Computing at school Netherlands

*Goals computing at school Netherlands**

(draft CAS-NL alpha-0.4 based on CAS-UK)

• promoting and supporting excellent computer science education for all students in primary and secondary education
• each student has the option of attending excellent and suitable computer science courses.

Promote means ensuring a good base of support, at every relevant level and in respect of all parties involved: the education sector, political circles, business community and students.
Excellent means a solid conceptual basis; captivating, topical and relevant contexts, recognisable for the students.

Implementation: Digital Literacy as a compulsory basis in the learning standards for primary education and the first stage of secondary education. Optional in-depth computer science course in the second stage of secondary education.

Suitable: Each student has the option of taking computer science as an optional course, with optional themes that are suitable for his or her level and interest. We will encourage students to master the skills for the benefit of their future.

Goals at the school level

• Schools (school management, teachers, parents, students) consider computer science an important, stimulating and “respectable” subject.
• School management and teachers are “digitally literate”.

Goals computer science teachers

• Computer science teachers are enthusiastic, competent and qualified.
• Computer science teachers are aware of the current developments in computer science/ICT (and in the field of learning and innovation).
• Computer science teachers have a network of colleagues, ICT/computer science experts and professionals that can provide support in respect of their teaching.
• The profession of computer science/ICT teacher becomes an attractive career for computer science/ICT students.
• “Sufficient computer science teachers” or: the shortage of computer science teachers does not form a problem for schools that wish to offer this subject in a responsible manner.

“CAS-NL community”

CAS is a community of persons who endorse these goals and wish to contribute towards them. The community is made up of teachers, parents, professionals, businesses, training institutes, government institutions, semi-public institutions, and other interested parties not yet specified. The community is “inclusive”, and is open to everyone. Establishing and maintaining the CAS-NL Community requires expertise, financial resources, human resources, organisation and an infrastructure.
The deployment of the resources varies as regards support and options.

Organisations that have been approached. (selected short list)

• i&i (association of computer science teachers)
• computer science support centres and teaching methodologists
• SLO (Netherlands Institute for curriculum development)
• HBO-ICT (Higher Education computer science and ICT study programmes)
• Nederland ICT; CIO Platform
• Microsoft Nederland
• Apple Nederland
• Oracle Nederland
• Dyade
• Kennisnet
• TU Delft

In principle, membership of CAS-NL is open to everyone who wishes to support the goals.

Contributions businesses and professionals

• An advisory role by means of a network of experts and expertise. In particular for providing support in respect of advanced topics/themes; and in respect of the choice of studies/provision of information concerning study programmes.
• Financial, infrastructural and organisational support.

About innovation in education

The conceptual basis of computer science has sufficiently crystallised to serve as a sound basis for this education. However, the current context of the technology and the applications still changes at a rapid pace. It is important for the education to link up with the current technology and applications as experienced by the students in their immediate surroundings. This means that continuous adaptation and innovation of the educational material is required.

The ambitious goals above cannot be achieved using the traditional educational approach: currently there are too few qualified and competent teachers, and this shortage cannot be resolved in the short term. This means that attention must also be paid to a different, innovative approach of this education. Possible elements include: the deployment of

• ICT/computer science professionals, for instance in a network supporting teachers and students
• ICT/computer science students in the classroom and in this network
• peer learning for students
• ICT resources