Newsletter - Summer 2012
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 The CAS newsletter "SWITCHED ON" is published once a term (approx.) and is made freely available for download from here. We welcome comments, suggestions and items for inclusion in future issues. Our goal is to put the fun back into computing at school. Will you help us? Send all contributions to newsletter@computingatschool.org.uk ISSN 2050-1277 |
Web Supplement
Links to further resources and information covered in this issue:
Page 1
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH COMPUTING
You can read the BCS/CAS response to the consultation on removing the duty on maintained schools to follow the information and communication technology (ICT) Programmes of Study, Attainment Targets and statutory assessment arrangements at http://www.bcs.org/upload/pdf/ict-programmes-response-apr12.pdf A useful summary of the efforts of the BCS Academy to promote computing in school can be found here: http://academy.bcs.org/upload/pdf/national-curriculum-schools.pdf
Royal society report: shutdown or restart?
The full report can be downloaded from http://academy.bcs.org/upload/pdf/shut-down-restart.pdf It is essential reading for anyone wishing to influence the strategic direction of their school.
Page 2 & 3
teachers reap benefits from gathering together in hubs
The website has contact details and a map to allow you to locate your nearest CAS hub. Simply visit http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/index.php?id=regions If you are interested in organising a CAS local hub please contact Claire Davenport. CAS has produced a "Getting started" guide and Claire will be happy to help get the initial meetings advertised. You can contact her through claire.davenport@bcs.org.uk
teach GCSE Success
The Anglia Ruskin course uses their website http://www.pythonsummerschool.net/ to facilitate the programming teaching and Sophie Baker's website http://gcsecomputing.net/ for the theory side.
reading university cpd events
For details of forthcoming events, contact Dr Yota Dimitriadi, Institute of Education, Reading University.
excellent start to computer science teaching network
You can view all the material in the Strategic Information Pack sent to schools to promote the Computer Science Teaching Network at http://academy.bcs.org/category/16655
VITAL COMPUTER SCIENCE PORTAL
An introduction to the new Computer Science Portal provided by Vital can be found at http://www.vital.ac.uk/portal-insight/computer-science
Page 4
excellent ONLINE RESOURCES FOR staff and students
Take a look at the following communities for further ideas and inspiration:
- Scratch Edhttp://scratched.media.mit.edu/
- YouSrc Teachers Info http://www.yousrc.com/index.asp?LEFTBUT=TEACHINFO
- Teaching Kids Programming http://www.teachingkidsprogramming.com/
- Adventures in Alice Programming http://www.cs.duke.edu/csed/alice/aliceInSchools/lessonPlans/
- Greenfoot Greenroom http://greenroom.greenfoot.org/door
codecademy: learn to code
Learn to code, via the browser. Suggested browsers are Chrome, Firefox or Opera. Take a look at http://www.codecademy.com/
ONLINE RESOURCES SUPPORT PROGRAMMING FOR TEACHERS
You can view the courses currently offered by Udacity at http://www.udacity.com/courses The particular coures reviewed CS101: Building A Search Engine can be found at http://www.udacity.com/overview/Course/cs101/CourseRev/apr2012 David Evans' free online book, "Introduction to Computing"can be downloaded from http://computingbook.org/FullText.pdf
Page 5
helping teachers cope with computing kids
The full article as it appeared in The Guardian can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/ict-leadership/ict-teachers-need-to-focus-on-the-teaching-not-on-the-ict?
Page 6
teaching computer science without a computer
Information about resources from Computer Science Unplugged, plus the free book mentioned can be found at http://csunplugged.com/
capturing ks2/3 interest using database detectives
For more details of all the activities organised by The Digital School House please contact Mark Dorling on dsh@lgs.slough.sch.uk
Page 7
Some ideas for using scratch in the primary classroom
For a host of ideas check out the ScratchEd commuinity here: http://scratched.media.mit.edu/
SCRATCH CONTROL PROJECTS
You can download the Scratch Curriculum Guide from http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/scratch-curriculum-guide-draft
More information, and a beginners guide to using Scratch Sensor Boards can be found at http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/picoboard and details and ideas for using WeDo kits can be found at http://info.scratch.mit.edu/WeDo
Page 8 & 9
MY FAVOURITE BOOK
The Oberon home page is at http://www.ethoberon.ethz.ch/l and further books by Niklaus Wirth can be downloaded from http://www.ethoberon.ethz.ch/books.html
massive demand swamps suppliers of raspberry pi
Further details about progress distributing orders can be found on the Paspberry Pi site: http://www.raspberrypi.org/ The first issue of an online magazine, MagPi appeared in early May and can be viewed here: http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/1162
stem Ambassadors assisting in schools
Further details about the STEM Ambassador scheme can be found on the STEMNET website here: http://www.stemnet.org.uk/content/ambassadors/whoareambassadors
Page 10
videos aim to introduce teachers to the joy of code
The Joy of Code can be found at http://www.joyofcode.org/
The sinepost to applied maths
The Sinepost blog can be found at http://sinepost.wordpress.com/
bootcamp gives kids flavour of reaL ROBOTICS
Details of other activities planned by Technocamps can be found on their website: http://www.technocamps.com/
Page 11
teaching gcse computing: stories so far
The free online YouSrc ddevelopment environment is at http://yousrc.com/
Help videos are available via their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/YouSrcElc
An annual competition is a wonderful opportunity for pupils to showcase their creativity, with excellent prozes for the winning schools. See last years winners here: http://yousrc.com/index.asp?LEFTBUT=COMPETITION
Page 12
exploring ethical issues in the digital revolution
Larry Lessig's TED talk, "Laws That Choke Creativity" can be viewd here: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/larry_lessig_says_the_law_is_strangling_creativity.html
Blown To Bits by Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen and Harry Lewis has a website http://www.bitsbook.com/ , the direct pdf download here: http://www.bitsbook.com/excerpts/ .
Page 13
100th anniversary celebrated with Turing tape competition
Full details of the competition and sample problems can be found at: http://algorithmicproblemsolving.org/competitions/turing-tape-games/
animation 12 / codebreaker
All the details of activities planned for the Awards Ceremony and Festival can be found at http://animation12.cs.manchester.ac.uk/festival/festival You can view photographs of last years event in the Gallery area of the website. The CodeBreaker resources can be downloaded from http://animation12.cs.manchester.ac.uk/component/content/article/17-competition/codebreakers/4
Young rewired state
Further details can be found at http://youngrewiredstate.org/ To get a flavour of the event and its impact watch the video at http://www.peoplefund.it/young-rewired-state/
APPS FOR GOOD
You can find more information about Apps For Good by visiting their website at http://www.appsforgood.org/course
Page 14
CAS WALES / technocamps ANNUAL TEACHER CONFERENCE
Teachers can book online for the CAS Wales Conference here: http://caswales2012.eventbrite.co.uk/
kids computer workshops a hit with technocamps
The technocamps website is here: http://www.technocamps.com
Page 15
curriculum review ongoing in Scotland
Readers might be interested in this account about the development of a computing curriculum in Scotland which appeared in The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jan/10/computer-science-in-schools-scotland If you are interested in getting further involved in CAS Scotland please email kate@katefarrell.co.uk.
I love my smartphone
The first series of materials produced as a result of The Royal Society exemplification project can be downloaded from http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/1035_MobileAppDevelopment.html
Page 16
understanding the Alan Turing legacy
To place orders for individual or class sets of cs4fn please visit:
http://www.cs4fn.org/contactus/wantusform2.php To read about how computer interface design can be, literally, a matter of life or death check out http://www.cs4fn.org/chi-med/
a pause for thought
Sample answers to this challenge and tips for solving such algorithmic problems can be found on the Turing Tape Competition website: http://algorithmicproblemsolving.org/competitions/turing-tape-games/#section2
join cas!
Like what you have read? Join us in helping shape the future. Please contact CAS through membership@computingatschool.org.uk
This curriculum, produced by a working party within CAS, describes in concrete terms what a Computing curriculum at school might look like. It uses the same structure as the National Curriculum Programmes of Study: importance of the discipline; key concepts; key processes; range and content; and level descriptors. It is not cast in stone, so please send feedback.
