From Context to Competencies

Ira DiethelmChristina Dörge

20/09/2010 2Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

PISA and its outcome

• Competencies?• Skills?• Key competencies?• Key skills?• ...something else?

• Possible answer: Educational standards

20/09/2010 3Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

How are eduactional standards made?

20/09/2010 4Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Educational standards for informatics

20/09/2010 5Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Remaining questions

• Which competencies are important?• Are those competencies equal important?• How can we assure that all competencies were

covered during a lecture?• Which contents should be used for lectures?• Motivation for the pupils & students?• How can the needed competencies for a lecture

made transparent?

20/09/2010 6Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Possible answer: Informatics in Context (IniK)

• Three goals:– Orientation on relevant contexts– Variety of teaching methods– Principles and standards

– Or better: ...fundamental principles? and ...competencies?)

20/09/2010 7Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Informatics in context (IniK): The phases

• The Entry Phase– E.g. first impulse, starting a discussion

• The Working Phase– Student working groups

• The Immersion and Linking Phase– Presenting of the student results

• The Knowledge Assessment Phase– Questions to control and assess the gained competencies

20/09/2010 8Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Informatics in context (IniK): File Sharing

• The Entry Phase– E.g.: Writing down the word „pirate copy“ or „I have heard that a

student has been questioned by the police for sharing music filesonline.“ or articles on the topic.

– Students discuss their perspective and experience– After that, they state questions

• The Working Phase– Students discuss their questions– Teachers:

• Advise and DON‘T GUIDE• provide and prepare materials

20/09/2010 9Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Informatics in context (IniK): File Sharing

• The Immersion and Linking Phase– Students present their results in class and discuss them

together– A lawyer could review the results– The students discuss how to present the results to the

school / their parents and plan it

20/09/2010 10Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Informatics in context (IniK): File Sharing

• The Knowledge Assessment Phase– Possible questions to control and assess the gained

competencies:• Explicate the way of data from the Net to your PC when starting a

download. (Draw sketch)• Sort the necessary steps and technical parts• Explicate how the law was violated.• Explain what should have been different to assure that no law was

broken.Another step could be made by adopting the concept to another

content:– Compare file sharing to streaming technology used by web-TV

sites

20/09/2010 11Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Example: Writing a text

• Three ways of writing a text:– Old fashioned way with a pen on paper– Using a typewriter– Using a word processing system

• Even so, the medium has changed, the writer still needs theskill to write texts:– Designing the text (structure, skill to use the right words)

• In addition: Knowledge about the medium– How is a pen used on paper?– 10-finger-system, how to push the types– Use of the computer, use of the specific application

20/09/2010 12Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

20/09/2010 13Ira Diethelm

Christina Dörge

Todo

• Gather a set of interesting contexts• Identify the important competencies• Possible reviews of existing standards for

informatics• ...and possible help with their improvement