A-level computer science students are still learning about floppy disks, but not artificial intelligence (AI), Parliament was told.
Labour peer Lord Knight of Weymouth, chief education adviser at TES Global Ltd, a digital education company, told peers he met an A-level student at the weekend who revealed this.
He said: “I was lucky enough this weekend to share a platform at a conference with a young woman whose name is Monica, who is very articulate, is studying computer science at A-level.
“And, when asked about the content of the computer science curriculum, which is often prayed in aid in terms of the digital literacy of our young people and the media literacy, she reminded the audience that she still has to learn about floppy disks in the curriculum, because the curriculum really struggles to stay up to date with what’s going on.
“She is not learning about artificial intelligence in school because of that very problem.
“The only way she could do so, and she did do so, was through an extended project qualification that she did last year.”
