Dr Simmi Dutta
Teaching Computers to budding Computer Engineers for over 20 years now , I can’t help but wonder about the future of this particular stream of technical education. On a personal front being the mother of two school going children studying Information Technology/ Computers Subject in their school curriculum has time and again motivated me to share my views on a larger platform with other likeminded parents/IT Experts/Computer professionals. Is the IT curriculum at the school level leading to: Frustration/Dislike/Rejection? In my opinion the answer to this question is a big “YES”.
Ask any school going child about his/her view about the Computers subject and 90 percent turn back and say that they hate it. I feel disturbed and disheartened at this response. But, however hard we try it is being rejected as a burden; a cramming and a subject that just needs to be passed. We really need to introspect about the reasons for this downright rejection of IT so early in their lives by the so called Techsavy Generation.
Yes , these are the same kids who are dealing with technology day in and day out; handling Tablets, Mobiles , Laptops and what nots in a friendly and easy manner. Then why they are not keen and comfortable about studying IT in school. The reason lies in the way the curriculum is formulated. All the chapters are given in a very nice step by step LAYOUT with ample pictures to assist understanding of the concepts. But, to my horror and disbelief the students are supposed to cram and write down the steps for just about each and everything; like steps to start Microsoft Word and so on and so forth.
It is totally frustrating to make a child learn questions and answers that are sometimes two pages long that just needs to be implemented practically. I wish to request the people at the helm of affairs to please broaden the curriculum of IT and make it less descriptive and more practical. The situation is really worse when the students are discouraged from writing about concepts in the way they implement them. Like when I made my Five grader daughter learn a question about Print Preview feature in a different and easier manner basically to capture the meaning ,she was awarded only one mark out of two thereby making her all the more adverse to this type of practical learning.
Therefore, I wish that the course content as well as the way the questions papers are set needs to be changed. Secondly the teachers at the school level definitely need to allow capturing of concept rather than promote downright cramming of IT. These steps will make the children comfortable with the course and also improve their understanding and future adaptation easier.
Children should be encouraged to express their views in a manner amenable to their already expert hands and minds. This will make them more close to the IT field and help to build a downright , practical and Know all Seen all generation of IT experts who will in future form the pillars of strength for the “DIGITAL INDIA” Dream.
(The author is Associate Prof Computer Engg Deptt,Govt. College of Engg. & Technology, Jammu)
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