NYorks Computer Science Teacher Support Group dates 2016-17 (public)

Dear All,

Click Here for form for joining NYorks TSG and booking events 17-18  TSG meetings are £100.  TSG members can get a reduction of £25 (as this is the only one planned for now).  There may be a second, for which the same reduction will apply, but I will have to recover from this one first…

Update: I’m v grateful to Andy for responding to my questions on a Sunday. I propose to go ahead with the TSG based on SAMs material, having checked every possible contingency.  I propose to run moderation of both the numbers NEA and the Canoe NEA using own examples of students’ work. We have to sort things now as much as possible. *There will be no TSG2 moderation meeting*. I strongly recommend getting your students to do both SAM NEAs in the next couple of weeks, with feedback.
I have not accessed the Live NEA and would recommend others not to so either until you start it. Resources from meeting will be posted for TSG members only, as I have to authenticate recipients as teachers and will require a school order form in future *before* I join colleagues. Get your skates on, because this will be the only help available ahead of the Live NEA, and when you do your own moderation.

TSG 17-18_01, Thursday 14th September 2017 – location: Malton School – Joining details here.
If you come to this meeting, you agree in advance that there will be no discussion or work on the Live NEA.  I have not accessed the Live NEA and would recommend others not to so either until you start it.  You will not have started the live NEA with your students.  
Overview: Develop full understanding of how to use SAM NEAs (English Names for Numbers and Welsh Cymru Canoe) to develop understanding by our students of the generic NEA process BEFORE any contact with the NEA exam.  Moderation of the Cymru Canoe NEA as a group using actual student work (not Eduqas example as confusing with tkinter code IMO.  Then choice of further moderation of English Names for Numbers NEA / or learning EasyGui in afternoon.

8.45am onwards- Signing in.
9.30 start – 9.45 News – led by CSH.
10.00 – 10.45  Starter – compare syllabus and latest NEA guidance to see that authentication, GUIs and verification have been in from the beginning. I will then share Differentiated Mark Schemes (the bronze, silver, gold work from last week) linked to detailed explanatory slides for students which I am updating as we go through both SAM NEAs (English Names for Numbers and Welsh Cymru Canoe).  I will then suggest that you update these with your own student’s examples.  I will also show how I have built up student capacity with a password checker NEA, the “Names for Numbers” SAM and now the Cymru Canoe WJEC exemplar.  This includes planning and monitoring of tasks as part of the refinement logging so they are able to maximise their time and marks.  These resources and overall approach has been described as “spot on” by Andy Parker.
10.45 Tea/coffee
11.00-12.30 Moderation of the Cymru Canoe NEA as a group using actual student work (not Eduqas example as confusing with TKinter code IMO.  We can then use the Eduqas moderation example to benchmark our decisions.
12.30 Lunch
1.00pm  Review the NEA Briefing doc and then a choice of further moderation of English Names for Numbers NEA or learning EasyGui.  Plenary at time to be arranged
3.30 Finish

TSG 17-18_02, Thursday 1st February 2018 – location: Lady Lumley’s School.  Component 3 (NEA) Moderation.  Everyone to bring a marked  low/medium/high version of 2018 NEA student work to moderate. –  cancelled due to new rules 10-09-17

Weds 14th June 2017 – location: Malton School
Focus on understanding Component 3 style coursework ahead of the new 9-1 NEA
8.45am onwards- Signing in.
9.30 start – Update progress sheet with 9-1 Eduqas 1 year in / News from everyone / Agree TSG dates for 2017-18.(led by CSH)
Andy Parker: “I suggest coursework will be available on 1/9 and is collected on 31/3. An early February date sounds about right if you’re going to cross moderate with other schools, a mid to late September one for discussing the scenario depending on when schools start back”
10.15 Tea/coffee
10.30 -11.00 Latest overview of NEA using resources from Andy Parker (Slides 55-72).
11.00 -12.30 Work through of 2016 Component 3 – Betty’s Best Ever Bakery (BBEB). Analysis of exemplar student’s work and teacher commentary for BBEB moderated at 42 marks / 50 (47 equiv UMS). Discussion of differences to expect from new NEA.
12.30 Lunch
1.00pm Work through SAM NEA example “Names for numbers / Parkview Vale Primary School” – led by Gary
3.30 Finish

TSG16/17_2: Weds 1st March 2017
Introduction to Greenfoot for teaching Eduqas GCSE 9_1 Computer Science
“An Introduction to using the Greenfoot Programming Environment (Java) to teach the component 2 requirement of Eduqas GCSE 9-1 Computer Science.  The morning will cover several tutorials for you to learn how to build games in Greenfoot.  The afternoon will give you support to build the icebreaker exam question from the 2015 WJEC exam and take away effective ways of teaching this to your students”.
Location: Lady Lumley’s School – directions
Cost: £100

Pls be prepared to work on school PCs as there is no wireless at school.  I will have guest username and passwords.  Phil Brown has kindly offered his resources to anyone on the day who was not at TSG15/16_3.

8.45am onwards- Signing in – Please come to reception.  We will be in IT3 all day.  Tea/Coffee/Biscuits available.
If no space in main car park there is an overflow car park next right, leading out to left of Sports Hall Car Park.
9.30 start – Introductions / News / Progress with 9-1 Eduqas so far / Resources (led by CSH)
10.15 Online resources (Al Metcalfe)
10.30 Tea/coffee
10.45 -12.30 Introduction to Greenfoot using Technocamp resources.
– I am delighted that Nick Field, a fellow CAS Master Teacher and Leader of the Leeds CAS Hub, will be delivering the course.  He uses Java for his A-level teaching.
12.30 Lunch and continued discussion – email me suggestions for sandwiches the day before
1.00 Next TSG Planning.  Possibly on techniques and resources to teach better Computer Science (building on some of Alan O’D’s bootcamp ideas).  Also looking ahead to Year 11 9_1 too.
1.15 A chance to work through the 2015 exam Ice breaker example.
3.15 Feedback and Next Steps
3.30 Finish
Room is booked until 4pm

We now have a facebook group: Teachers of Eduqas GCSE 9-1 Computer Science.
as well as this archive: www.gr8computing.com/nyorkstsgdates – both links easily found by clicking on Communities on gr8computing.com nav bar.

TSG16/17_1: Weds 5th October 2016
Location: Lady Lumley’s School – directions

Please bring shareable resources on a memory stick/hard drive.  Also any physical resources you can show.  Pls be prepared to work on school PCs as there is no wireless at school.  I will have guest username and passwords.

8.45am Signing in – Please come to reception.  We will be in IT3 all day.  Tea/Coffee/Biscuits available.
If no space in main car park there is an overflow car park next right, leading out to left of Sports Hall Car Park.
9.30 start / Shared News / (led by CSH)
10.15 Planning of Eduqas GCSE Computing GCSE.
– development of 3 main resources: 2 year schedule; teachers MOOC and Students’ MOOC
(I have an online copy ready of both syllabus and more detailed teacher’s booklet.  Phil Brown’s latest schedule to share too).  
10.30 tea/coffee
10.45 -12.30 Sharing of #CompSci teaching techniques building on Alan O’D’s bootcamp.
12.30 Lunch and continued discussion – email me suggestions for sandwiches the day before
1.00 Next TSG Planning.  I hope it will be a 1 day Greenfoot training day – see TSG2 above.  For those it is relevant to, Choices for A-Level CompSci.
1.15 Little Man Computing training – a chance to try out the new tank game version by Pete Dring
Further work together on adding shared resources.
3.30ish Finish
Room is booked until 5pm

This information always kept up-to-date in the on the private NYorks TSG Google Community https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/115372195319645746323
and www.gr8ict.com/nyorkstsgdates – both links easily found by clicking on Communities on gr8ict.com nav bar.

 

TSG 3: Weds 22nd June 2016

8.45am Signing in – Tea/Coffee/Biscuits available
Please don’t leave parking til last minute.  Most undergrads will have left (Week 11) but parking is always tight as we know – see above.
9.30 start / Shared News / (led by CSH)
10.15 presentation by York University CAS (David Zendle / Chris Power)
10.30 tea/coffee
10.45 -12.30  Planning of next year’s Eduqas GCSE Computing GCSE.
Phil Brown (recommended by Ian Gillam) will be joining us talk us through using his experience of teaching current WJEC Computer Science spec.
It is not a great deal different and he can share his order of teaching and experiences of assessment (although this will be changing a bit…)
12.30 Lunch and continued discussion
1.00 Next year’s TSG dates / costs.   Suggested:  5th October 2016 / 15th Feb 2017 / 14th June 2017.  Content will be decided as result of next agenda item.
1.15  Decide way forward.  Must agree a roadmap for the order/timings of teaching.  Then discussion of Shared Scheme of Learning / Resources (could be based on, does not have to be PG online) Sharing of Resources / Content of TSG meetings next two years.
3.30ish Finish
Room is booked until 5pm

Pete K is ill so we are postponing training on Little Man Computer.  We had talked about Practical on Raspberry Pi’s (led by Chris S) and Possible Practical on BBC Microbit. I am happy to reinstate either, but I suggest the focus should be on next year’s GCSE requirements.

Joining Requirements for TSG3:
– you will need to bring a laptop (personal wi-fi connection provided)
– you will need to consider using PGOnline resources which we could (does not have to be) then work on together through the 2 years, but no decision needed until meeting/after meeting. Might be worth sounding out senior manager on cost (£700, could spread over 2 years)

TSG 2: Weds 24th February 2016
8.45am Signing in – Tea/Coffee/Biscuits available
9.30 start / Shared News/ Update individual school info on Google docs especially plans for ICT in light of deletion of GSCE/Applied A-level.  Next meeting requests.  (led by CSH)
10.30 tea/coffee (Ian joining us)
10.45 -12.30  Ian Gillam, Computer Science Subject Officer  will talk us through the new EDUQAS 2016 GCSE .  To explain new spec, the assessment of the 2 examined components and the NEA.
12.30 Lunch and continued discussion
1.00 Conclusions, so colleagues can leave at different times depending on their moderation
1.15 onwards – Moderation – currently (others may join us) AQA (Al and Ken/LLS); OCR (Pete/Rick/Kevin), Edexcel (Gary/Victoria) GCSEs / current ICT GCSE (Chris Victoria Liz – Y11 / Y10 Animal Shelter)
optional finish time – room is booked until 5pm

Joining Requirements for TSG1:
– you will need to bring a laptop (personal wi-fi connection provided)
– you will need to bring printouts or have available online your KS3 Scheme of Learning and KS3 Assessment (to share and to work on)
– you will need to provide current details of ICT/Provision and plans for next year (to share as part of the community)

TSG 1: Weds 14th October 2015 – Minutes on the Community Site
8.45am Signing in – Tea/Coffee/biscuits available
9.30 start / Discussion (led by CSH) including Welcome; Outline of TSGs (sharing online and with the Google Community); Updates on current courses (need to know others doing same courses for moderation for TSG2) and to share our thoughts on new GCSEs
10.15 approx sharing KS3 computing SoLs (All); Task – enriching SoLs
11.00 tea/coffee (Steve joining us)
11.30-12.30 discussion assessment KS3 (led by CS)
12.30 working lunch
1.15-3.00 Steve Kenny, Qualifications Manager AQA, who led the development of both the GCSE and GCE Computer Science specifications will join us (Suzanne has moved roles) and will introduce a session on new Computer Science GCSEs 2017-. Starting with overall principles, then the NEA, followed by discussion and then chance to look at AQA, OCR and Edexcel quals in detail. These should be ratified by Ofqual in next few weeks and Steve should have an update on new ICT courses too.

Feedback (total):
5a. Overall worth of this course (1 = least, 5 most) = 5 5 5 4 5 5
5b. Comments on Overall worth of this course (Things good / Things to improve):
> Splitting into focus groups for sections of the day is going to be good practice
> Well worth attending. Very happy overall.
> Very good, catered more for HOD and the development of our curriculum
> Next meeting to include standardisation is an excellent idea

All resources to be shared on NYorks Computing Teachers Support Group – Attend two TSGs at least to retain membership.