The Educator Magazine UK May- August 2023 - Magazine - Page 23
Programming in the UK
Education System
By Mark Martin MBE, Assistant Professor in Computer Science
and Education Practice, Urban Teacher
It has been nearly ten years since
the shift from Information and
Communication Technology (ICT)
to Computing in 2014. While
the ICT curriculum equipped
students with practical desktop
skills, the computing curriculum
has gone a step further by
empowering teachers and
students with a computational
approach to computing. In recent
years, there has been an
explosion in tech and software
development, owing to the rapid
pace of digital transformation
and the pivotal role that
technology plays in our daily
lives. As a result, the public
perception of tech has significantly changed, with many families
encouraging their children to learn tech
skills, considering them to be essential
in the future. However, there is a common
misconception that proficiency with a
computer or mobile phone equates to
tech savviness, when in reality, it merely
denotes being a consumer of tech. As
experts, our role is to enlighten students
about how algorithms operate and how
they affect our daily lives.
we are now at a crossroads with
programming in schools. How do
we support students who are
passionate about programming
and possess tech skills beyond the
curriculum? Moreover, how do we
motivate them to apply what they
have learned to solve real-world
problems, develop professional
portfolios, and be ready to enter the
industry with tangible outputs from
these courses?
The great debate in computing education
revolves around the most effective way
to teach programming - block-based
programming or text-based
programming. Additionally, with ChatGPT
- the TikTok for coding - providing quick
coding solutions within seconds, how
do we keep up with the evolution of
programming and teach students the
technical side while emphasizing the
importance of soft skills, which are often
overlooked in computing?
tremendous efforts to provide the
computing curriculum, coding clubs, and
industry engagement to help students
explore tech-related careers and
academic pathways. However, getting
students interested in programming
has been a significant challenge. Many
programming lessons for students are like
flash pan activities which lack in-depth
practice. Similar to music, coding is like
playing an instrument which requires
practice, practice, and more practice. In
secondary schools, the GCSE computer
science syllabus lacks a practical
programming element, and both exam
papers are theoretical. While many
students begin the courses with
enthusiasm, retention rates decline when
they realize that they have to write more
than they code. Exam boards have urged
schools to commit to practical
programming activities during the course,
starting in the summer of 2022. Another
issue is that many teachers lack the
confidence to deliver the subject due to
its complexity within a limited timeframe.
Computing education can empower
students with “powerful knowledge,”
making them informed and active
participants in our increasingly digital
society. To this end, schools have made
The computing curriculum has received
massive support from organizations like
BCS Education, Computing at School,
National Centre for Computing
Education, and others. However,
Lastly, on the topic of getting more
girls and under-represented groups
into programming. Representation
is key! Representation in
computing education is about getting students to express themselves,
bringing their identity and voice into
the subject, It’s about bringing their
hidden talents to the forefront without
being shut down or overlooked. When
students feel seen and heard in the classroom, they are more engaged and motivated to learn. This is especially important
in computing education, where diversity
and inclusion are essential to creating a
workforce that can develop solutions that
meet the needs of all people. By encouraging students to bring their whole selves
to the subject, we can create a more
inclusive and equitable learning
environment that benefits everyone.
As educators, it’s all our responsibility to
provide opportunities for students to
learn about the contributions of women
and underrepresented groups in tech and
to challenge the stereotypes and biases
that exist in the sector. By doing so, we
can help students see the potential they
have to make a positive impact in the
world through computing.
Mark hosted a panel at Bett Academy
Live discussing ‘Careers In tech: The
visible and invisible tech roles’ with Dr
Claire Thorne, Co-CEO of Tech She Can,
Julian Hall, CEO of Ultra Education CIC
and Tina Gotschi, Principal of Ada, the
National College for Digital skills.