20 Years of Computers and Informatics in Austria’s Secondary Academic Schools

In 2004 the German state of Bavaria introduced a new compulsory subject of computer science (CS) in its grammar schools ( Gymnasium ). The subject is based on a comprehensive teaching concept that was developed by the author and his colleagues during the years 1995--2000. It comprises mandatory courses in grades 6/7 for all students of grammar schools and in grade 9/10 for the students of the science and technology track of this school type. In grades 11 and 12 there are elective courses that qualify for an optional graduation exam in CS. The first students that have attended the course in total graduated in 2011. This article describes the whole project in the form of an extensive case study that is guided by the Darmstadt Model , which was developed as a category system for computer science education in secondary schools by a working group at ITiCSE 2011. This case study is the first (nearly) all-embracing discussion of the whole project that describes the long way from the original concept to the first graduates as well as the internal structure of the subject and the first results.

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 98%

Computer Science Education in Secondary Schools -- The Introduction of a New Compulsory Subject

Hubwieser

2012

“…However, several high school CS courses have been developed for many years now, especially in Eastern European countries such as described for example by Dagiene [2008]. Some of them are well documented through detailed descriptions, for example, Hubwieser [2012] for the Bavarian state in Germany; Micheuz [2005] for Austria; Syslo and Kwiatkowska [2005] for Poland; Ragonis et al [2010] for Israel. Some other countries tend to follow an inverse path, the Netherlands, for example, began to teach informatics, and then curricula evolve towards taking into account ICT [Grgurina and Tolboom 2008].…”

Section: Implementation and Syllabus Comparisonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Computer Science Education in French Secondary Schools

Baron

Drot-Delange

Grandbastien

et al. 2014

Computer science as a school subject in France is characterized by a succession of promising starts that have not yet been transformed into perennial solutions. The main goal of this article is to analyze this complex situation from a historical perspective, and describe the current rebirth of an optional Computer Science course in the last year of secondary education, together with other initiatives that might contribute to introducing Computer Science as a school subject. We also aim at discussing some perspectives for the future to support a better informatics education for all students. The sources we have used are mainly historical and administrative, however we have also drawn on empirical research and surveys conducted since the seventies. This article therefore takes both retrospective and perspective viewpoints.

“…This subsection provides a short summary depicting the remaining three eras suggested by Micheuz [2005]: networking and the beginning of the GUI era (1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995); more autonomy, consolidated, standardised application software and the kickoff of the Internet era (1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000); and e-learning, standards and increasing didactical issues (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005).…”

Section: Programming In Swedish Education From the 1990s To The 2010smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the late 1970s and early 1980s, informatics education was established in many countries as teaching about computers and training in programming skills (c.f. [Dagiene 2005;Micheuz 2005;Rolandsson 2011;Syslo and Kwiatkowska 2008;Woollard 2005]). A time span of 40 years has passed since then.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Programming in School

Rolandsson

Skogh

2014

In this article, the development of the Swedish informatics curriculum during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s is studied and described. The study's design is inspired by the curriculum theory presented by Lindensjö and Lundgren [2000], who suggest using the concept of arenas (the arenas of enactment, transformation and realisation) when discussing curriculum development. Data collection in this study comprises activities and actors in the arenas of enactment and transformation. Collected data include contemporary articles, journals, reports, booklets, government documents and archived documents. Findings show that informatics education in Sweden evolved from primarily focusing on programming knowledge related to automatic data processing and offered exclusively in vocational education (the 1960s and 1970s) to later (early 1980s) being introduced in the upper secondary school curriculum under the heading Datakunskap. The enactment of the informatics curriculum in 1983 encompassed programming, system development and computing in relation to applied sciences and civics. Mathematics teachers did much of the experimental work. It is shown that the competencies of upper secondary school teachers at the time rarely corresponded to the demands of the subject (content knowledge, resources and pedagogical skills). Stereotypical examples were therefore developed to support teachers in instructing about the subject content. When implemented in the theoretical natural science-programme, system development/systemisation was transformed into a twofold issue, comprising vocational attributes and societal aspects of computer programming. The implementation of today's informatics education, including programming in the curriculum, should draw from lessons learned from history. For a successful outcome, this study emphasises the necessity to understand 1) the common incentives for introducing computer programming in the curriculum, 2) the requirement for teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and 3) the stakeholders' role in the curriculum development process.