This Appendix traces the development of computing in Scottish secondary schools from 1969 to 1992. While it identifies specific national initiatives, these depended for their success on a wide variety of activities undertaken throughout this time by education authorities, schools, teacher training institutions and, particularly, by a large number of individuals whose contributions should not be underestimated.
A.1 The early development of the use of computers in Scottish schools was guided by the principles set out in the reports of the Bellis Committee of the Consultative Committee on the Curriculum (now the SCCC) in 1969 and 1972. This committee recommended that an elementary initial course in computing should be given to secondary pupils as part of their general education, and that local computer centres should be established to run programs and software packages for schools. As a result, regional computer centres were established by education authorities (in some cases jointly with SED and based in the colleges of. education), and software packages were produced at these centres to cover topics such as mathematics, geography, business studies, statistics and technical subjects. It also proposed that computer studies should not be developed as a subject in its own right, but that extensions to the introductory course should be "incorporated into the teaching of the various school subjects". This policy was pursued through the 1970s, computing in schools being based almost entirely on software run in regional computer centres, with the only examinable provision being the programming section in CSYS Mathematics Paper IV.
A.2 In 1980, once the availability of microcomputers had opened up new opportunities for computing studies in education, SED established the Scottish Microelectronics Development Programme (SMDP) to promote the provision and use of microcomputers in schools and to develop software packages to support their use across the curriculum. At the same time, some authorities seconded staff to their advisory services to promote computer developments, and individual teachers became involved. Through the work of SM1)P, local authority staff, the colleges of education, and many individual teachers, a body of computing expertise began to be established. The introduction in 1982 of a secondary teaching qualification (M) in computing, and subsequently of post-experience CNAA Diploma courses in computing, gave teachers opportunities to develop their technical knowledge and skills and their understanding of methodologies related to the teaching of computing.
A.3 The rapid growth of home computing at this time stimulated the interest of many pupils in acquiring a better understanding of the concepts and principles behind computer systems. One practical effect of this pupil interest was the formation of computer clubs in many schools, and another was a significant pressure for some form of certificated course(s) in computing. As well as this pressure to cater for the needs of a significant minority of pupils, teachers were keen to provide introductory courses for all and to use computers in the support of learning across a range of subjects. There were many hotly contested debates in the early 1980s about the relative priority to be attached to each of these approaches to the use of computers in the curriculum. These debates have continued and relevant contemporary issues are discussed in the main text -of this report. The current discussions take place, of course, in the context of a much greater supply of hardware and software, substantially more teacher experience, and a much higher volume of teaching with and about computers, but many of the questions raised are essentially the same: 'What, if anything, do all children need to learn about how computers work?', 'How effectively can computers assist the learning and teaching process in other subjects?', 'Can learning about computers be delivered best through the medium of cross-curricular activity?', 'To what extent should hardware be located centrally or dispersed throughout the school?', and 'Does learning about computers help pupils to develop transferable problem-solving skills?' In recent years, because of their evaluation of previous experiences, and because current levels of resourcing and staff expertise allow it, most schools and authorities have viewed these approaches to computing in schools as complementary strands of their provision, rather than as competing interests, and have attempted to balance the support and resources provided for each. In the early 1980s, there was a widespread recognition that each of these approaches was potentially valuable, but limited resources and expertise often led to a much more restricted range of provision in each school.
A.4 As a response to the desire for courses described above, a pilot Ordinary Grade in Computing was established in 1982, and subsequently extended to an schools, and in 1983 the Microelectronics, Computing and the Curriculum Committee of the CCC recommended syllabuses for computer appreciation courses in both S1 /S2 and in S3/S4.
A.5 In 1984 five pilot WEI schemes were launched in Scotland, with the aim of offering pupils "a more technological and vocational experience within a broad and balanced curriculum", and were followed soon by similar schemes in other education authorities. It was apparent that computers and their applications would have a substantial role to play in such courses, and WEI schools and support centres made substantial investment in computer systems. SCOTVEC National Certificate modules were seen to offer an approach consistent with the technological activities and applications thrust of WEI, and these schools were among the first to make use of these modules. At the same time, many other schools saw the SCOTVEC modules as providing for the needs of many senior pupils and returning adults, and computing modules were, and still are, among the most popular SCOTVEC modules delivered in schools.
A.6 From 1984 onwards, a number of authorities had recognised the demand for a course suitable for all pupils in S3/S4, and had introduced locally certificated courses in computing. This demand had also been recognised nationally, and computing studies was included in Phase 2 of the Standard Grade Development
Programme, the first `trial' examination for pilot schools being held in 1987. This course was to "build on the experience of the Ordinary Grade course; be concerned with the acquisition of new process skills and with proficiency in the forms of computer language; and deal with ways in which computers are put to specialist uses in industry and commerce.". (SED Circular 1107).
A.7 The above developments in provision for the subject coincided with the development of national thinking about the place of all subjects within the overall curriculum of pupils. In 1989, the publication by SCCC of Curriculum Design for the Secondary Stages : First Revised Edition', confirmed that provision should be made in S1 / S2 for courses in Technological Activities and Applications and indicated that computer appreciation courses could be used to enrich experience in that mode. It also indicated that in S3/S4 the core of the Technological mode could be delivered by computing studies at Standard Grade, or by a combination of short courses or NC modules, including those in computing.
A.8 National Certificate modules have been used to provide courses for students in S5/S6 since 1984. Provision at these stages was extended by the introduction of Higher Grade Computing Studies in 1988 and of the Certificate in Sixth Year Studies in 1992.
A.9 As a result of several independent factors, including the experience gained over the first few years of teaching the Standard Grade course, the impact on that course of the content and approach taken in the Higher Grade course, and the significant changes in computer hardware and software, SEB made significant amendments to the Standard Grade Arrangements for courses starting in 1992.
A.10 In the years after the publication of the S1/S2 Guidelines in 1982, many schools used these as the basis for their S1 / S2 courses. More recently, the tendency was for these courses to be revised to include a range of topics which reflected many of those included in the Standard Grade course. The publication of the sets of National Guidelines 5-14 will have a more substantial and formal impact on the computing curriculum in schools, with indications of the IT-related skills which pupils are expected to acquire, and of the range of ways that IT is expected to be used to support learning in a range of subjects. Inevitably, these will have a major impact on the work of computing studies departments.
A.11 At the other end of the secondary school, the trialling of gSVQ courses and decisions made about provision in S5 / S6 following publication of the Howie report could have a substantial impact on the range of courses and learning experiences provided by computing studies departments. The short history of computing studies has been one of rapid and constant change; the indications are that developments will continue in response to changes in technology, increasing experience in the teaching force, and as part of broader educational development programmes.