Jan 26 2018

Bett 2018 findings… Micro:Bits, VR and loads of people…

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to BETT18 yesterday, which greatly exceeding my expectations, as I have found in the last few years that the increased focus on selling hardware increasingly meaningless in the transfer to Computer Science.  Of course, the biggest enjoyment was meeting up with colleagues who I work with regularly, but the other standouts this year for me were the exciting additions for using the Micro:Bit and that high quality VR (and AR) that is becoming affordable for schools.   Lastly, the observation that BETT this year is more  for Internationals with slow moving people chatting in foreign languages and much more time than I have to spare, less for teachers and even less for students.

Talking of students, I immediately missed taking Digital Leaders on the way down.  I missed the train at Canning Row due to my ignorance – always before I have the students take care of the travel details.  I have started Digital Leaders again this week and look forward to working with Micro:Bits with them, a VR project, and plenty more coding opportunities.  DLs are vital in Y7,8 and 9 to raising interest in Computer Science and increasing numbers for GCSE and A-level, especially for girls. More

By • #CompSci, #CompSci_Resources, #CompSci_Teaching, #dlchat, BBC micro:bit, BETT, Digital Leaders, RaspberryPi •

Sep 14 2017

Suggested approach to Eduqas NEA September 2017

I have just returned from our 7th North Yorkshire computing Teachers Support Group.  Several colleagues commented during the day that they are going to teach the NEA differently as a result of the meeting, and I think it is important to share with other teachers to write a useful summary here.   You will need to join the TSG, details here, with an index to access the significant resources which include a Student version of NEA Mark bands (3-levels), comprehensive slides to explain to students the requirements of the mark scheme, and differentiated mark schemes to provide feedback on practice NEAs.  All of these are in the folder NEA Student and moderation resources CSH.

Overall, we concluded that if you (and your students) do not have a working knowledge of the Mark Bands, you run the risk of significant sections being missed out, and missing marks as a result.   Also, weaker students who may struggle with some parts ofthe coding, could make up significant marks with the report.  Here are the slides from the TSG showing the various references to the Mark Scheme:

More

By • #CompSci_Resources, Eduqas •

Jul 8 2017

Transitioning from Blocks to Text

This post is to back up a talk from Rik Cross at York Regional CAS June 2017.  He showed several examples of Hybrid programming environments including TOSH (https://tosh.tjvr.org/app).

I am going to use TOSH as a bridge between Scratch in Year 7 and Python in Year 8.  I have adapted the list that Rik created so that Year 8s can access the Instructions as easily as possible – Scratch to Python examples of code: More

By • #CompSci, #CompSci_Resources, Scratch •

Jul 7 2017

Gr8 Computer Science Teaching Ideas

link to facebook here

By • #CASResearch, #CompSci, #CompSci_Research, #CompSci_Resources, #CompSci_Teaching •

Jul 5 2017

micro:bit and MicroPython – Jon Witts and Chris Sharples Exabytes 2017

Link to Google Resources folder here.

 

By • #CompSci, #CompSci_Teaching, Conference, Python •

Jul 3 2017

Differentiated work using the BBC Micro:bit in and out of class

This the outline for our using the BBC Micro:Bit at KS3 at LLS School.

I have sorted a variety of storage to enable easy classroom management:

Previously, we did this with our Year 7s and Digital Leaders.  

I did the following research, and you can see that the UCL unit was exemplary for what I needed.

UCL’s TUTORIALS:  Micro:bit – Getting Started / LED Display / Basic Functions / Advanced Functions / Projects with LED Display / Buttons / Accelerometer.  CHALLENGES: Consonant or Vowel? / Catch the Eggs / Caesar Cipher – Part I / Caesar Cipher – Part II.  

However, some of our lower ability students have struggled with text based programming and the Python IDLE IDE, so I was also keen to give them the option of using the blocks on the BBC Micro:Bit site.   This gives them a simulator to use at home (we are not giving out Microbits to Year 9s, just using them in class).

So this is our ​Scheme of Learning, these are the slides, 9_3_01_Microbit_Introduction, (based on Alexander Hadwen-Bennett’s slides)  and this is the List of Programs to try.  This is Pete Dring’s Python Simulator (for testing home learning), and the BBC site’s Block programming editor and index here.

Update: following the success of the Microbits enthusing students, as a department, we have identified opportunities for the following:

Year 7 – we have added Microbits to the current Year 7 Graphics unit by using the various BBC Block programs to show 5×5 pixels working; different brightnesses; images and animations.  This will build on Block programming in Unit 2 Scratch.

Year 8 will be the current Microbits 1 Unit development work of Python, but with an optional easier pathway using blocks.

Year 9 will be a Microbits 2 Unit with binary between Microbits and Bit:BotRobots. I have just ordered 18 from Rapid Electronics (Sept17).  I can fit 6 in a box like the ones above.

*Please check out EduBlocks by @all_about_code – I will be looking at this in Year 7 too*

** I am presenting on microbits at #exabytes17 with @jonwits and @romillyc on Friday July 7th

*** I am running a 2 day course at York Stem Centre “Micro:bit in secondary computing CY224” with @PDDring and @CLCSimon on 20th and 21st November 2017.

Worth £13 each https://www.amazon.co.uk/BBC-BBC2546862-micro-bit-go/dp/B01G8WUGWU?th=1

 

By • #CompSci_Teaching, BBC micro:bit •

Jul 1 2017

Installing Guizero June 2017

Guizero has been agreed by Andy Parker as suitable for use by students in the Eduqas 9-1 NEA.  It is needed for higher level students to show evidence of a user interface in both the design and software sections [teacher guide page 42].

My instructions for my students to install it are here and I am happy for it to be shared.

I am grateful to Laura for showing how to use Guizero at the York CAS conference June 17 and  to acknowledge here the passion and dedication she has shown to get this developed.  It will really make a difference to my students Laura…

See here how a simple GUI can be made with 4 lines of code:

 

By • Eduqas, Python •

Jul 1 2017

Challenge, Deliberate practice, and Interleaving – applied research

Latest things I have tried out in the classroom.  Click here for slides.

By • #CASResearch, #CompSci_Research, #CompSci_Resources, #CompSci_Teaching •

Jun 30 2017

Progress with Eduqas 9-1 NEA

4 pages showing how I have taught and am going to teach the Eduqas NEA in September.

Here’s the link.

By • #CompSci, Eduqas, NEA •

Jun 25 2017

“Tweak to Transform” Sharing ideas for better learning of Computer Science – talk at York CAS Tech-Meet 22nd June 17

This 5 minute presentation was about why we should be concentrating on sharing ideas for good CS teaching (Teaching Theory and Computational Thinking) as well as NEAs and code.
Click here to go to slides.

By • #CASResearch, #CompSci, #CompSci_Research, #CompSci_Teaching •

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