On 5 August 2010, the Royal Society announced the start of an 18-month project investigating the way that computing is taught in schools.

This page is a wiki, to provide Open Source Schools members with a shared workspace in which the community's response to this call can be developed. The closing date for submission is 5th November, although this wiki will close on 24th October to allow time for a final response to be compiled.

Members are welcome to submit their own response to the Royal Society, individually or on behalf of their schools or other organisations they may represent.

This call for evidence seeks input in the form of ideas, evidence and suggestions from all organisations and individuals with an interest in computing. We are particularly keen to gather robust evidence to be included in the final report, and would be grateful for links to published data. We would also be pleased to receive other data - please specify how the data have been collected and how we may use the information.

Some topics that you may wish to comment on are listed below. The study will not be able to cover all issues in equal depth, and will have to prioritise. The list below is by no means exhaustive, and we welcome comments on other issues that you think we should consider:

1. Is computing a discipline, in the same way that mathematics, physics, chemistry are? 

2. Is programming a fundamental form of literacy for the modern age? 

3. What purpose should the teaching of ICT and Computing in schools serve?

4. Is the teaching of ICT (and accompanying qualifications, such as ICT GCSE) fit for purpose for all students? What should be done to address this?

5. Is computing and ICT best 'taught' in classrooms or 'learnt' by other means? How do learners learn computing and ICT skills?

6. What motivates students to study computing? Is it what they learn in school or something else?

7. How is computing presented at school, and is there a variation between schools? Why?

8. Who is teaching computing, and what qualifications do they hold? Are teachers sufficiently supported with subject-specific CPD? Are there enough specialist teachers? Why do they leave/join the profession? What are the barriers to improving the situation?

9. Why do some universities prefer their undergraduate applicants to have studied mathematics rather than computing at A-level?

10. What are the perceptions of computing and ICT amongst learners, teachers and headteachers? How can information, advice and guidance be improved?

11. Are these issues unique to the UK?

12. What can universities do to improve the situation?

13. Is there a case for curriculum reform? Is this the barrier?

14. Is there a need for an increased recognition of ICT and computing as part of the T in STEM, through representation in STEM forums and increased funding?

15. What happens if we do nothing?