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 

School Find - Code Avengers - Cool

A new school recommendation which we must say looks pretty cool for teachers and students alike. We'd love to know if you've tried it. Thanks for sharing it.

School Find - KS3, KS4 and KS5 ICT/Computing Resources - Gr82BGeeky

This site is highly recommended by one of our Secondary ICT/Computing HoDs. 

Take a look!

Idea - Computing Skills Passport to Support Transition

Considering the work we have done around transition and the feedback we got about carrying NC levels and student information over from KS2 to KS3 we have come up with an idea. Working with a local artist/designer Louise Best we have come up with an idea to provide students with a Computing Skills Passport. It would look and feel like a normal passport with rubber stamps adapted for new NC Computing and ICT skills. Being a physical object the passport can easily travel with the student and has an authentic feel to support and motivate.

What do you think? 

KS4 OCR GCSE in Computing - New Support Materials and Resources

OCR have posted quite a few NEW support materials and resources which may be of interest to you. They include:

• Summary Brochure
• Erratum Notice to Centres
• Unit A451/01 - Computer Systems and Programming - Specimen 2, Mark Scheme and Question Paper
• January 2013 and June 2013 Examiners Reports
• An 'Unofficial Guide to Computing GCSE' by Mark Clarkson
• Unit A452 - Practical Investigation - Sample scheme of work and lesson plan booklet

If you are considering offering this course in September it might be worth having a look, perhaps at the unofficial guide first.

Let us know if you need any help with pathways/plans or any other ICT/Computing/Computer Science matter.

OCR Cambridge - GCSE Computing MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) - Please Register and Comment

Register as a teacher and gain access to the content which is being updated in April - a lot of it is video instruction - it's good quality and all free.

OCR (Sponsored) Computer Science - Round Table Discussion 'Coding the Future' - It's long (1h 17m) but very interesting (Especially at exactly 18m in)

New - KS4 Edexcel GCSE Computer Science - Teacher Support Materials - Block 4 Scheme of Work with Task-Sheets (And Answer Sheets)

School Find - Matt Britland's 'Computing Curriculum Projects for Students in Years 7 - 9'

Thanks to Oktay who flagged up this great resource. It's a blog by Matt Britland who does advisory work for The Guardian and gives away great resources such as the comprehensive, 16 Mb's big:

'Computing Curriculum Projects for Students in Years 7 - 9'

Will you sign up for the Master Teacher programme?

 

Computing GCSE Board Comparison - Will you offer Computing in 2014? If so please Comment on which Board you will go with

Government Release - Year of Code

See the Government Release

KS3 REsources - more to come..

Here is a useful link for KS3 resources - any feedback welcome..

http://missictteacher.com/ks3-year-8/

School Find - Appshed - Some amazing projects taking place in our schools - Want to know more?

School Find - Kodu (I think you might know about this - but just in case)

BETT Find - Quadblogging - Some 'big names' were supporting this one

BETT Find - What's My Heart Rate (Free) - I'm recommending it but I don't believe it - How can this really work?

BETT Find - Hopscotch - Like Blockly but it's an App (Free and highly rated)

BETT Find - Blockly - Learning Games and Code Without Typing (Like Scratch)

Google Buys UK DeepMind AI Start Up

A brilliant publishing blog by the co-founder of Twitter - Inspiring reading, writing and publishing on any subject

The film 'Her' is well worth watching - He falls in love with his operating system! - AI that's almost believable

Hour of Code via Code.Org

Code Academy - NEW Brilliant Classroom Resources

HTML/CSS/Python Teaching Resources for use in the classroom. Includes Powerpoints which are really helpful

Python Examples with Code

This Site has many Python examples.  

Java - Examples and Code

This Site provides example code to look at and run providing an authentic link between Code and Run Code we may have seen before. Is the level of reinforcement enough?

The BECTA Self Review Framework

I think the NAACE BECTA SRF is still a great reflective tool which helps ICT coordinators to set appropriate targets. What do you think?

Primary Tracking Blog

6 Ways to track in Primary. Is this a useful Blog?