OCR and Codio (Have you had a look?)

OCR have formed a relationship with Codio - have you registered and looked at the resources? What do you think? 

I found some dead ends in tests and at the end of modules. Did you?

3D Scanner - Computer

https://sprout.hp.com/uk/en/

Would you like a demo?

Subject Leader Meeting - Notes and Actions

Thank you for attending the meeting last week and for your considered contributions; I hope you found the meeting useful. The key events and associated action points:

Attendees:
N. Stern, O Sahbaz, L Cookson, H. Harrison, J Harris, R Maclean (Getech), J. Davey, H Barnard (Stemnet)

1. Richard Maclean (Getech) delivered a presentation on Google Apps for education and Chromebook network technology. If you would like more information please contact jeremy.harris@learningtrust.co.uk

2. Hugh Barnard (Stemnet) delivered a presentation on OCR A452 Controlled Assessment Materials 3 - Linux and Raspberry Pi. If you would like to take Hugh up on his offer to establish a Raspberry Pi/Linux network in your setting please contact: jonnydavey@gmail.com

3. Jonny Davey delivered a presentation on OCR controlled assessment procedures and led a discussion on A452 and A453 controlled assessment materials. Jonny distributed support packs and talked through his worked raw solution for A453 CA 1 and requested staff share and improve it. If you would like the code in .py form please contact jonnydavey@gmail.com

4. Oktay Sahbaz described his scheme of work on App Inventor and offered to share resources

5. AOB

Support Reminders - Week Beginning 24th November 2014

Good Morning, opportunities to meet this week:

Tuesday 25th November - 4.30pm to 6pm Python Training at Stormont House
Wednesday 26th November - 4.30pm to 6pm Python Training at Cardinal Pole

Also:

You can book a one to one session (on-line or in person) with Shahid to cover Java or Python

Also:

I can come into your setting to team-teach Python or any other aspect of computing.

Just email:

jonnydavey@gmail.com
07595024251

Opportunities to Meet - Week Beginning 10th November

It would be great to see you at any or all of the following:

• Tuesday 11th November - Python Training at Stormont House School 4.30pm to 6.00pm
• Wednesday 12th November - Python Training at Cardinal Pole School 4.30pm to 6.00pm

Please email if you would like a one-to-one Python/Java training session with Shahid using Google Hangouts or in-person (Free). 

One to One Programming Training Allocation (Java or Python)

The one to one tuition is working extremely well in terms of the pace of progress and depth of understanding achieved.

You have an allocation of free one to one tuition (face to face or online) and all you have to do to organise it is email jonnydavey@gmail.com or call Jonny Davey on 07595024251

Training Opportunities - Week Beginning 20th October 2014

Hi, just a reminder of the opportunities to meet this week:

Python Training - Tuesday the 21st from 4.30pm to 6.00pm at Stormont House School
Python Training - Wednesday the 22nd from 4.30 to 6.00pm at Cardinal Pole School

If you would like to book your one-to-one (face-to-face or online) Python training session just email jonnydavey@gmail.com with a couple of time options. Evenings are also fine.

If you would like to book your one-to-one (online) Arduino training session just email jonnydavey@gmail.com with a couple of time options. Evenings are also fine.

If you would like to book your in-class Python teaching sessions just email jonnydavey@gmail.com with a couple of time options. 

Have a great week.

Algorithm Resources - 21 Card Trick

Card tricks are a great way to explain what an algorithm is. Professor Paul Curzon has written two books explaining how to perform card tricks and then how they actually work as procedural algorithms. I tried this one (21 Card Trick) it's impressive, easy to learn and works every time. Then, when it comes to explaining it, it's quite simple too. Here is a link to a Google folder where you can download Paul Curzon's Card Trick Book 1

The 21 Card Trick is on Page 7

In-Class Support - Feedback from Cardinal Pole School

Thanks to Lisa Cookson at Cardinal Pole School for giving us the opportunity to test out some Python programming teaching and learning techniques. We are ecstatic about the great student feedback and will continually strive to improve our delivery methods.

Book your free in-class Python programming support sessions today with Jonny Davey on jonnydavey@gmail.com

This weeks events

The scheduled computing support events this week are:

• Python training on Wednesday the 15th of October at Cardinal Pole School 4.30 to 5.00pm

If you would like to book in your in-class python teaching support or one to one (on-line or in-person) please email jonnydavey@gmail.com

Close up photography of AND logic gates and cpus

Click here for some amazing close-up photography of logic gates and CPUs

ICT/Computing Subject leader Meeting - Date Change from the 6th of November (Cancelled) to the 20th of November (Confirmed)

PLEASE NOTE:

ICT/Computing Secondary Subject Leader Meeting Date Change from the 6th of November (Cancelled) changed to the 20th of November at 4pm to 5.30pm (Confirmed)

Reminder - This week's HLT computing events

We have the following opportunities to meet this week:

• Monday the 6th of October at Hackspace (Hackney Road) 7pm (Event called "Not Just Arduino") 
• Tuesday the 7th of October at the Stormont School (Downs Park Road, E5 8NP) Python training session 4.30pm to 6.00pm 
• Wednesday the 8th of October at the Cardinal Pole School (205 Morning Lane E9 6LG) Python training session 4.30pm to 6.00pm 
• Thursday the 9th of October at the Tomlinson Centre (Queensbridge Road) - Hackney Computing Network Meeting from 1pm to 4pm 

Please RSVP for any of the above if you haven't already

Student Event - Invitation to register students

The following has proven to be a well-organised event enjoyed by those who attend and has lots of publicity. Please let me know if you intend to go.

'TeenTech is an award winning industry led initiative founded by Maggie Philbin. We run lively one-day events to help young teenagers see the wide range of career possibilities in Science, Engineering and Technology, 

We are holding our flagship event at the Copper Box Arena on the 5th of December 

If you are a school and would like to attend please register here: 

http://www.teentech.com/regions-2/teentech-city/teentech-city-booking-form/

For more information please contact:

Anna Sheard -Project Manager 

07773553757 

www.teentechevent.com

TeenTech on YouTube

TeenTech on BBC News TeenTech at Cisco House on BBC Click 

Winner Best Communication and Outreach 2012 WISE/UKRC

HLT Python Basics Course aimed at KS3

This is a course made using Versal.com and my original Python Prezis. The style changes from Prezis to Versal widget created content which is my new recommendation for course building.  Click here for a link to the course. Let me know what you think and how I could improve it.

Python Training - Tuesday and Wednesday Dates with Venues

Due to the complexity in organising staff training on one evening we have decided the course will run on Tuesdays (Venue - Stormont House School) and then repeat on Wednesdays (Venue - Cardinal Pole School). 

You and your departmental staff are welcome to attend both if you would like to go through the same material twice. The course will focus on core skills required to complete the OCR derived Python controlled assessment tasks in the first instance, such as the high score database and rating a password for complexity. 

You are welcome to register any other Python areas you would like to cover, just let me know. 

The dates for the Python training courses are as follows: 

Python Course 1 Tuesdays 4.30 - 6.00pm (Venue Stormont House School)

7th October
21st October 
11th November
18th November
25th November
2nd December 

Python Course 2 Wednesdays 4.30 to 6.00pm (Venue - Cardinal Pole School)

8th October
15th October
22nd October
12th November
19th November
26thNovember 

Please let me know which you are likely to attend and who else may come with you. If you have an interested SLT member they are also welcome.

We look forward to seeing you.

HLT Computing Team

Python Prezi - Calculations and Variables 1 (Takes a minute to load)

Videoscribe Training Offer

This Videoscribe sample we made shows how the software can be used to meet many of the digital literacy objectives outlined in the new programme of study. If you are interested in Videoscribe we can pass on what we know and train you how to use it. Just get in touch.

Ken Robinson created a seminal, challenging Videoscribe which can be found here

CAS Secondary Computing Guidance

I'm sure you have seen this but just in case click here or on the picture to find it. It's an essential read. If you would like to discuss any of the content please start a thread.

Arduino - Training Offer

Touch the light sensor to activate the LED 

Before the summer holiday I spent a few Monday evenings with my mentor at Hackspace learning about the Arduino system. I think it is a great way to teach C derived programming languages and illustrate input-process-output in a concrete context. The benefit of Arduino is that you can make real stuff like a system to turn on an LED when someone is standing on your doorstep, or to get a text when someone presses your doorbell. Arduino can be used to solve problems which is key in the new computing programme of study. Arduino is cheap, cool and has a rapidly expanding following of hackers and tinkerers.

As part of the HLT support service we are offering to organise Arduino training at your school or at Hackspace itself with a very experienced engineer and Arduino tutor James Cadman. It could be just for you or for you and your students. Let us know.

Just get in touch.
jonnydavey@gmail.com
07595024251

Welcome back and

Do you want to learn how to .gif?

Hackney Learning Trust arranged for Python expert Shahid Khan to deliver an eight week Python evening course for Hackney's Computer Science teachers. Hosted by the Petchey Academy in Hackney the aim was to deliver Python training beyond the basics, to emulate the level of difficulty students will experience in controlled assignments and exams beyond September 2014. The level of determination and rigour shown by the diligent staff who attended during very busy times is applauded; it really was hard but very rewarding. 

Throughout the course, we developed teaching materials which pertain to the OCR Computing and Edexcel GCSE Computer Science GCSE. You are welcome to share them by accessing this Shared Google Docs Folder

Shahid Khan

Lisa Cookson's Calculator Solution

HTML and Javascript - at the heart of the new curriculum

With the support of the DfE and Hackney Learning Trust we arranged for Business Analyst Hal Saleh of Burberry to spend an afternoon presenting Hackney teachers with industry standard HTML INSET. Hal, a former resident and student of Hackney, jumped at the chance to use his CSR time to give back. Hal has diligently spent thousands of hours mastering HTML, his forte in KS3! Hal walked us through the prominent characters who wove the web, the code, the browser wars and he went on to make predictions about the future of the global knowledge economy. Hal's key message is that HTML is the core, prerequisite digital literacy, synonymous with reading and writing English. Hal says it is essential we study and master it, "Bet on the Web."

Our thanks to Hal Saleh for giving up his time

Hackspace - a third space for learning about technology in Hackney

Please contact jonnydavey@gmail.com to arrange a visit for you and/or your students.

Hackspace on Hackney Road models what we believe to be a truly inspiring learning environment a place where you turn up, choose what interests you, choose what you want to do, choose how and when to do it. Staffed by friendly, approachable volunteers Hackspace is open 24 hours a day. There are regular teaching classes on a variety of subjects (including robotics and Arduino) and the cost for all this? £10 a month sub. A truly amazing, inspirational find.

We would love to take you and/or your students with us. Just ask.

Professor Paul Curzon Workshop - Teaching Programming without a Computer

With the help of the DfE, Teach London Computing (teachinglondoncomputing.org) and Hackney Learning Trust we organised the delivery of three of Professor Paul Curzon's renowned 'Unplugged' Workshops at Cardinal Pole School, Hackney. Thanks to Kelly Dooley and Lisa Cookson for hosting these superb events. 

Learning programming and computational thinking can be such an abstract affair which leaves many cold.  However, in Professor Paul Curzon's fun focused workshops he inspires by making abstract concepts understandable using a variety of often surprising methods including magic tricks, mind reading and visualisation tasks.

The third session in the series of four covered:

• Inspiring ways to introduce programming away from computers.
• What is a variable?
• How does assignment work?
• Programming simple objects
• Introducing flow of control and if statements

Overview of the third workshop

It’s easy to assume that programming is something you have to learn at a computer but if you want your students to deeply understand programming concepts, rather than blindly getting programs to work then unplugged techniques can work really well to get students started. A large group of primary and secondary teachers took an evening out to learn how to program a robot face that is made of students.

We also looked at simple ways to give a deep understanding of how variables work by making them physical.

And see how to compile programs onto your class instead of onto a computer. 



London Computing is funded by the DfE/Mayor of London's London School's Excellence Fund with additional support from Google.

Matt Britland's Open Source Computing/ICT Year 7 to 9 2014-2015

Matt Britland's new format open source template which can be downloaded and amended. It's a useful starting point.

Tech Career Testimonials

The following links lead to really useful testimonial interviews with young people who work in different tech. career strands. Useful for students to try to establish complimentary option choices.

http://icould.com/videos/mustafa-k/

http://icould.com/videos/laura-w/

http://icould.com/videos/misha-g/

http://icould.com/videos/hannah-m/

http://icould.com/videos/andrew-s/

http://icould.com/videos/adam-e/

http://icould.com/videos/cathy-t/

http://icould.com/videos/james-n/

http://icould.com/videos/andrea-n/

Quality Assured - iPad Apps for Education - A definitive List

This list has been carefully compiled to include only iPad Apps that we have personally quality assured. We think they can definitely augment and improve learning in classroom settings.

Lisa Cookson Python Calculator with Menu choice, Error message for wrong choice, Choice to continue, Bye message

Well Done Lisa!

Tech City Opportunities Portal - With so much going on in Tech City this is well worth a look.

Tech City Portal

Leading to Opportunities

for our students

"Welcome to the club of Tech City. If you’re interested in tech and you’re willing to work hard, you can be a part of it.

Tech companies are looking for people with technical, design and people skills. If you know what you want to learn but don’t know where to find it, you’re in the right place. Here you can search for all the different local programmes that teach you how to code, build software or understand electronics.

Search here by telling us your preferences, what you want to do, and who you want to be."

OCR GCSE Python Training Course - Starts Thursday the 24th April at 4.30pm

Final Reminder about the OCR GCSE A* Python Training Course

£100 per person for the entire 8 week course (valued at £500 per person)

Please join us (8 places left)

 

The venue address:

The Petchey Academy

Shacklewell Lane

London

E8 2EY

School Telephone Number: 020 7275 1500

Jonny Davey Phone Number 07595024251

Please wait in the main entrance; I’ll be there from 4pm to greet you.

The room will be accessible from 4pm and the course will start at 4.30pm prompt and will run until 6.30 or before if we stop learning due to fatigue.  We want this to be a pleasurable, relevant experience so please be vocal about breaks and comprehension. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available at 4.15pm.

Shahid Khan has confirmed so we are going ahead.

Please pass me the names of your staff who will attend the course.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday.

Jonny Davey

jonnydavey@gmail.com

HLT - Python Training Course

During the recent audits conducted in secondary schools a clear training priority emerged - Python.  As a response we have sourced a capable Python tutor (via Alan Urwin) with a first class Computer Science degree who teaches private clients and tutors GCSE Computer Science with City Tutors.  HLT Computing support has met with Shahid Khan who has now agreed to go ahead with the course.

It would be really useful if you could look at the dates and times of the evening course in which Shahid would teach Python fundamentals and the OCR GCSE Python elements including the project elements.  We are sure this would provide a good platform for you to tailor your own approach to teaching GCSE and would also be applicable to Edexcel GCSE.

The subsidised cost would be £100 per person for a 20 hour course.

We have identified some potential dates with Shahid and have initially planned for the course to run from the 24th April 2014 for 8 out of the following possible Thursday sessions:

1. 24th April
2. 1st May (unless a holiday)
3. 8th May
4. 15th May
5. 22nd May
6. 5th June (unless Shahid is away)
7. 12th June
8. 19th June
9. 26th June
10. 3rd July

The course will run on Thursdays from 4.00pm to 6.30pm or 4.30pm to 7.00pm at one or possibly two of the Hackney secondary school sites.  

There are 12 places maximum which HLT will try to fill, currently we have 5 places verbally agreed.

Could we please ask you contact Jonny Davey on jonnydavey@gmail.com to express an interest or book a place.  If Thursdays or the dates clash with your events it would be good to know.

HLT Computing Support Team

HLT Programming Training Event - 8th May 1.30pm Tomlinson Centre - You are invited to this Free event

Over the last few months we have been collecting information about your support  requests in preparation for September 2014 and the clear priority for everyone is programming training.  In response, the next Network Meeting at the Tomlinson Centre on May the 8th at 1.30pm is to be a hands-on programming training event.

Our trainer is the highly experienced Halgurd Saleh (Burberry's current Business Analyst) who has extensive real world knowledge of programming for the Web and beyond. Halgurd designs and builds sophisticated web environments for Burberry and other clients and has a complete understanding of corporate web production processes.

The schedule for the afternoon:

1. A short biography of Halgurd Saleh's programming learning journey
2. An exploration of the lineage of HTML5, CSS and JavaScript
3. A hands-on coding training session focusing on P10, P11, P12, P13 and P14 of the 'Subject knowledge requirements for entry into computer science teacher training' document
4. Q and A. Halgurd will take any questions you have about programming

We are very excited about the session and hope you can attend.  Please RSVP to jonnydavey@gmail.com to confirm you plan to attend.  If you do come along bring plenty of questions because Halgurd really has mastered the area.

School Recommendation - The Turtle Prize



http://turtleprize.com/

Lisa Cookson has also shared this great free Python competition resource with lesson plans and good supporting resources. Thanks Lisa.

Professor Paul Curzon - Free Programming Training Offer

Hello World, I attended a great 'Programming Without Computing' training session at Queen Mary University on Monday in which Prof. Paul Curzon delivered three practical/visual activities to illustrate programming fundamental concepts. It was very good and the activities could be replicated by you in both primary and secondary settings. Responding to school requests for programming training I spoke to Paul afterwards to see if he would be available to come to Hackney and he is but I have to arrange dates, times, invitations and a room (Only a whiteboard required).

Here are the course titles which last about an hour and a half each:

1. Computational Thinking: Searching to Speak
2. Invisible Palming! Intelligent Paper? So what is an algorithm?
3. Programming Unplugged: Learning programming without computers
4. Computational thinking: It's about people too

Deeper details of each session can be found at http://teachinglondoncomputing.org/free-workshops/

Please let me know if you would like me to organise these events, probably one evening a week for four weeks in a row.  Paul would like at least 15 staff members there so please let me know either way by commenting or ticking the reactions boxes below.

Expert Tip - This (I'm told) is the future of building cross platform websites and apps (Advanced Level)

Coding Tip - Python School .Net (Sue Sentance)

This looks quite well organised.

School Find - Teach Computing (Wordpress)

This is another great resource shared by one of our secondary champions. Thanks

School Find - Matt Britland on Pinterest - You need to see this!

Matt Britland's Pinterest page was brought to our attention by City Academy's Ahmed Mangera - a fantastic resource, thanks Ahmed.

Coder Tip - Brendan Eich built Javascript in just 10 Days

HLT Idea - Code Family Tree Display

Watching Douglas Crockford we got interested in the family tree of code. If we are going to teach Javascript, Python and HTML it's worthwhile setting the historical context in as many ways as we can.

Coder Tip - Douglas Crockford on JavaScript - Episode IV: The Metamorphosis of Ajax (If you liked episode 1 you may also like 4 (IV) - stick with it though to hear how the browser wars were played out in the 90s)

Coder Tip - The Only Real Javascript Expert is Douglas Crockford - Part 1 of 5 - 'Javascript's Proper Historical Context' (very interesting)

Coder Tip - Sublime Text 3 - It's so pretty!

Sublime Text 3 is a beautiful text editor which comes recommended by Burberry's business analyst. The reasons are listed on the website but we like the way the interface colour scheme can be changed. 

A more colourful way to learn with features like distraction free editing etc.

HLT Recommendation - Better Than Code Academy - W3Schools

W3Schools teaches code in a clean, repetitive format which we think may better suit some of our students. 





We like it because:

• The individual lessons are short and listed on the left hand side
• Explanations are clear
• The lessons can be repeated
• Each lesson has a 'try it' option