Category: Secondary

DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONS FOR COMPUTING SCIENCE

There is a bank of diagnostic questions to support SQA Computing Science qualifications, as well as other qualifications and subjects at https://diagnosticquestions.com/

To find questions aligned to SQA content, select SQAComputingScience in the Author filter drop down.  You can refine questions further by selecting topics.

 

There is the ability to add your school and create classes to track and monitor progress.

 

Questions have plausible distractors and learners are asked to explain why they chose that particular answer.

Example Question and distractors

 

Learner response options

Visit DiagnosticQuestions

 

 

Everyone Can Code

When you teach code, you’re also teaching logic, creativity, and problem solving—skills all students need for the future. The Everyone Can Code curriculum from Apple introduces students to the world of coding through interactive puzzles, playful characters, and activities for both in and out of the classroom. And from the start, they’ll learn to code in Swift, the same programming language used by professionals to build powerful apps.

Everyone Can Code is a set of free resources built around the Swift Playgrounds app that inspires students to code and solve real-world challenges. It includes teacher and student guides that offer flexible, engaging lessons designed to work for an hour or an academic year.  There are complementary Swift Coding Club materials for after school clubs.  App showcases give aspiring coders a chance to celebrate their ingenuity with the community, whether they’re learning in or out of the classroom.

 

Learn more about Swift Playgrounds

View the Everyone Can Code curriculum

Visit Everyone Can Code

Online platforms and programmable devices on iPad

scratch coding
sphero robot

UPCOMING APPLE WEBINARS

04 May 2022, 16:00 – 17:00 Digital Futures Series Session 1: Discover the Tech Industry

4th May 2022, 16:00 – 17:00 Digital Futures Series Session 1 : Discover the Tech Industry This session, jointly presented by Education Scotland and Tablet Academy Scotland, aims to familiarise participants with Microsoft’s Explore the Digital Future resources which can support your pupils in preparing for a technology-driven world of work and careers in digital …

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05 May 2022, 16:00 – 17:00 Digital Futures Series Session 2: Coding

5th May 2022, 16:00 – 17:00 Digital Futures Series Session 2 : Coding This session, jointly presented by Education Scotland and Tablet Academy Scotland, aims to familiarise participants with Microsoft’s Explore the Digital Future coding resources which can support support your developing skills in skills and knowledge required for careers in digital industry. This five …

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The Oxford University Computing Challenge

The Oxford University Computing Challenge is an invitation challenge for those learners who score in the top 10% of the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge.
However, even if you’re not invited there are some great computational thinking challenges for your learners from last year that you can access and use freely.

 

Challenges – OUCC

Sign up for CyberFirst Girls Development Days!

This year’s CyberFirst Girls Competition was a great success with over 6,000 entries from across the UK! And we’re not stopping there – girls that entered the 2020/2021 competition are now eligible to attend free Development Days and continue their CyberFirst journey.

 

The CyberFirst Girls Development Day initiative is inspired and led by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ to encourage understanding of the different specialisms within cyber security and equip the girls with practical, in-demand skills.

 

On the day, the girls will be role-playing as cyber security experts working for a fictitious app company, Sirius Cyberworks. Unfortunately, disaster has struck and there has been a serious breach of the company network – a new flagship app has been leaked.

 

The girls’ role is to work through four different parts of the company, uncovering how the leak happened whilst learning new cyber skills along the way.

 

The development days are running throughout October and:

  • are open to girls now in S2/S3 in Scotland
  • consist of a series of fun, interactive one day face-to-face courses; or two half-day virtual sessions (depending on the preferred delivery model)
  • feature guest speakers and videos from trailblazing women leaders working in the cyber industry

 

Places fill up fast, so make sure you secure yours as soon as possible. Reserve your place today with your priority booking voucher code: CFSCOT2021

 

Click here to find out more and reserve your place or share with any friends or family who may be interested.

29 SEPTEMBER, 16:00 – 17:00 APPS FOR GOOD – MACHINE LEARNING

Explore machine learning including the ethics, benefits, and how you can use machine learning algorithms to solve a real world problems.

Apps for Good is a small independent charity giving young people the skills they need to thrive. For 10 years they’ve worked with teachers to unlock the potential of over 200,000 students around the UK and beyond. Their programmes support young people with the skills and confidence they need to thrive and empower them to be the purposeful innovators of the future. 

Sign up here

SQA ACADEMY – CLPL IN HTML/CSS/JA & SQL

This is a self paced course aimed at develop teacher skills and understanding to support delivery of Computing Science National Qualifications.There are a range of interactive learning resources developed by subject specialists to support teachers delivering Computing Science at National 5 and Higher. They are topic-based and cover a range of programming areas – HTML, CSS, JavaScript and SQL.

Visit SQA Academy

There are also a number of videos within the courses that illustrate how these technologies are used in industry that you may find useful to show learners. For example, how SkyScanner use SQL

To access the learning materials, you must create an account with SQA Academy.

Note: You will need to allow pop ups for SQA Academy to access the courses

11 May, 16:00 – 17:00, (Secondary) Get Started with Micro:Bit – Delivered by the Micro:Bit Education Foundation

Join the Micro:bit Educational Foundation to explore resources and tools to bring physical computing to the secondary curriculum.

About this Event

A staff Glow account will be required to access the Microsoft Team where the session will take place.

Join Aimée & Giles from the Micro:bit Educational Foundation to hear all about the resources and tools available to help you bring physical computing to the computing classroom with micro:bit, with links to CfE. Learn about the wealth of free materials and lessons available, plus online tools for coding in MakeCode and Python.

Free to join and no resources required – https://microbit.org/projects/

Sign up here

10 May, 16:00 – 17:00, CyberFirst summer courses

This webinar is for anyone who works with young people and/or parents. In the webinar you will have the opportunity to hear:

• About the different courses offered as part of the CyberFirst program

• See example of the content of the CyberFirst program

• Have an opportunity to ask any Questions

CyberFirst Advanced, Futures and Defenders learning programmes have been SCQF credit rated by SQA. These courses have also been certified by National Cyber Security Centre and should encourage young people to learn new skills, meet like-minded people and take the first step on their CyberFirst journey. Young people do not need to be studying for a Computer Science qualification but will need to have an interest in tech and computing.

Sign up here