Informatics Education – The Bridge between Using and Understanding Computers: International Conference in Informatics in Secondary Schools – Evolution and Perspectives, ISSEP 2006, Vilnius, Lithuania, November 7-11, 2006. Proceedings

Although the school system is subject to specific national regulations, didactical issues warrant discussion on an international level. This applies specifically to informatics didactics. In contrast to most other scientific disciplines, informatics undergoes substantial technical and scientific changes and shifts of paradigms even at the basic level taught in secondary school. Moreover, informatics education is under more stringent observation from parents, potential employers, and policy makers than other disciplines. It is considered to be a modern discipline. Hence, being well-educated in informatics seemingly ensures good job perspectives. Further, policy makers pay attention to informatics education, hoping that a young population well-educated in this modern technology will contribute to the future wealth of the nation. But are such high aspirations justified? What should school aim at in order to live up to such expectations? ISSEP 2005, the 1st International Conference on Informatics in Secondary Schools – Evolution and Perspectives already showed that informatics teachers have to bridge a wide gap [1, 2]. On one hand, they have to show the inherent properties that informatics (or computer science) can contribute to general education. On the other hand, they are to make pupils computer literate. Under the constraint of limited time available for instruction, these different educational aims come into conflict. Computer-supported teaching or eLearning is to be considered distinct from informatics education. However, in many countries, informatics teachers still have to support the eTeaching activities of their colleagues. Front Matter....Pages - Evolution of the Cultural-Based Paradigm for Informatics Education in Secondary Schools – Two Decades of Lithuanian Experience....Pages 1-12 Discovering Informatics Fundamentals Through Interactive Interfaces for Learning....Pages 13-24 Contributing to General Education by Teaching Informatics....Pages 25-37 Bridging the Gap Between School Computing and the “Real World”....Pages 38-47 Programming Versus Application....Pages 48-58 Databases as a Tool of General Education....Pages 59-70 Handling the Diversity of Learners’ Interests by Putting Informatics Content in Various Contexts....Pages 71-82 Computer Science in English High Schools: We Lost the S, Now the C Is Going....Pages 83-93 Teaching Computing in Secondary Schools in a Dynamic World: Challenges and Directions....Pages 94-103 Functions, Objects and States: Teaching Informatics in Secondary Schools....Pages 104-116 From Intuition to Programme....Pages 117-126 On Novices’ Local Views of Algorithmic Characteristics....Pages 127-137 Learning Computer Programming with Autonomous Robots....Pages 138-149 A Master Class Software Engineering for Secondary Education....Pages 150-158 Algorithmic Thinking: The Key for Understanding Computer Science....Pages 159-168 Issues of Selecting a Programming Environment for a Programming Curriculum in General Education....Pages 169-178 Object-Oriented Programming at Upper Secondary School for Advanced Students....Pages 179-188 Informatics Education at Austria’s Lower Secondary Schools Between Autonomy and Standards....Pages 189-198 Development of an Integrated Informatics Curriculum for K-12 in Korea....Pages 199-208 Contribution of Informatics Education to Mathematics Education in Schools....Pages 209-219 Evolution of Informatics Maturity Exams and Challenge for Learning Programming....Pages 220-229 Objective Scoring for Computing Competition Tasks....Pages 230-241 Modelling and Evaluating ICT Courses for Pre-service Teachers: What Works and How It Works?....Pages 242-254 Sustaining Local Identity, Control and Ownership While Integrating Technology into School Learning....Pages 255-266 Designing Digital Technologies for Layered Learning....Pages 267-278 ePortfolios in Australian Schools: Supporting Learners’ Self-esteem, Multiliteracies and Reflection on Learning....Pages 279-289 Metacognition in Web-Based Learning Activities....Pages 290-298 Development of Modern e-Learning Services for Lithuanian Distance Education Network LieDM....Pages 299-309 Localization and Internationalization of Web-Based Learning Environment....Pages 310-318 Back Matter....Pages - This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Conference on Informatics in Secondary Schools - Evolution and Perspectives, ISSEP 2006, held in Vilnius, Lithuania in November 2006. The 29 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 204 submissions. A broad variety of topics related to teaching informatics in secondary schools is addressed.