Informatics Versus Information Technology – How Much Informatics Is Needed to Use Information Technology – A School Perspective

Abstract

We discuss the role of computers and informatics in school education in Poland; ‘informatics’ generally stands for ‘computer science’. Although, our investigations are based on the situation in Polish schools, the conclusions may apply to other countries. The main attention is paid here to didactical approaches in teaching and learning informatics and its applications with the emphasis on preparation for living and lifelong learning in the information society (knowledge-based society). In recent years one can observe many changes in schools regarding the role of computers and informatics education. On the other hand we still have to address fundamental questions:

• 1 How to teach a changing discipline and how to keep track of developments in the field of informatics and its applications?

• 2 What to teach, in particular to what extent one should learn a discipline (informatics) to be able to use its applications (information technology)?

• 3 How to prepare teachers of informatics, IT and other subjects (but equipped with IT) for their new role of advisers to students?

In answering these and other questions we discuss some of the solutions we proposed and which have been introduced to Polish schools and to the system of teacher training. In particular, we focus our attention on the didactical approach to teaching IT-relevant subjects and the integration of IT with other subjects and to teaching informatics (as a process of designing a computer solution of a problem). With regard to teacher preparation, we present the preparation standards and discuss the role of school IT co-ordinators.

We plan to demonstrate also an e-IT-book, an implementation of a new approach to teaching and learning of new technology with the help of technology.