Analyzing the Appropriateness of ‘Functions’ in the Physical Computing System Domain in Informatics

Background/Objectives: The informatics curriculum, which has been used with focus on ICT use since 2010, is changing. Information education is emphasizing the maker education in which learners make projects for themselves. Methods/ Statistical Analysis: As part of the maker education, personal computing was also added to the revised informatics curriculum, and ‘functions’ were proposed. Findings: This study had experts analyze whether the ‘functions’ proposed in the physical computing of the revised informatics curriculum are appropriate for accomplishing the intended purpose. The analysis result showed that designing and programming were appropriate functions in all domains consisting of suitability, importance and necessity, and cooperating was not playing the role as a function in any domain. Some viewed programming and implementing as similar functions, and managing were too conspicuously low in suitability and importance to be viewed as functions that can be expected after leaning in high schools. Improvements/Applications: The purpose of this study is to clearly propose functions to be performed after learning in future information education through analysis of physical computing ‘functions’.