Reflections on the development of teaching information and communication technology in secondary education

This paper starts with a short overview of the Austrian school system and of the main impacts that informatics has had on it. Characteristic of the new curriculum in information and communication technology is that what everybody should know and be able to do in this field, is covered in all subjects. This is called “the integrative approach”. There are two general philosophies, which play a role in the development of education: the technocratic/centralistic approach and the approach based on confidence in the creative powers of individual schools. In-service training is discussed, as are other forms of support.

The computer is used in education as a tool for writing, as a spreadsheet and for computer assisted design. This use entails:

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  new ways of writing and correcting

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  new approaches to language teaching

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  learning the difference between human language and artificial machine language

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  reflecting on individual use of the computer as a tool and on personal working habits

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  a need of time, crucial for learning the use of the new tool.

The paper further discusses the role of computer aided learning, of which too high expectations have been formed. Experiences with computers in school a give basis for interest in new technologies and their social consequences.