Tablet Coding & IT Suites

One of the many questions I get asked whilst working with other schools is whether tablets are the future. This question is normally loaded with the thought of whether the traditional IT suite is still required. As we know from the past, future technologies are hard to forecast. There is clearly a huge shift with smart technologies becoming ever integrated into our daily lives. Tablets are replacing laptops in many people's homes, but this does not mean the untimely death of the PC or come to it, the traditional IT suite. Pupils of all ages need an environment to explore not just the software but the hardware as well. 

As you are probably aware, coding can be be done successfully on tablets with many of the command block type applications that we are all so familiar with. This does not and can not replace the need to learn text based programming languages, which lead to even higher levels of understanding. A PC is still a preferred way of learning these. If you have ever tried coding in a text based language on a tablet this experience is often left wanting and gives way to general frustration the longer you progress. Now if we replicate this on a PC the experience is better, mainly as this is the more traditional bases for many of our modern languages. 

Looking forward I suspect this will change and the experience of coding in a text based language on a tablet will become more natural and less burdensome. There is already some great steps in the right direction such as MS Touch Develop, which allows the user to shift from command blocks to text based coding with natural progression. This works well on a tablet and is a possible indication as to what direction these things are going in the corporate world. I suspect the independent sector is also clambering to fill the void with more attempts filling the android store . If these fail to ignite the creativity so often witnessed in the modern classroom, the pupils who are coming through our schools now will certainly be the ones to create these new languages. I believe that it will only be then that we can truly say the school IT suite is no longer required.

I'm sure you've been involved in hour of code with code.org.

Have you seen the many other links available on the site? My students really enjoyed playing the code combat game this week. Really worth trying it out!

http://code.org/learn\

Learn

Code.org

Anyone can learn the basic concepts of Computer Science. Choose an intro activity to start learning.

CAS Bath Primary and Secondary Hub Meeting - 2nd March

Next Monday Bath University will be hosting the inaugural CAS BATH Primary hub. We look forward to welcoming primary school teachers and everyone else with an interest in primary aged computing to attend this friendly forum.  

Run by teachers and other educational professionals, the Bath Primary hub is committed to supporting teachers and schools in the region by providing a a space to share ideas, resources and to learn the most effective practice from one another. 

Working collaboratively, the hub will enable participants to identify CPD needs, provide targeted support  and give practical training sessions from CAS Master Teachers.

As part of our launch there will be free hard copies of the QuickStart CPD materials for those who can attend; as well as a guide to using them to help provide the most effective CPD and subject development within schools. 

We very much forward to hearing from teachers and others who can join us on the 2nd; or who would like to contribute to the hub in future.

You can find out more about the event and how to reserve a place by following this link. If you cannot make the hub meeting, but would like a copy of the new QuickStart materials you can also get in touch via the link.

My Top 5 Sites

Quite often as Master Teachers, we are asked to point people in the direction of some high quality teaching materials and resources in order to support computing teaching. While the CAS community pages has some amazing materials available, here are 5 more of my personal favourites:

ispython.com

Created by Dave White, Master Teacher and CAS Regional Coordinator for Essex and Herts, ispython.com contains a great repository of workbooks and other materials that help with programming in Scratch and Python.

Codecademy

Codecademy have been working closely with the DfE and CAS to create lots of interactive materials and resources that support the teaching of coding in particular.

Khan Academy

The philosophy that ‘you can learn anything’ is never more clear than when using this site. While I started using this site to created blended mathematics lessons, the computing section of this site can help with the delivery of a variety content as well as improving your own subject knowledge.

Somerset ELIM: WCP Planning

Before becoming a Master Teacher, I was involved in ELIM’s Wessex Computing project, helping to create a series of lesson plans for FS, KS1 and KS2 teachers. This link takes you to these medium and short term planning materials.

CS Unplugged

Not all computing lessons need to be delivered with an electronic device. This site has a collection of activities than can help you teach some of the fundamental aspects of computing though practical activities.

Barefoot Computing

Last night I went along to a Barefoot workshop held at my feeder school to see first hand what the Barefoot project is all about.

The Barefoot Computing project is about helping primary school teachers get ready for the computer science element of the new computing curriculum. They have developed high-quality, practical cross-curricular computer science resources and workshops to support primary school teachers in England.

I was really impressed by the way the broke down Computational thinking into relevant examples that anybody could understand and could be implemented in a Primary classroom with only a little preparation.



Here in the South West Barefoot is run by the SWGfl and delivered by volunteers who work in industry. You can either host a free workshop in your school or attend any of the upcoming workshops.

Where	When	Time	Contact / Reserve Place
Mount Hawke School, Truro	12th Feb 2015	13.00 - 14.30	Sophie Brown
Meysey Hampton Church of England Primary School, Gloucestershire	23rd Feb 2015	11.00 - 12.30	Sophie Brown
Elmhurst Junior School, Street	2nd March 2015	15.30 - 17.00	Sophie Brown
St Mary's Middle School, Puddletown	3rd March 2015	16.00 - 17.30	Sophie Brown
Highcliffe St Mark Primary, Dorset	4th March 2015	15.30 - 17.00	Sophie Brown
Worlebury St. Paul's Primary School, Weston Super Mare	10th March 2015	15.45 - 17.15	Sophie Brown
Mount Street Primary, Plymouth	11th March 2015	13.00 - 14.30	Sophie.brown
Symondsbury Primary, Dorset	11th March 2015	15.45 - 17.15	Sophie Brown
Combe Down Primary School, Bath	11th March 2015	16.00 - 17.30	Sophie Brown
Wraxall C of E VA Primary School	11th March 2015	16.00 - 17.30	Sophie Brown
St Mary's Primary, Thorncombe	16th March 2015	15.15 - 16.45	Sophie Brown
Churchdown Parton Manor Junior School, Gloucester	18th March 2015	10.00 - 11.30	Sophie Brown

Coming Soon...

We would like to announce that we will soon be launching new CAS hubs for Bristol and Bath. Both due to begin in March this year.

Hubs are an excellent way to get together with other teachers, education specialists and technology professionals to find out and access the newest advice, support and resources for teaching and learning Computing. 

They are also a great way to meet others and develop new ideas in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Whether you are super-confident with Computing, or still feeling a like a complete beginner in need of some help and advice; or anything in between - then you will find these new hubs a really beneficial space to share and learn. Some of the reasons given as real benefits to attending a hub are:

• Face to face networking with peers in the area over a cup of tea or coffee
• Open discussion of shared issues, such as how to introduce the new computing curriculum,
• Taster CPD sessions where programming languages and tools are demonstrated,
• Sharing of learning and resources which should help teachers in their day to day work.

so, please make sure you revisit  soon for more news on our brand new hubs and when they launch. If you want to find out more in general about CAS hubs, please click here.

Welcome to our Blog

As Master Teachers, we would like to welcome you to our new team blog about everything to do with the teaching and learning of Computing in schools.

We hope you will enjoy the posts that we plan to publish as a team across the region, and will be working hard to bring you news, information, techniques and pointers to help support the creative implementation of this exciting new subject within your school. 

Computing at School is very much here to help support all teachers and schools to provide the most exciting and highest quality of Computing education possible - from Primary all the way through to KS4. 

If you would like to get in contact with us regarding any aspect of the subject, or you think that we might be able to offer support to your school or staff please do not hesitate to get in touch. We are a very friendly and professional team and one of our Master Teachers will only be too happy to help with any enquiry for support or advice that you might have.

I look forward to the next time you visit and hope that this blog will become a place for you to visit and find out exactly what support, events and resources are available in the region

If you would like to find out more about CAS (Computing at School), and all the supportive and unique work we do across learning communities please click here.

Also, ff you have any enquiries, questions or suggestions please feel free to email us, or contact any of our Master Teachers directly.