Progress for lobbyists calling for computer science in schools
The campaign to include computer science within the national curriculum has been given a shining endorsement from the Prime Minister.
David Cameron yesterday admitted his Government is “not doing enough to actually teach the next generation of programmers."
Yesterday the Prime Minister toured London’s Tech City – a stretch of technology and digital start-up companies that occupy the East End of the capital. It is said that there are now more than 600 tech businesses within the zone.
Cameron said comments from business leaders across Tech City are a “wake up call for our education system”, and said the Government will heed the advice.
But Michael Gove, the Education secretary, has managed to remain silent on the issue of computer science throughout 2011.
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Develop has made repeated requests for comment from the Department for Education on the issue, of which none have been honoured.
Ian Livingstone, the games industry figurehead who kick-started the computer science campaign earlier this year, has repeatedly been refused a chance to meet Gove. Recently he was invited to meet advisors at the department.
The Next Gen skills report, which Livingstone co-authored, makes twenty recommendations to remedy the so-called skills-gap affecting the UK games business.
Top of the agenda is the introduction of Computer Science within the national curriculum.
The Government has promised to make a formal response to the Livingstone Hope Skills Review, though no date is certain.
Trade body UKIE, which has driven the campaign for computer science in schools, said it was “delighted” by the nature of Cameron’s comments.
“This is something UKIE has been calling for some time, and we look forward to the Government response to the Livingstone Hope Skills Review,” said UKIE chairman Andy Payne.
Too few Educationalists have been involved in this initiative. I've said it before, loudly and publically that the NextGen movement has actively refused our input, so it's really no surprise that Gove et al have not risen to the bait. I agree with many of the sentiments, but not the motives or the implications of yet another group smartly coming in to tell teachers they're failing and their job. Livingstone himself has exhibited a cavalier attitude when criticised over the lack of educational input into this process; most disgustingly at the Develop/Games:EDU conference in Brighton this year. Until this movement ceases to be about us WITHOUT us it is likely our Government will carefully remain uncommitted. Game Dev teachers and IT educators in schools need resources, recognition and support, NOT another underfunded curriculum.
P.S. programming is always emphasised, but Algorithms+Data=Programs and Computer Science is as much about Computers as Astronomy is about Telescopes.
I agree, but there has been some significant and effective lobbying of DfE undertaken by members of the Computing at School (CAS) group (http://www.computingatschool.org.uk). CAS has over 900 members the majority of whom are teachers but also includes colleagues from university, teacher trainers, exam boards, industry etc.. Our goal is to raise the status of CS in schools and to actively support teachers who are doing this. I believe that CAS has led on the campaign for computer science in schools but as long as those who set the policy hear and act I don't mind who gets the credit ;)
You may be interested to see our proposed curriculum (http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/ComputingCurric.pdf) which has been given to DfE officials and special advisors. I hope you will see that we agree programming != computer science!
