SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE CURRICULUM: PERCEPTIONS OF STAKE HOLDERS

Computers and information technology has become an essential part of living in current era. Developments in the field of computer science (CS) have influenced many aspects of human life including education. In order to make students skillful in this filed a subject of computer science is offered at secondary school level. Major purpose of introducing CS at secondary level was assumption that students of this age are more motivated to learn new technologies. The second reason was high dropout rate, where almost half of them enter in job market, keeping in view this trend it was necessary to develop technology literate workforce. Now as the technology has flooded in and new generation is exposed to it from birth so it is necessary to know perceptions about computer science curriculum. Major purpose of this research was to explore the perception of secondary school computer science curriculum. Population of the study includes the entire student enrolled at secondary school level in the subject of computer science curriculum their teachers and principals. The sample of the study was selected through convenient sampling and forty students (20=male, 20=female) took part in focus group discussion. Eight teachers and four principals were also part of the study. A focus group discussion guide was prepared to conduct discussion with students, while interview schedules were used to take data from teachers and principals. Scores of students in the subject of computer science were also taken from students and counter checked from the school administration to examine effectiveness of course. The results showed that students and teachers are not quite satisfied with current curriculum. On the other hand scores of the subject were not very high showing and loophole in effectiveness of the computer science curriculum. On the basis of results it is suggested that measures should be taken to not only improve curriculum but also for provision of physical facilities required to teach computer sciences