Monica Barnes
Ceist:141 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals he has to evaluate computer literacy in schools. [22946/01]
Written Answers. - Computerisation Programme.
Government policy recognises the need to ensure that pupils in every school have the opportunity to become computer literate. In order to achieve this objective it is necessary to put into place the ICT infrastructure required; ensure that teachers have the appropriate ICT skills; and integrate ICT into the curriculum.
Since 1998 significant funding has been made available to schools in order to allow them to improve and develop their ICT infrastructure and a large-scale teacher training programme has been implemented.
The extent of the progress to date is highlighted by a recent survey carried out by the National Centre for Technology in Education which shows that the average primary school now has 8.7 computers, up from 3.8 in early 1998; the average second level school now has 42.7 computers, up from 31 in early 1998; more than 95% of schools state that they are using the Internet, up from only 25% in early 1998; and at least 34,000 teachers have attended one or more IT training courses since early 1998.
While I am very pleased with progress to date, I am conscious of the need to continue to develop the process. I recently announced significant additional funding which will allow for further ICT infrastructure development in schools and the development of a teacher ICT training programme which will provide a progression path for teachers in developing the skills required for the integration of ICT into the curriculum. The details of this new initiative will be announced shortly.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) distinguishes between three types of provision for ICT. First, using ICT as a tool for learning in classrooms; second, specifying desirable levels of competence which students should reach in using ICT; and third, providing a dedicated subject in the curriculum.
The NCCA has already piloted guidelines for primary schools on integrating ICT into the teaching and learning environment. These are currently being revised, taking account of comprehensive feedback from teachers. The next stage of the process of developing provision for ICT will be to identify, in conjunction with the NCCA, the range of skills and conceptual understanding that pupils should attain through their engagement with ICT right across the curriculum at different levels of education, particularly by the end of the period of compulsory education. This will draw on the best of international practice in this area.
The NCCA is in the final stages of preparing advice to me on the advisability of introducing a computer based subject at leaving certificate level. This advice will draw upon a feasibility study conducted by the University of Limerick. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the desirability of such a subject, its possible delivery format, potential content and the impact introducing it would have on the current programme at leaving certificate level.
It is in this context that plans will be developed to evaluate progress as regards computer literacy in schools.