Abstract
In this paper, a learning and teaching framework is described which is aimed at increasing student interest in studying computer science as a discipline, or at least in better understanding how a computer and its tools work and can be used in solving problems which may occur in different areas.
In the beginning of information education in Poland, in the mid 80’s, the informatics curricula for schools and teaching were focused on computer science. Then, in the beginning of the 90’s, with the growing popularity and wide use of end-user friendly software, the emphasis in education has moved from computer science to information technology, from constructing computer solutions to using ready-made tools, from computer science for some students to information technology for all. We demonstrate here, however, how teaching and learning information technology can be used to enhance algorithmic and computational thinking in solving with computers, problems which arise in various school subjects, learning disciplines and in real life.
We strongly believe that the learning methodology presented here, about computer use by students and applying computers and information technology to solving problems, would be a good motivation and preparation for their future decisions to study computing and become computer specialists.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Being Fluent with Information Technology, National Academy Press, Washington, DC (1999)
Clark, M.A.C., Boyle, R.D.: Computer Science in English High Schools: We Lost the S, Now the C Is Going. In: Mittermeir, R.T. (ed.) ISSEP 2006. LNCS, vol. 4226, pp. 83–93. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)
Cohen, A., Haberman, B.: Computer Science – A language of Technology (preprint)
Commission of the European Communities, eLearning – designing tomorrow’s education, Brussels, SEC, 318 final (2000)
Denning, P.J.: Who Are We? Comm. ACM (2001)
Denning, P.J.: Great principles in computing curricula. In: Proceedings of SIGCSE 2004, Norfolk, Virginia, USA, pp. 336–341 (2004)
Gurbiel, E., Hardt-Olejniczak, G., Kołczyk, E., Krupicka, H., Sysło, M.M.: Informatics (in Polish). Textbook for middle school, WSiP, Warszawa (2007)
Gurbiel, E., Hard-Olejniczak, G., Kołczyk, E., Krupicka, H., Sysło, M.M.: Informatics (in Polish). Textbook for high school, WSiP, Warszawa, vol. 1 & 2 (2002-2003)
Gurbiel, E., Hardt-Olejniczak, G., Kołczyk, E., Krupicka, H., Sysło, M.M.: Information technology. Textbook for high school, WSiP, Warszawa (2007)
Humbert, L., Micheuz, P., Puhlmann, H.: Why history matters in school informatics. In: Medichi Workshop 2007 (Methodic and Didactic Challenges of the History of Informatics), Klagenfurt University, April 12-13 (2007)
McGettrick, A., Boyle, R., Ibbett, R., Lloyd, J., Lovegrove, G., Mander, K.: Grand Challenges in Computing – Education, British Computer Society (2004)
Snyder, L., Aho, A.V., Linn, M., Packer, A., Tucker, A., Ullman, J., van Dam, A.: Being Fluent with Information Technology. In: Committee in Information Technology Literacy, National Academy of Sciences. National Academy Press, Washigton (1999)
Stephenson, C., Gal-Ezer, J., Haberman, B., Verno, A.: The New Education Imperative: Improving High School Computer Science Education, Final Report of the CSTA Curriculum Improvement Task Force, CSTA, ACM (February 2005) http://csta.acm.org/Publications/White_Paper07_06.pdf
Syslo, M.M. (ed.): Standards for Information Technology and Informatics in Teacher Preparation, Ministry of Education and Sport in Poland, Warsaw (2003)
Syslo, M.M., Kwiatkowska, A.B.: Informatics Versus Information Technology – How Much Informatics Is Needed to Use Information Technology – A School Perspective. In: Mittermeir, R.T. (ed.) ISSEP 2005. LNCS, vol. 3422, pp. 178–188. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)
Syslo, M.M., Kwiatkowska, A.B.: Contribution of Informatics Education to Mathematics Education in Schools. In: Mittermeir, R.T. (ed.) ISSEP 2006. LNCS, vol. 4226, pp. 209–219. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)
Tucker, A., Deek, F., Jones, J., McCowan, J., Stephenson, C., Verno, A.: A Model Curriculum for K-12 Computer Science, Report of the ACM K-12 Education Task Force Computer Science Curriculum Committee, ACM (2003)
UNESCO, Information and Communication Technology in Education. A Curriculum for Schools and Programme of Teacher Development, IFIP/UNESCO (2002)
Wing, J.M.: Computational thinking. Communications of the ACM 49, 33–35 (2006)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Sysło, M.M., Kwiatkowska, A.B. (2008). The Challenging Face of Informatics Education in Poland. In: Mittermeir, R.T., Sysło, M.M. (eds) Informatics Education - Supporting Computational Thinking. ISSEP 2008. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5090. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69924-8_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69924-8_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-69923-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69924-8
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)