Inspirational Material

Richard Feynman's 1985 lecture on Computer Heuristics. In this lecture the legendary Richard Feynman explains in plain English how classical computers do what they do by comparing them to the stupidest file clerk imaginable.

The wonders of programming, a 15-minute keynote at OSCON 2014, given by the remarkable 14-year-old Shadaj Laddad. Inspirational because it conveys how Shadaj's excitement as he explored the world of programming.

Comoputerphile, over 75 videos about topics in computer science, "lifting the lid" on how technology you use every day actually works.

Program or be programmed a 2-minute video by Douglas Rushkoff, author of a book with the same title, explaining why learning to program is important for everyone, not just geeks.

Kate Sim's reading list.

The machine that changed the world is the longest, most comprehensive documentary about the history of computing ever produced, now available as a YouTube playlist of four episodes. It's a whirlwind tour of computing before the Web, with brilliant archival footage and interviews with key players several of whom passed away since the filming. Jointly produced by WGBH Boston and the BBC, it originally aired in the UK as The Dream Machine before its U.S. premiere in January 1992. Its broadcast was accompanied by a book co-written by the documentary's producer Jon Palfreman. Episodes included: 1. Great Brains, 2. Inventing the Future, 3. The Paperback Computer, 4. The Thinking Machine, and 5. The World at Your Fingertips.

Bret Victor's home page. Full of inspirational ideas.

The computational beauty of nature, GW Flake, 1999. "If computers touch your life, then here is a way of entering the excitement of closing the gap between technology and life, between computers and nature. If you have any sense of fun, get the book, get on the internet, download the programs and start to play your way into exploring the boundaries of science."

Interactive opportunities: changing the game has inspirational videos about the games industry and school education in computing using games.

Girls in a tech world: the endless possiblities of computer science. Youtube video.

http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_slavin_how_algorithms_shape_our_world.html

Blown to bits by Abelson, Ledeen, and Lewis. A great book, free to download, "Wherever you go whatever you say, write, photograph, or buy whatever prescriptions you take, or ATM withdrawals you make you are generating information. That information can be captured, digitized, retrieved, and copied - anywhere on Earth, instantly....the authors reveal how the digital revolution is changing everything, in ways that are stunning even the most informed experts....You'll discover ten paradoxical truths about digital data, and learn how those truths are overturning centuries-old assumptions about privacy, identity, and personal control."

Conrad Wolfram's TED talk about teaching mathematics using computers .

Jane McGonigal's TED talk about using computer games to make a better world. Plus Gameful, a secret HQ for worldchanging game developers, a website that follows up on the idea.

The American-based ITSE Journal for Computing Teachers looks interesting. "The Journal for Computing Teachers (JCT) is a production of the Special Interest Group for Computing Teachers (SIGCT) of ISTE. JCT supports and enhances the mission of SIGCT which includes teaching about computing in grades K-12." It's an online journal, which comes out once a year. The 2009 edition has articles like Using Introductory Programming Tools to Teach Programming Concepts: A Literature Review.

Chris Bishop's 2010 Turing lecture: Embracing uncertainty: the new machine intelligence

Video of BigDog, a walking robot (2009)

"Maths matters in Computing": a suite of short, downloadable videos that motivate aspects of mathematics specifically for computing; bundled together with two others that do a similar thing for aspects of philosophy. Produced in the University of Leeds, with support from HEFCE.

Computer Science - what's it got to do with you? More Than You Think: a motivational website illustrating some of the pervasive influence of computers, with supporting material and references. Produced in the University of Leeds, with support from EPSRC (originally as advertising material on public transport).

Two videos about augmented reality: Hitlab (2007) and in a browser (2009)

This link makes reference to the Beaver project: Introduction to Information technology contests: introduction to computer science in an attractive way. The main site is here: Beaver Web Site sghows what can be achieved over a wide age range

Fred Brooks's wonderful paper on why computer science is properly thought of as engineering discipline. I usually hate papers that are about definitions, but this one is full of wisdom.

Computer Science: Reflections on the Field, Reflections from the Field provides a concise characterization of key ideas that lie at the core of computer science (CS) research. Makes an attempt to define Computer Science. Online book. Computer Science

Andrew's Leap - Summer School at Carnegie Mellon on Computer Science - could Cas do a similar thing?

A Computer Music Implementation Course Using Active Essays - based on Sqeak

a clip from TED - Henry Markram talking about the Blue Brain project - I used the bit where he shows the number of computers required to produce visualisation of activity in just one column in the cortex.

David Merrill demonstrating "Siftables"

A unique and intersting website: http://moodstream.gettyimages.com/

Excellent Youtube - in plain english videos on aspects of ICT - incredible videos from user Leelefever :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqRZGhiHGxg&feature=related

Innovate ICT - excellent website with different resources for computing : http://www.innovativeict.net/welcome/

Amazing technology drawing physics - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZNTgglPbUA a project by MIT

Crayon Physics: http://www.crayonphysics.com/

This is experimental new Augmented Reality in use at BMW, just think how we could use this in schools -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9KPJlA5yds

Microsoft surface - most people know of this by now, but it still new - http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

Possibly the most groundbreaking of all the links above - http://www.deviatebeta.co.uk/lets/index.php, this company have produced a fully working 3d TV that DOES NOT require the use of glasses. You can view a fully 3D TV picture without actually having to wear or use any special glasses. I have seen it in action and it really is jaw dropping. I will hopefully this summer get time to put together a video to explain how it works and will post the link here. This technology will be coming out in homes but not until 3D TV with glasses it commonplace. probably about 3-5 years, but it really is amazing - tech built in Doncaster.

See Augmented Reality in use ... http://www.iphoneness.com/iphone-apps/best-augmented-reality-iphone-applications/

See how computers can be used to edit and create shots for films in this BBC documentary breakdown :http://www.fxguide.com/modules/NewsUpload/files/08Feb/hun/atilla-fxguide.mov

Understand how a 3D printer can be used to create 3 dimensional models - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNyIOPrXhd8

Adobe's new Content Aware Fill in Photoshop CS5, just hit delete, and the computer will draw the deleted part of the photo for you based on algorythms. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTvxlfBW96k

Augmented Reality used as a boys gadget! well worth a quick look, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ-oZzisJIw&feature=player_embedded

Nintendo announced at E3 mid June 2010, the 3DS, the research and prototype of their upcoming games console, a hand-held using 3D without glasses - http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/MvsPLa99GTbqTKaOvwh93lOJHhSHJ_x2

A unique way of introducing Variables - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ba1BqJ4S2M

A stereoscopic camera to take 3d photos with real depth - http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/20/technophile-3d-camera-gadgets

Microsoft adding Augmented Reality to their version of Google Maps, time travel effortlessly -http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/24800/

Edorigami is another resource-rich wiki . These starter sheets are just one set of the fine examples on offer
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Starter+Sheets

Google have released loads of lesson ideas through their 'Lesson Plan Search' feature. Choose Science from the Subject drop-down, then scroll down to find resources like "Computational Representation of Ants Foraging" or "Modelling in Physics using Computational Thinking"

CSunplugged field guide. Online interactive textbook. Lots of quality content.

The Gravity project segment of the film 'Squeakers' shows teacher BJ Conn leading her class through an exploration of gravity concepts. The whole film is well worth a watch featuring Alan Kay and Seymour Papert, and covering the Xerox Parc history of educational involvement.

ACM Crossroads, XRDS - ACM's magazine by students, for students.

Jim Al-Khalili for BBC Four on Information - covers writing, Morse code, Shannon, binary, entropy and much more. Highly recommended. Also on YouTube