Howard Campbell, Contributor KNOWLEDGE OF the information technology (IT) education system at the secondary school level dictates that any attempt to hypothesise the causes of the plunge in performance over the past three years must take into account four factors:
The change in the assessment mechanism since June 2002;
Unmanaged growth of centres and candidacy;
Net loss of experience from the classroom;
Inadequate and unsuitable content.
In September 2000, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) released a new syllabus effective for examinations from May/June 2002. This meant that teachers would need to use this new syllabus for their grade 10 intakes while at the same time using the existing syllabus for the grade 11 students. Very few teachers adopted this approach. In fact, a few teachers will admit that they only knew of the changed syllabus after the June 2002 exam administration despite the fact that the syllabus was distributed more than two years prior. With the changed syllabus came:
An increased length short-answer written (theory) exam;
A change in the focus of the assessment of the theory exam (the candidate's knowledge and the ability to apply fundamental concepts are now assessed whereas previously, the emphasis was on assessing knowledge);
An integrated practical exam a single two-hour exam that replaced three 90-minute examinations previously done on three separate days.
UNMANAGED GROWTH
Since June 2002, Reports on the Candidates' Work in the Examinations (published by the Caribbean Examinations Council at the conclusion of each exam administration) have identified as a weakness, candidates' inability to offer clear explanations in response to questions posed. The new syllabus, with greater emphasis on the application of theoretical concepts, has highlighted this longstanding weakness. This was evident in the first year of the new exam when the mean score in the theory paper fell from 38 per cent to 31 per cent. This, combined with the usual very poor performance in the programming areas, were major contributors to the candidates' failure.
Growth is a good thing when managed. Unmanaged growth often times has complications invariably leading to stagnation or decline in critical areas, sometimes death. Over the three-year period, 2001-2004, upgraded high schools fuelled a growth of 27 per cent in the number of public institutions entering candidates for the examination. The institutional count moved from 103 institutions in 2001 to 140 currently. Twelve of the 19 upgraded schools that entered candidates for the first time this year had a 0 per cent pass rate.
There seems to be no machinery in place at the education ministry to ensure that these new entrants were adequately trained and prepared to take on this critical assignment. Were these new teachers provided with copies of Examiner's Reports from previous years by the responsible ministry official(s)? Had this been done, teachers would have been aware of the challenges they face and would possibly seek assistance in cases where the Ministry failed to provide this critical support.
TEACHER EXODUS
Since 2001, scores of experienced IT teachers have left the classroom. The exodus is attributed to a number of factors including migration, overseas job opportunities, job opportunities at the tertiary level locally and uncompetitive salaries with the private sector. Whilst some of these positions have subsequently been staffed by graduates of teacher training institutions, there has been a net loss of experience. With no transfer of knowledge taking place in most of the institutions affected, schools that were top performers in 2001 moved to the bottom of the table over two to three years. Additionally, it is thought in some quarters that simply having done an IT course in college prepares one to teach IT. This is definitely no so.
The current practice of the education ministry to make available a single textbook on rental for the subject is the genesis of some of the problems being experienced. Practical activities (using word processors, electronic spreadsheets and database management systems as productivity tools) account for 70 per cent of the course of study in CXC IT.
BOOKS INADEQUATE
The books that have been provided over the past few years, whilst being adequate for portions of the theory component of the syllabus, are woefully inadequate for the subject on a whole. This has created economic opportunities, which in itself is good. What is bad is that a plethora of highly unsuitable materials have taken a stranglehold of the market, squeezing the lifeblood out of a subject that is in free fall and incapable of helping itself.
Of course, there is the much talked about GSAT factor. This no doubt may have caused the poor results this year to some degree but would not have contributed to the decline over the past three years. The situation of the decline in the performance of our students in information technology that has hitherto gone unnoticed, points to the need for better management of the process.
It is my desire that the policy makers start making data-driven decisions and quit the gut feelings and unthinking decisions that have come to characterise the education system. The discussions continue.
Next week we will look at a set of initiatives that can be considered with a view to stemming the decline and putting IT on a path to recovery.
