Neil C. C. Brown
Sue Sentance
Tom Crick
Abstract
Computer science in UK schools is undergoing a remarkable transformation. While the changes are not consistent across each of the four devolved nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), there are developments in each that are moving the subject to become mandatory for all pupils from age 5 onwards. In this article, we detail how computer science declined in the UK, and the developments that led to its revitalisation: a mixture of industry and interest group lobbying, with a particular focus on the value of the subject to all school pupils, not just those who would study it at degree level. This rapid growth in the subject is not without issues, however: there remain significant forthcoming challenges with its delivery, especially surrounding the issue of training sufficient numbers of teachers. We describe a national network of teaching excellence which is being set up to combat this problem, and look at the other challenges that lie ahead.
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Index Terms
- Restart: The Resurgence of Computer Science in UK Schools
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Reviews
Fjodor J. Ruzic
Information technology (IT) is a big challenge to education due to its ever-changing nature. The authors were confronted with this issue when attempting to study the availability of computer science (CS) courses in schools throughout the United Kingdom (UK). They noted that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, CS courses were replaced with information and communication technology (ICT) courses, as in many other countries. Further, the ICT curriculum omitted basic knowledge about computer architecture, logic, and programming in favor of teaching the use of IT. However, pressure from industry, government, interest groups, and other parties resulted in recognition of the need to implement CS in schools once again. The apparent resurgence of CS within the curricula of UK schools is described in detail, starting with the 1980s. The paper continues to explore recent developments, starting with the Computing at School (CAS) interest group, which focuses on the reimplementation of CS in UK school curriculum and the government's role. In order to better explain the UK education space, the authors briefly but deliberately describe the UK school system, covering England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. This description is linked with the 1988 national curriculum and its recent revision in which CS became mandatory for ages 5 to 16. This trend includes implementation in schools and a new kind of digital literacy, as well as issues related to professional development, where new skills are urgently needed. Naturally, there are many challenges to implementing new CS courses, and the authors discuss several categories covering the CAS/British Computer Society (BCS) Network of Computer Science Teaching Excellence, which helps new and existing teachers develop the skills needed for the stated national curriculum agenda. Practical deployment is also briefly explained. This concise, clear, and information-rich text could be a valuable tool for education policymakers and the CS teacher community alike. Online Computing Reviews Service
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