Abstract:
The need for schools to provide all students with appropriate levels of skills in information technology (IT), has been the subject of debate for many years and there appears to be general concurrence today, that the provision of IT skills is a desirable if not essential outcome of contemporary schooling. Although there is concurrence that IT skills are an important outcome from schooling, there remains a high degree of uncertainty as to precisely what forms these skills should take (McCormick, 1992).
The status of programmes and courses of information technologies within Australian schools is presently in a state of flux. Current activities in the development of a National Curriculum have resulted in an expansive view being taken of IT in schools and the creation of a technology curriculum area that embraces the majority of subject areas that traditionally involved the teaching and learning of applications of computer technologies (AEC, 1992). The advent of a National Curriculum within Australian schools supports the underlying thesis in this paper. Currently, the place and need for IT training in our schools is based primarily on the perceptions and views of teachers and educational planners and is influenced little by the needs and wishes of the community at large. Information technologies will continue to have an important place in schools but to date, there has been little planning and course development based on actual rather than perceived needs of the citizen. The purpose of this study was and continues to be, to investigate the IT needs of the school leaver from viewpoints external to the school and education system.
The status of programmes and courses of information technologies within Australian schools is presently in a state of flux. Current activities in the development of a National Curriculum have resulted in an expansive view being taken of IT in schools and the creation of a technology curriculum area that embraces the majority of subject areas that traditionally involved the teaching and learning of applications of computer technologies (AEC, 1992). The advent of a National Curriculum within Australian schools supports the underlying thesis in this paper. Currently, the place and need for IT training in our schools is based primarily on the perceptions and views of teachers and educational planners and is influenced little by the needs and wishes of the community at large. Information technologies will continue to have an important place in schools but to date, there has been little planning and course development based on actual rather than perceived needs of the citizen. The purpose of this study was and continues to be, to investigate the IT needs of the school leaver from viewpoints external to the school and education system.