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Informatics in Primary School Principles and experience

Informatics in Primary School Principles and experience. Andrej Blaho Comenius University Slovakia. Different views on informatics. Each country has own policy for school informatics: In some countries they do not have any informatics yet In some countries, the emphasis is on ICT

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Informatics in Primary School Principles and experience

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  1. Informatics in Primary SchoolPrinciples and experience Andrej Blaho Comenius University Slovakia

  2. Different views on informatics Each country has own policy for school informatics: • In some countries they do not have any informatics yet • In some countries, the emphasis is on ICT • In some countries they have as pure as possible informatics and they try to exclude usual ICT from it

  3. Our short informatics history • Our school system and historical stages

  4. Stage till 1985 • Informatics means only programming (Fortran, Pascal, Cobol) • Only at specialized secondary schools (mainly mathematical or economic school)

  5. Stage from 1985 • Compulsory subject for each secondary schools • Programming and computers • Very popular assertion: Programming is second literacy • Nobody thought about any other use computers in that time • Computers at some schools • New programming contests in Czechoslovakia: • Olympiad in Informatics • Correspondence Seminar in Programming • Primary and lower secondary – no informatics • Local contests: programming in Logo and Karel • Teacher training in many universities • Maturaexam in informatics = programming

  6. Stage from 1990 • New name of subject: Informatics • Focusing only on using computers • DOS and file system • Writing texts • Drawing • Working with tables • Each teacher who had a computer at home, was able to teach informatics • Some schools have second subject Programming • It is possible to have two Matura exams on Informatics (using ICT) and Programming

  7. Stage from 1998 • Computers at home • Internet • New curricula of Informatics • information (data representation, applications) • Internet (communication + information on internet) • principles of hardware and software (OS, processor, peripherals) • Programming (problem solving) • Information society (usage ICT, risks, legal consequences, crime) • ICT is still part of the Informatics • New programming environment Comenius Logo • Informatics in primary and lower secondary is optional

  8. Stage from 2006 • National Institute of Education organized project • Project ran for several years on 20 primary schools • It studied Informatics in primary education • New experimental subject – Primary Informatics for 1 – 4 classes • This subject was optional at several schools in Slovakia

  9. Stage from 2008 • Reform of elementary and secondary education • Focus on standards and targets • Focus was on content previously • Subjects can be grouped together • Possibility to shift hours, combined, create new subjects • Enormous support for us – Informatics became part of education group of ​​mathematics • Mathematics has great authority - no one can underestimate Informatics now • Informatics is now compulsory subject in all levels

  10. Informatics education • We have distinguished the following levels in the teaching of informatics: • The use of digital technologies • Digital literacy • Digital competence • Informatics

  11. The use of digital technologies • Limited number of skills, the use of certain tools • Priority: to learn to use the computer • Emphasis: recipes, facts, to enjoy working with computers • Example: where to click..., which command..., draw a nice picture…

  12. Digital literacy • + To collect, evaluate, store, create, exchange, collaborate, communicate • Priority: to teach the correct use of applications • Emphasis: correct sequence of steps, results • Example: format the text..., send information to... , save into..., ECDL

  13. Digital competence + Using DT critically and decisively for work, leisure and communication • Priority: to use computer for solving problems with information • Emphasis: computing, principles, understanding • Example: evaluate…, decide…, solve …, create…, which… is better…, why…

  14. Informatics in other countries • European study on Digital Competences: • Primary, national curriculums in SK, CZ, PT, FI, NW, SC, LI • As a core element in SK, NW, SC, FI • A separate subject: SK, CZ • Other countries: cross-curricular ways - may have disadvantages...

  15. User informatics • Focus on skills development, operating a computer, the use of software • Risks: instead of informatics, it pursues other objectives

  16. Mathematical informatics • Problem-oriented tasks based on computer science • Priority: data structures, algorithmic problem-solving , logical thinking • Not: to teach pupils to work with a computer, to gain digital literacy

  17. Informatics in school + Exploring the basics of computer science • Priority: problem solving, effective solution, influence on society • Emphasis: algorithm, discovering and analysing solutions, • Example: analyse problem..., discover algorithm..., create program...

  18. Informatics and computer science • Our intuitive and simplified understanding of relationships:

  19. Informatics in Slovakia • Curriculum has five collective thematic units: • Information around us • Communication through digital technologies • Procedures, problem solving, algorithmic thinking • Principles of the functioning of digital technologies • The information society

  20. Our vision of primary informatics • Our primary informatics should contain: • Development of Digital Skills • Development of Informatics Thinking • Activities for learners: • Pupils have no prior experience working with computers - basic skill of using digital technologies • Activities to contain various informatics elements

  21. Not only computer skills are being taught • The tasks also contains simple rules

  22. “Help to paint map with three colors so that neighboring kingdoms have different colors.”

  23. “Line up the blocks in the correct order.” • Training dragging skills • Introduction to algorithms – sequences of instructions

  24. Our textbook • Based on activities at the computer: • Activity teaches computer skills + It often contains simple rules – development of informatics thinking • Activity introduces to algorithms + It often trains some computers skill (drag objects using the mouse) • We had to consider: • Pupils may have difficulty with reading of long texts • Pupils learn the alphabetical ordering in the next year

  25. We determine a higher complexity of certain tasks: • Task 3: „Make necklaces equal.” • Task 5: “Order wagons according to ...” (several rules)

  26. Motivation: fun stories, pictures • Pupils collect their own experiences: • As soon as possible • (Nearly) No explanation

  27. From NC to thematic units Thematic units: • Working with text • Working with graphics • Working with multimedia • Working with a story • Structures in informatics • Internet and communication • Problem solving and algorithms • About a computer • Information Society National curriculum for ISCED 1: • Information around us • Communication through DT • Problem solving, algorithms • Principles of the functioning of DT • The information society

  28. From thematic units to content • About the computer • We are clicking the mouse • We are coloring pictures • We are stamping • We are drawing lines • We are drawing and coloring • We are drawing straight lines • We are drawing circles and rectangles • We are moving and sorting • We are solving tasks according to the rules • We are working with the keyboard • We are writing the text • We are dressing up characters • We are writing numbers • We are inspecting the web • We are explore the internet • We are playing with sounds • We are solving problems using a computer Thematic units: • Working with text • Working with graphics • Working with multimedia • Working with a story • Structures in informatics • Internet and communication • Problem solving and algorithms • About a computer • Information Society

  29. Example of tableWorking with text

  30. Example of tableInternet and communication

  31. Example of tableProblem solving and algorithms

  32. Teachers’ attitudes • Teachers have initial difficulties with the application of technologies • Many teachers do not understand the level of difficulty - they frequently: • Use unsuitable tools • Insist on unimportant details • Fail to understand basic concepts and principles about the function of digital technologies • Experienced teacher may overload their pupils with too much inappropriate content

  33. Software and the Internet • Compare RNA, GIMP, TuxPaint • Simplicity, customization • Situation is similar to the Word: • For adults • Too many controls (size, number of possibilities) • We only needed a few tools (see textbook): • We do not give children to read newspapers, but they have magazines for children • It seems that: • Only in informatics do we find poor understanding of the risks associated with the use of inappropriate tools.

  34. Conclusion • Issues that we considered: • The topics to be included in informatics • The relationship to other subjects • The didactics of informatics • Adequate software tools • Discoveries: • Teachers (usually) do not understand what informatics means • Teachers development courses are very important

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