• The Journal of Korean Association of Computer Education
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.43-60
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• 2005

Teaching computer and ICT skills in K-12 helps to bridge the digital divide of the students at the minimum cost, and provides them with a chance of getting a Quality of life as well as a Quality of work in the future. From examining the education policies of U.S., EU, Canada, and other countries, concerning computer education, several factors, including vision and national-level policy, Quality of manpower, needs for computer-related technology, structure of IT industry, overall demand for IT specialists, have been identified as those with major impacts on the curriculum of computer education. Based upon the analysis of domestic key factors, three levels of computer education program are suggested. At the most basic and least controversial level, basic ICT-skill program for effective learning needs to be provided for every student. Next level is concerned with improving the Quality of life and work. A program for introductory level of computer science can be provided as extra-curricular classes for bright and eager students, who might want to be computer expert or specialists.