Nikki Kaye you have it wrong

I read with great interest the report on Inquiry into 21st Century learning environments and digital literacy when it came out, now I see that there has been a report on its progress.

http://beehive.govt.nz/release/government-responds-digital-literacy

The report and recommendations can be found here:

http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/FD34151C-744B-4B49-86F2-6FE5850123AE/256992/DBSCH_SCR_5695_Inquiryinto21stcenturylearningenvir.pdf

Which recommendations has the Government progressed so far?

There are a number of recommendations underway. Below is an update on some of these.

One of these is specificity around our area, Digital Technologies


Recommendations 22 and 23

That it consider enhancing the role of information science in the education sector.
That it better position ICT skills, knowledge and understanding as educational options that lead to high-value careers.

These are both underway. The Ministry of Education has worked with NZQA and the wider business, technology and education sectors to create Achievement Standards on the NZ Qualifications framework around information science and ICT skills.
Computer science at NCEA Level 3 was added to the NZ Qualifications Framework this year (2013).
Students studying digital technologies, including computer science, can gain top academic awards if they meet the standard expected. Specialist areas including digital information, digital infrastructure, digital media, and electronics and control technologies are also available on the NZ Qualifications framework.

Great where is programming listed. Also it is great that the MoE and NZQA are working on these, but I see no discussion around New Zealand Teachers Colleges and how they changing there coures to better prepare trained teachers in this area. Also where is the support for the teachers that are currently teaching this area. Yesterday it was announed by the University of Canterbury that they are creating a course around "Curriculum Implementation in Computer Science" that will help teachers like me to teach the computer science modules to my students. We need the same around Digital Information if we are to get students to achieve the higher grades. Don't just create something and then not support it.

As for the response:

These are both underway. The Ministry of Education has worked with NZQA and the wider business, technology and education sectors to create Achievement Standards on the NZ Qualifications framework around information science and ICT skills.

The original DTEP had a number of recommendations that were not followed through. There are still a number of changes that need to happen to make this workable in schools as well as creating the type of students that Jesse Metcalf (stuff.co.nz article 21 April 2013) wants to see. The information that the DTEP worked through is available here. Some of the recommendations include:

7. Urgent
 measures 
are 
taken
 to 
boost 
teacher 
Professional 
Development
 in 
areas 
of 
“ICT
 as 
a 
Discipline”:
7.1. With
 a 
new
 Body 
of
 Knowledge
 and 
new 
Achievement 
Standards 
being
 developed,
 priority
 should
 be
 given
 to
 teacher
 development
 to
 ensure
 ICT
 can
 be
 taught
 appropriately
 and 
competently 
and 
teachers
 have 
sufficient
 support 
to 
do 
so;
7.2. Steps
 should 
be 
taken 
to 
engage
 the 
Tertiary
 community 
to 
assist 
with 
the
 provision
 of 
professional 
development
 to 
teachers;
7.3. Other
 independent
 parties
 involved
 in
 ICT
 skills
 and
 education,
 such
 as
 NZACDITT
 (the 
new 
Subject 
Association), 
NZCS, 
NACCQ,
 and 
other 
tertiary 
providers 
should 
be
 consulted
 as
 to
 the 
most 
effective 
means 
of 
professional 
development 
for 
teachers
 in
 the 
future;
7.4. Providing
 professional
 development
 options
 in
 this 
area
 should 
be 
prioritised,
 and
 dedicated
 funding
 provided
 through
 appropriate
 channels;
7.5. Incentives
 should
 be
 provided
 to
 attract
 ICT
 experts
 into
 the
 teaching
 profession,
 either
 by
 attracting
 those
 already
 trained
 in
 the
 area,
 or
 providing
 incentives
 for
 suitable 
trainee
 teachers 
to specialise 
in 
this 
area.

8. DTEP
 notes 
that, 
based
 on 
the 
information 
available, 
the 
proposed 
generic 
Technology
 Achievement
 Standards
 are
 a
 significant
 improvement
 on
 the
 existing
 standards,
 however
 they 
still 
do
 not 
adequately 
provide 
for 
senior
 specialist 
subjects 
such 
as 
ICT.

Also that:

A
 group
 similar
 to
 the
 DTEP
 (including
 nominees
 from
 independent
 bodies
 representing
 tertiary
providers,
 ICT
 teachers,
 ICT
 professionals,
 ICT
 Industry,
 secondary
 principals
 and
 other 
relevant groups)
 meets 
on 
an
 annual 
basis 
there after 
to 
review
 the
 Body
 of 
Knowledge
 and
 wider
 issues
 and 
make
 recommendations.

So I would like you to take back the report on Recommendations 22 and 23 and actually work through them with the likes of NZACDITT, New Zealand Association for Computing, Digital and Information Technology Teachers on these recommendations and hear the frustrations from teachers about the support they are getting from the Ministry of Education.