Hi All, I have just returned from the Australian Computers in Education Conference (ACEC) held in Adelaide South Australia, where I learnt that ourCommonwealth minister for Education, Mr Nelson is putting another national test in place. The contract to test all Year 6 and Year 10 students for ICT literacy is currently being signed and the timelines already in place. The definition for ICT literacy inlcudes 3 domains - A =3D ICT literacy (how to use the technology, although they intend = testing on a stand-alone machine to ensure objectivity?), b =3D abilitiy to locate, evaluate, analyse and use information to create new information (information literacy - a developmental process. How they will test tyhis one I don't know?) and c =3D ethics and appropriate use (test this one?). What will this mean for schools and teachers who are struggling to integrate ICTs into the curriculum in a meaningful way - ie. pedagiogical manneer that supports higher learning outcomes? General consensus at the conference was that the various state edu depts had poured a lot of money into ICTs, but little of it has gone into effective PD for teachers and the reality is that Depts are now finsihing their funding with the catch phrase - 'it is now embedded into the curriculum'. Interesting developments! While we were assured at the conference that the national testing standards and definition were not final - something about and an announcement at a national conference always reminds me of concrete! :) BC
@ Your Library ECU - a participant in the 2004 WA Statewide Library Marketing Campaign. Barbara Combes, Lecturer School of Computer and Information Science Edith Cowan University, Perth Western Australia Ph: (08) 9370 6072 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation." This email is confidential and intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify me immediately by return email or telephone and destroy the original message. =20
