Author: George Milliken

Device Basics

Device Basics (Essential Skills)

device basics

back to Essential Teacher Digital Skills

Use the tabs section below to select a topic and see the tutorial videos for it:

These short videos explain how to open your browser, log in to Glow and use the launchpad.

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YouTube player

This video explains some of the essential skills for effective web searches – find out more on our information literacy page with this link:
go to information literacy page

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Accessibility features can make your devices and platforms easier to use but will vary depending on the device and platform but also your school or local authority settings. Start finding out what’s possible on these platforms:

This video playlist has some hints and tips to get you started:

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YouTube player
YouTube player

CyberFirst Colleges Project

CyberFirst College Pathways

 

Colleges are seeing a decline in the number of students undertaking the Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Cyber Security. Meanwhile, an increasing number of schools find it difficult to offer comprehensive pathways for learners in cyber security due to staffing and timetabling. This is having an impact on the number of learners progressing to Cyber Security courses offered by our colleges.

 

Education Scotland will be working with colleges across Scotland to pilot an approach that will offer places on colleges courses to learners directly from schools. The pilot will involve the college running a CyberFirst day where learners will be able to show the skills and knowledge they have developed as part of the NPA.

While attending the CyberFirst day young people will have the opportunity to take part in cyber security activities. These activities will be used by the college staff to assess whether the young people would be suitable candidates for the National Certificate (NC), HNC or Higher National Diploma (HND) in cyber security.  At the end of the CyberFirst day, all young people will be offered a place on a NC, HNC or HND course at the college.

West College Scotland and a Scottish based charity called Citizens of Cyber will deliver this programme of days.

  • West College Scotland – 6th March 2024, 20 places  
  • West Lothian College  – 4th March 2024, 13 places  
  • Edinburgh College  – 18th March 2024, – 18 spaces  
  • Borders College – 25th March 2024, – 36 spaces  
  • Ayrshire  College – 29th March 2024, – TBC spaces  

To find out more contact Scott.Hunter@educationscotland.gov.scot

Cyberfirst hubs

CyberFirst Hubs

Starting 2024/2025 we have partnered with 

  • West College Scotland.
  • West Lothian College.
  • Abertay University. 

These hubs will provide

  • Regional Computing Science Conference
  • Opportunities for CyberFirst Professional Learning
  • Networking opportunities for teachers to build their networks with Cyber professionals and business
  • Networking opportunities for children and young people to speak to Cyber students and professionals in college, university and industry

Cyberfirst hubs

Courses for Learners

CyberFirst Courses for Learners

The NCSC provide short courses designed to introduce the younger generation to the world of cyber security.  As part of CyberFirst Scotland programme all CyberFirst schools will be trained in deliver a number of these course (Trailblazers for S1, Adventurers for S2 and Advanced for NPA Cyber Security Level 6 learners).  

A CyberFirst teacher from your area will provide the resources and training or staff in your school.  The S1 and S2 courses can be delivered by any teacher after they have received the required training.

To find out more contact Scott.Hunter@educationscotland.gov.scot

Cyberfirst pipeline diagram multicolor on a grey background

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CyberFirst Schools Award

CyberFirst Schools Award

The NCSC is formally recognising schools in Scotland, that are committed to providing a structured approach to excellence in cyber security education.

The NCSC has appointed Education Scotland as a regional partner and they will manage the assessment and evaluation of CyberFirst School applications; the growth of the CyberFirst Schools community in the area and help facilitate engagement between industry and schools in the region through events and cyber-related activities.

CYBERFIRST-SCHOOLS-AWARD-APPLICATION-AND-REACCREDITATION-GUIDANCE-2024_2025

If you would like to find out more about the schools award contact Scott.Hunter@educationscotland.gov.scot 

Why become a CyberFirst School?

As a CyberFirst School you will get access to 

  • Professional learning delivered by the CF Teachers.
  • CyberFirst College Pathway Days for learners in your school. 
  • Funding for staff wanting to become dual qualified in Computing Science as part of the ATQ at UHI’
  • Early registration for National Computing Science conferences in November 2024.
  • access to Tryhackme for school delivering NPA at level 6.
  • CyberFirst merchandise, such as pin badges for all pupil that complete Trailblazers, Adventurers and the Advanced course.
  • Support from a CyberFirst lead teacher with curriculum development, resources and delivery of Trailblazers, Adventurers and the Advanced course. 
  • Learning and teaching resources for BGE and level 3 unit in Cyber Security and Living in a Digital World. 
  • Learning and teaching resources for BGE and level 4 unit in Cyber Fundamentals and internet safety.
  • Opportunities to build your network with Cyber Security business and industry in Scotland.   

Congratulations to our 2023/2024 CyberFirst schools

Gold

Girvan Academy, South Ayrshire

Hyndland Secondary School, Glasgow

Silver

St Margaret Mary’s Secondary,  Glasgow

St Matthew’s Academy, North Ayrshire

St Kentigen’s Academy, West Lothian

Stirling High, Stirling

Linlithgow Academy , West Lothian

St Andrew’s and St Bride’s high School, South Lanarkshire

Bronze

Ayr Academy, South Ayrshire

Belmont Academy, South Ayrshire

Carrick Academy, South Ayrshire

Kyle Academy, South Ayrshire

Marr College, South Ayrshire

Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire

Uddingtson Grammar, South Lanarkshire

Shawlands Academy, Glasgow

Rosshall Academy, Glasgow

St Andrew’s RC Secondary, Glasgow

Braidhurst High, North Lanarkshire

Queen Margaret Academy, South Ayrshire

Ardrossan Academy, North Ayrshire

Carluke High School, South Lanarkshire

CyberFirst Advisory Board

CyberFirst Advisory Board

The Advisory Group is made up of members from Education Scotland, Scottish Government, National Cyber Security Centre, a CyberFirst teacher ambassador and CyberFirst industry members.

Members of the group commit to engaging with, promoting and where possible supporting the work of CyberFirst programme in Scotland.

The members of the group will:

  • be CyberFirst members
  • endorse the yearly programme of activity
  • ensure added value and removal of duplication across the cyber activities for schools
  • foster positive relationships and links between education and industry

The group will meet quarterly for a maximum of two hours per meeting to monitor and review the progress of the programme in Scotland and help to shape the themes and make recommendations for change to future work. The diversity of the group will support its engagement with a range of sectors and stakeholders.

Advisory board members 

Scottish Government

Education Scotland

NCSC

YoungScot

SDS

West College Scotland

ScotlandIS

Daydream Believers

Dewar Cyber Consultancy

Abertay University

 

supporting resources for cyber ELC

Secondary Computing Science Resources

ipsum lorum

go to Secondary Computing home

Digital Learner diagram (landscape)

Apple: everyone can code 

Bebras problem solving challenge (unplugged)

Callysto (data science)

Code Club projects

Data Lab

Data Nation

Digital World (cyber and data careers)

EduBlocks

micro:bit makecode

Netsim simulator (networks)

Sphero
SQA – diagnostic questions (guidance)

SQA – understanding standards (guidance)

Trinket (Code Club projects) (web dev)
W3 (web dev)

Webinars Banner

Computing Science CLPL

ipsum lorum

go to Secondary Computing home

Digital Teacher diagram (landscape)

Available professional learning

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- Computing Science Scotland 2023 Many thanks to the learners, educators and presenters that made #CSScotland23 a success! Between 6th-10th November 2023, 9658 learners from 384 schools from 29 local authorities took part in our live… …
- Recap Huge thanks to Data Education in Schools for running this session! Agents K (Kate Farrell) and J (Jasmeen Kanwall) guided recruits through a series of taxing problems during this escape room event.  Brief: You… …
- Recap on session and resources During this session, Brian explored machine learning using the website machinelearningforkids.co.uk. Learners were guided through one activity where learners trained a machine learning model to recognise different ways someone might… …
- Recap Lorna Gibson from the Micro:Bit Education Foundation guided learners through a coding activity to turn you micro:bit into a (virtual!) hot potato!  This particular activity looks at using loops and variables to create a… …
- Callum Croughan, Mary Frances Stewart, Zoe Shanks and Alistair Mackay –  Digital School Digital Pedagogy Practitioners guided learners through building a maze game using Makecode Arcade  Learners explored aspects of computing science such as variables,… …
- This live lesson saw Craig and Daniel from Cyber Skills Live guide participants through using data about themselves to create an abstract self portrait using code. (This is activity 5 on the website).  All of… …
- Resources from Games Design Workshops 6/11/23 and 8/11/23 Amanda Ford from West College Scotland took participants through Game Design techniques focussing on the purpose and scope of the game, followed by a session on level… …
- Resources from App Prototyping Workshop from 8/11/23 We hope you enjoyed the app prototyping session with our colleagues from Inspire Learning in the Scottish Borders. The presentation from the Inspire Learning team can be found… …
- Join us and our partners from across the country to celebrate Computing Science!  For the week of Monday 6th - Friday 10th November 2023, we are delighted to be delivering a host of live lessons… …
- The course is designed to allow you to teach computing within secondary schools as it has the required numbers of credits stated by the GTCS. The programme is designed to be a roll on roll… …