Page 2 | GCSE computer science - how do DCs feel about the syllabus?

justanotherdaduser · 2023-02-27T11:00:25+00:00

I had a look at some past GCSE papers after DD started studying computer science in school, and found the papers really dull and uninspiring. I am in this industry, have a degree in a related field, and even after more than 20 years really enjoy the subject. The papers and the syllabus are almost designed to suck the joy out of studying computer science. DW (also in the same field) feels I am overreacting and DCs should suck it up if they want to study CS later in life. So was curious about what other DCs who are really keen on programming and computer science feel about the GCSE syllabus and papers. Did they enjoy studying it at GCSE level? Were they inspired?

hryllilegur · 28/02/2023 07:29

justanotherdaduser · 27/02/2023 14:56

Oh goodness! Is it the same in other areas too? 🙁
I just assumed everything else is fine, only CS has a dull and tired syllabus

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I did geography at university (even did a PhD). That was despite how crap and boring school geography was.

I don’t think GCSE-level qualifications are generally indicative of how interesting or varied subjects can be.

Isthisjustnormal · 28/02/2023 07:36

Aren’t all GCSEs a bit dull if you love the subject? I did English at uni and English gcse content my kids did is pretty dull - uninspiring and tick box. ds (Currently doing comp sci at uni) did gcse and a level comp sci - I guess neither put him off although his teachers lack of knowledge was noticeable at a level:recruiting good teachers is a nightmare…

TerenceTurtle · 28/02/2023 07:38

Yes Edexcel is 50% coding. Honestly though the overall syllabus is set by the government and could do with some trimming down of the theory. There's no space to do the ethics properly so it just should be stripped out. Likewise it isnt particularly interesting to compare secondary storage types or useful to classify software into utility and application software.

That said, understanding how the cpu, ram and secondary storage interact, how the operating system controls the interactions between the hardware and the software, how high level languages are compiled to machine code and how data such as images can be expressed as binary is kind of interesting. At any rate it provides the intellectual scaffolding to understand what is actually happening inside a computer when you write code. And I guess education is at least partly about getting a good handle on underlying principles as there are many careers related to tech.

More depth, less breadth of theory, all exam boards to be 50% coding and a foundation tier are needed. One reason I have heard for not doing edexcel is that students find it too hard to code. And it's true. Students that are struggling with maths often find coding a nightmare and need a more straightforward paper to take.

Oh and OCR reference language should disappear forever. Don't look it up OP it will raise your blood pressure.

Apart from the syllabus changes unfortunately the big problem is a shortage of teachers that understand this stuff.

SophieIsHereToday · 28/02/2023 07:59

justanotherdaduser · 27/02/2023 14:45

No, really, the syllabus and the question papers are appallingly dull given how exciting the field is.

It's a rapidly changing industry, and very hands-on. The real advantage is one does not need expensive lab equipment or own personal kit to do fun and useful things. Unlike, say, Physics, which can be equally exciting but doing useful things at this stage is hard.

But if you look at the type of questions asked in the exams (looking at OCR, but others are as bad : www.ocr.org.uk/Images/667555-question-paper-computer-systems.pdf), the paper is full of these types of questions -

(b) Layla also uses utility system software.
(i) State the purpose of utility system software.
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [1]

Or

(b) Describe the cultural impacts of the company bringing out new devices twice a year.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]

It's utterly useless stuff at this stage for a CS student, waste of time.

Looking at these, my respect for DCs who presevere through this nonsense to go on to study CS in university has increased. They have the patience of a saint and deserve much more exiting syllabus

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That's awful. I'm in tech too. Can we influence this? Is it monitored by the BCS?

SophieIsHereToday · 28/02/2023 08:01

TerenceTurtle · 28/02/2023 07:38

Yes Edexcel is 50% coding. Honestly though the overall syllabus is set by the government and could do with some trimming down of the theory. There's no space to do the ethics properly so it just should be stripped out. Likewise it isnt particularly interesting to compare secondary storage types or useful to classify software into utility and application software.

That said, understanding how the cpu, ram and secondary storage interact, how the operating system controls the interactions between the hardware and the software, how high level languages are compiled to machine code and how data such as images can be expressed as binary is kind of interesting. At any rate it provides the intellectual scaffolding to understand what is actually happening inside a computer when you write code. And I guess education is at least partly about getting a good handle on underlying principles as there are many careers related to tech.

More depth, less breadth of theory, all exam boards to be 50% coding and a foundation tier are needed. One reason I have heard for not doing edexcel is that students find it too hard to code. And it's true. Students that are struggling with maths often find coding a nightmare and need a more straightforward paper to take.

Oh and OCR reference language should disappear forever. Don't look it up OP it will raise your blood pressure.

Apart from the syllabus changes unfortunately the big problem is a shortage of teachers that understand this stuff.

The theory (maths) is fascinating. But release cycles are not. And we want to get people involved in the former, the social sciences side to software can be learnt later by anyone in tech and is easier if it's gained through experience anyway

Original poster

justanotherdaduser · 28/02/2023 17:12

TerenceTurtle · 28/02/2023 07:38

Yes Edexcel is 50% coding. Honestly though the overall syllabus is set by the government and could do with some trimming down of the theory. There's no space to do the ethics properly so it just should be stripped out. Likewise it isnt particularly interesting to compare secondary storage types or useful to classify software into utility and application software.

That said, understanding how the cpu, ram and secondary storage interact, how the operating system controls the interactions between the hardware and the software, how high level languages are compiled to machine code and how data such as images can be expressed as binary is kind of interesting. At any rate it provides the intellectual scaffolding to understand what is actually happening inside a computer when you write code. And I guess education is at least partly about getting a good handle on underlying principles as there are many careers related to tech.

More depth, less breadth of theory, all exam boards to be 50% coding and a foundation tier are needed. One reason I have heard for not doing edexcel is that students find it too hard to code. And it's true. Students that are struggling with maths often find coding a nightmare and need a more straightforward paper to take.

Oh and OCR reference language should disappear forever. Don't look it up OP it will raise your blood pressure.

Apart from the syllabus changes unfortunately the big problem is a shortage of teachers that understand this stuff.

Yes, checked the edexcel papers, and those are definitely better, probably some DC will find it harder too? Agree with everything you say here, wish people like you made the gcse CS syllabus. Are you a CS teacher by any chance?

OP posts:

maddy68 · 28/02/2023 17:38

I taught CS. It's soul destroying. It's the same with any exam though tbh. It's as though exam boards try to make courses as tedious as possible. Utterly joyless.

I have left teaching it's no fun for teachers or students