IT teaching in secondary schools

eoin@host.ie

Does anyone know where I could get stats on:

1. How many schools have broadband?

2. How much class time is given to working on computers and the internet?

Also is there anything on the current school curriculum that covers a basic introduction to internet technologies(i.e. web publishing, HTML, email etc)?

Thanks. Eoin

Suaimhneach

It varys which schools get it really.

Depends on the year you are in. As a sixth year I dont get any classes, but my brother is a first year and has quite a few, bout 4 a week, and they are being trained in the basics of computers.

4th years do ECDL.

Most are allowed on the net from time to time. But nothing like HTML is being taught.

claire h

The answer to both questions is 'not enough', that's as far as I can help you. Despite the fact that it's one of the most practical things anyone could learn in secondary school, it's given very low priority.

purplepolkadot

is there anything on the current school curriculum that covers a basic introduction to internet technologies(i.e. web publishing, HTML, email etc)?

nope.

the first and second years in our school are taught how to use word and do spreadsheets. that is all. if a student in the class can type well and use word and excel, they may be left in charge of the class.
I WAS.
one computer in our school has the internet.

PrecariousNuts

Don't bother trying to do anything in this area, its pointless. No one will take you seriously, I know last year we just used a projector to shine pornography onto all the walls. It was seriously funny at the time, but in reality those computer classes were a complete waste of time. I learned much more at home using guides on the internet.

Roller Toaster

Being left to your own devices in the computer room where 30 people or so are all sharing a single ISDN line is not my idea of IT teaching...I even talked to the teacher about signing up with Eircom Broadband but she didn't seem to understand the processes involved :rolleyes:

eoin@host.ie

Originally posted by Roller Toaster
Being left to your own devices in the computer room where 30 people or so are all sharing a single ISDN line is not my idea of IT teaching...I even talked to the teacher about signing up with Eircom Broadband but she didn't seem to understand the processes involved :rolleyes:

Hopefully this will change shortly, a number of broadband providers(mostly wireless it has to be said) are offering very competitive deals to schools at the moment. A couple of years back Eircom was providing schools with only ONE HOUR a week free for the whole school!

griffdaddy

we just finished building our science and technology block complete with a 1 gig leased line!!! it has a new ref downstairs aswell, which could be funky! belvedere btw

Delphi91

Originally posted by eoin@host.ie
...A couple of years back Eircom was providing schools with only ONE HOUR a week free for the whole school!

Not true - it was the equivalent of one hour a day. It was part of the Dept of Education's IT2000 initiative and it's still in operation to a certain degree (I know this 'cos I recently filled in a form in school about it)

Mike

Squall

I even talked to the teacher about signing up with Eircom Broadband but she didn't seem to understand the processes involved

Same thing happened in my school. The teacher felt it wasnt necessary to upgrade to broadband, he didnt even feel it was necessary to use both ISDN channels. 128kbps spread between 30 machines...... Man thank god colleges have T1 lines and up

Squall

1 gig leased line

Hmmmmm do you mean 1mb. One gig would be impressive but i hadnt realised it was possible in Ireland yet.

griffdaddy

thats what the it techer said. it's a brand new building (open about 2 months) and it's in the city centre so i dunno. is it possible or was he lying? he said it was from esat

Squall

A gig line seems pretty doubtful to me. Theres very few places in the world where fibre optic connecions of that speed can be had and I dont think Ireland, always at the forefront of modern communication technology as it is, is one of those places. More likely its a 1mb T1 line which are pretty common in some colleges and i have heard of it in at least one school.

Agent Smith

John scottus school in donnybrook ( my school) has a 1mb wireless connection and Only the teachers can use it.



serriously

PrecariousNuts

Maynooth has a fibre optic connection, so says the physics lecturer when I went out there. Confirm/Deny?