The term "ICT" should be dropped

Say the Royal Society

Following the government's announcement to change the teaching of IT in schools (more..), the Royal Society has issued a report by Professor Steve Furber which recommends that the term "ICT" be dropped. This broad and confabulated term is seen as problematic and having negative connotations. The report recommends that it should be replace by three new subject areas, Digital literacy, Information Technology and Computer Science. Defined as follows:

Digital literacy

This is the basics, the core skills of using a mouse and keyboard etc, whatever the context. For some this is boring for others very scary. This how-to-use approach is not inspiring the next generation or teaching them anything about how the technology is made. But are skills many in our society lack and could benefit from having.

Information Technology

This is about assembly, deployment and configuration of the gadgets, gizmos and applications used in everyday life. This is more about working in IT specific roles. In the reports definition this includes the business, social and economic case, issues of safety and security and also netiquette, here there are overlaps with digital literacy.

Computer Science

This is the rigorous disciple covering algorithms and programming, without this there is no Information Technology. This scientific subject goes beyond the technology of the day and provides ways to understand the wider world. This is the subject area seen to lacking in the educational pipeline. Computer Science, by this definition, is where tomorrow's programmers are going to learn their craft, and it is these people who appear to be most demand. It is difficult to conceive of where the innovations are going to come from without at least an appreciation of pure sciences like this.

Professor Furber's report also recommend increasing the number specialist teachers and a programme of continuous professional development which includes input from business and industry.

Lack of specialist ICT teachers must be addressed by Department for Education Royal Society 13 January 2012
ICT Replaced in Schools by Computer Science
12 January 2012
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