEE working Group "Information Technology" (IT) has presented reports on informatics teaching, on IT applications in general and on special education, at the ATEE annual conferences. Gorny's subjects of discussion ranged from societal implications of IT, to informatics curricula in schools and in teacher education, to programming languages, software development and software exchange. A series of national reports published by ATEE describes the state of developments of informatics in teacher education in European countries. He also discussed the latest
128
Conference Reports
effort of the working group: a model syllabus for literacy in information technology for all teachers. Methods and Dichotomies R.P. Taylor (Columbia University, U.S.A.) was concerned in his presentation with teaching computing, especially at the secondary school level. He outlined the methods course for secondary school teachers of computing science that is part of a teacher training curriculum oudine that the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is currently considering for issue as an official curriculum recommendation. Case Studies in the U.K. Many changes have taken place in the education system of the United Kingdom during the last twenty years, most notably the change to comprehensive schools and the attendant disappearance of grammar schools. The vast majority of children between the ages of 11 and 16 are now educated in non-selective schools. However, the technological revolution of the computer and, more recently, the microcomputer, has produced changes which were not foreseen even a few years ago. In particular, B.H. Blakeley (University of London, U.K.) noted that the enormous growth in the number of microcomputers in both primary and secondary schools has created a need and a demand for teacher training at pre-service and in-service stages. There is now a great variety of such training and the case studies which Blakeley presented at the conference were intended to provide insights into a cross-section of that training.
Session 4
(Chairman: Frank Lovis ) The Open University Project Tim O'Shea (Open University, Micros in Schools Project, U.K.) provided a general account of the history and current activities of the Open University's Micros in Schools Project. Since early 1981, the staff at the Open University has been designing, preparing, testing and distributing a variety of self-study packs intended for use by
school teachers. The topics covered by the packs are "awareness", "educational software", "computers in action in the classroom", "microelectronics", and "inside microcomputers". The packs provide the teacher who studies them with a course of practical work which relates directly to classroom applications of microcomputer technology. O'Shea concluded his presentation by discussing the problems involved in maintaining the usability and relevance of these materials for the remainder of the decade. Educational Software Pack According to A. Jones and J. Preece (Open University, Micros in Schools Project, U.K.), one of the biggest problems which faces teachers using microcomputers is the lack of good educational software. Yet few courses successfully tackle the problem of training inexperienced teachers to develop the skills necessary to choose educational software wisely. Most courses lack an appropriate framework which would provide teachers with the skills and experience necessary to judge software critically. The Educational Software Pack produced by the Open University does provide such a framework. Jones and Preece discussed both the philosophy and design of this pack and described how the pack was produced and evaluated.
Session 5
(Chairman: Peter Barker) Primary Schools in Scotland Despite earlier attempts, significant progress in getting computers into the primary schools has only been made since the arrival of microcomputers in 1978. Computing in the classroom made slow progress until the Department of Industry's Micros in Primary Schools Scheme overcame the problem of lack of equipment by offering primary schools selected hardware at half price, plus a starter pack of software. Schools and teacher training are now in a state of transition with the arrival of computers in the classroom and the advent of a new four-year B.Ed. course in primary education, with a strong computer content. According to A.R. Wills (Dundee College o f Education, Scotland),
Conference Reports the future looks promising, with computer-related innovations potentially leading to the development of a curriculum with more active pupil participation. Wills noted further in his presentation that there will be problems with the curriculum, but with appropriate software and in-service training, teachers can use modern technology to prepare pupils for the challenge of the real world outside school.
129
done better by the computer than the human teacher. Lee then provided a concrete list of some benchmarks for CAL design and implementation.
Session 6
(Chairman: David Tinsley) Value of Materials"
Informatics in Norway J. Walstad and J. Wibe (Trondheim College of Education, Norway) presented the plans for the introduction of informatics in Norwegian schools, a development project supported by central authorities. Extra resources, Walstad and Wibe explained, will be given by the government for buying computers, for education of teachers, software development and projects at certain schools. They then described the teaching of informatics at various stages of the Norwegian school system and the education of teachers. German Democratic Republic L O. Kerner(Paedagogische Hochschule, Dresden, G.D.R.) presented a lecture entitled "Teacher Training and Education for Mathematics and Informatics in the German Democratic Republic". He feels that if and how the social functions of education are fulfilled depends largely upon the standard and the effectiveness of the work done by teachers. That is why the training and further education of teachers has been made a key task in the overall development of society in the G.D.R. Kerner described the educational program in Mathematics and the curriculum in Informatics, as developed and practiced in the German Democratic Republic.
R. Lewis (Institute for Educational Computing, Lancaster, U.K.) discussed various forms of materials used with microcomputers. Those which create opportunities for pupils to engage in various forms of problem solving, assisted as appropriate by their teachers, were examined by Lewis in detail. The evaluation of such materials by developers and teachers was described and the importance of teacher/pupil relationship in this context was stressed. Professional Development in Australia The development of computer education in Australia has occurred at different times and in different ways in each State and Territory. As a consequence, there is a variation in the methods and styles of professional development for teachers. In 1983, the Australian government initiated a Federal program to provide an Australia-wide focus on computer education. J.H. Hammond (NSW Institute of Technology, Sydney, Australia) and K. Penter (Education Department, Perth, Western Australia) described some of the initiatives that are currently being undertaken in two States, which fit the proposals of the Federal Government plan for the professional development of teachers. The M E C C Method
Toward a Theory of CAL The problems of CAL applications are traced to lack of research-based guidelines for courseware development and evaluation: In particular, the attempts of teaching professionals to evaluate poorly developed CAL materials seem to reflect the current practices in a "cart-before-the-horse" order. S-S. Lee (University of British Columbia, Canada) suggested that we should first clarify what can be
The Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation (MECC) has been training large numbers of Minnesota educators in instructional computing for over a decade. MECC's approach began with a focus on timeshare computing and then shifted to the use of microcomputers. As described by D. Rawitsch and R.A. Pollak, MECC's work in this area is unique in the United States in that it is the only example of a statewise training effort in
Conference Reports
130 instructional computing government funding.
supported
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was presented, followed by a more detailed discussion of courses intended for primary school teachers and conclusions drawn on basis of the experience acquired.
Session 7
Training in Hungary (Chairman: Ulrich Bosler)
Swiss School of Informatics The Migros Club School is the largest adult education institution in Switzerland. T Steiger (Federation of Migros Cooperatives, Zi?rich, Switzerland) made an attempt to depict the complex system of the sources of information which are relevant to the development of the courses of instruction as well as to the further education of the course tutors at migros. The whole system, Steiger explained, is based on the unity of the staff in those institutions responsible for development and for teacher training activities. In his lecture, the institutional organization of the school, as a factor for the feasibility of teacher training, was the central subject.
Teacher Training in Geneva J-B. Roux (Etudes Pddagogiques de l'Enseignement Secondaire, Geneva, Switzerland) began his presentation by pointing out that Swiss structures resist changes. Because of questions of prestige and regional rivalries, Switzerland has perhaps missed some of is opportunities in informatics. The first problem to solve, according to Roux, is the training of people in informatics, as demonstrated by his case study taken from the Canton of Geneva. He noted that awareness of informatics comprises more than learning an interdisciplinary tool or a way of thinking; it is relevant to the nation's culture in general. Israeli School System A short overview of computer activities in the Israeli school system was presented by D. Millin and B. Barta (Ministry of Education and Culture, Jerusalem, Israel). These activities have led to the requirement to provide computer education to all students at colleges of education and to all teachers actively employed in schools. A scheme of courses
The first computers in Hungarian secondary schools were installed in the middle of the seventies. On the basis of the experiment in 1981, the Ministry of Education decided on a program which aimed at installing microcomputers in secondary schools, which has resulted in the installation of more than 1000 microcomputers. According to L. Varga (L. E6tv/Ss University of Budapest, Hungary), the universities play an important role in training teachers for the use of these computers.
Closing Address J.D. Tinsley (Education Office, Birmingham, U.K.) pointed out that in comparing the variety across the world of organizational arrangements for teacher education, it has been important to focus on the needs of the individual teacher, who needs time to come to terms with new technology. The conference's focus on the best examples of current practice, Tinsley asserted, helped to identify the essential components of all such activity. The quality of educational software was questioned at the conference and the methods of evaluation necessary to prevent new generations of teachers and learners from exposure to the inept were considered. Tinsley feels that this pooled experience provides a clearer perspective which will benefit current work and assist future plans. The Proceedings of this IFIP Working Conference have been edited by F.B.Lovis (The Open University, U.K.) and E.D. Tagg (University of Lancaster, U.K.) and published by North-Holland under the title " I n f o r m a t i c s and Teacher Training". 1984 -t-254 pp. ISBN 0-444-8763%1. Price: US $/Dfl.
N.A. Schreiner-Novick Conference Reporter