Author: Louise Foreman

08 March 16:00, This is Computing Science, 4 part course

Education Scotland have partnered with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT to deliver this 4 part course to develop your knowledge of teaching computing science across the BGE curriculum, highlighting some of the free resources such as Barefoot and Scratch. This course is suitable for those already teaching or planning to teach computing science and will help fill potential gaps in knowledge.

31st Jan – Workshop 1 Pedagogy and Computing Science

Learn more about key pedagogical approaches to programming, including PRIMM (Predict, Run, Investigate, Modify and Make), Use-Modify-Create, Semantic Waves and Parson’s Problems. We’ll explore each approach through hands-on activities and examples, illustrating how these research-backed teaching and learning methods can be applied in your curriculum.

14th Feb, Workshop 2 – Computational Thinking across the curriculum

Computational Thinking, critical thinking and problem-solving top the World Economic list of skills that employers believe will grow in prominence in the next five years. This first session will explore why it’s important for your students to learn computing science and you’ll learn about key computational thinking skills through “unplugged” activities – proving you don’t need expensive kit to teach computing. You’ll take away a range of lesson ideas you can try immediately with your learners.

28th Feb & 8th March, Workshop 3 & 4 Coding and Programming – Code along using Scratch

Take your computing science knowledge to the next level with these interactive code along session. Get to grips with Scratch programming and the concepts of sequence, repetition and selection through a series of Scratch programming challenges. This workshop will build on the previous sessions as we explore how the pedagogy of computing science and computational thinking skills are applied when programming and coding.

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

17th Jan, 4pm iDEA – Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award

Come join us on 17th January at 4pm to learn about the free digital skills learning platform iDEA.org.uk, and their exciting new project with Digital Xtra Fund and Scottish Government to launch a Gold-level badge on digital ethics!

The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA, is helping people of all stages and ages develop digital and enterprise skills, discover new talents and gain digital confidence, for free.

There are over 80 bite-sized, interactive learning modules available to try on iDEA which have been created with industry experts and innovative employers. iDEA enables learners to showcase their skills as they earn digital badges, certificates and Awards which can be added to LinkedIn profiles, CVs and applications to help them stand out from the crowd.

iDEA has teamed up with Digital Xtra Fund and the Ethical Digital Nation team at Scottish Government to create a badge on digital ethics that aims to raise awareness of current and potential ethical issues that we all face in an increasingly digital world, to help learners gain an understanding of why digital ethics is important, and to help them develop skills and confidence to be a responsible digital citizen. Learners will even get to play the role of a Digital Ethics Consultant to advise an online start-up in the badge!

Join us to learn more about how iDEA can support you as a learner or an educator and be among the first to hear all about the new Digital Ethics Gold badge! Event attendees will also get to sign-up to beta test this badge before it is launched to the public.

Book your place here 

This is micro:bit 3 part course

The micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that introduces you to how software and hardware work together. It has an LED light display, buttons, sensors and many input/output features that, when programmed, let it interact with you and your world.  The new micro:bit, V2, with sound adds a built-in microphone and speaker, as well as an extra touch input button and a power button.

Join Micro:bit Educational Foundation in this 3 part course.

Workshop 1 – Getting started with the micro:bit

Workshop 2 – Discovering micro:bit Classroom

Workshop 3 – Embedding micro:bit across our curriculum – Examples from practitioners in primary and secondary. Ask the experts Q&A

Book via our webinars page 

The Ada Scotland Festival, Oct, 2022: Addressing Gender Imbalance in Computing Science

It’s well known that Computing Science has much to do in way of gender balance. According to a report published by the BCS (2020), just 12% of pupils taking National 5 Computing Science in Scotland in 2020 were female. This figure falls to 7% for female pupils taking Computing Science at Higher, and just 2% at Advanced Higher.

Of course, these figures are reflected in uptake of Computing Science at university and college, and in Scotland’s tech workforce. But we lose potential female talent long before choices are being made about university courses and career paths. From primary school – if not even earlier – girls are given the impression that computers are ‘not for them’.

For example, one of our current female Graduate Apprentices at the University of Glasgow was told that she should study administration, rather than computing. Why? Because she was a girl. Now, years later, she’s changed careers and is excelling on our Software Engineering programme.

Closer to home, when my own daughter was in Primary Two, she was told (by a male pupil) that she couldn’t choose Pokémon as her ‘show and tell’ topic. Why? Because computer games were for boys.

These examples hopefully illustrate what we’re up against, and why the Ada Scotland Festival exists: to challenge stereotypes and encourage more women and girls to get involved in Computing Science.

The Ada Scotland Festival brings together partners involved in addressing gender imbalance in Computing Science and tech across Scotland. Our partners include employers, universities, and schools, delivering a range of talks, competitions, and activities in October each year.

The Festival launched in October 2020, featuring 32 partners, 16 live events, and dozens of other activities. In 2021, we featured 19 live events and many new partners, and the 2022 Festival – due to kick off at the new Barclays campus in Glasgow on 12 October – is shaping up to be bigger still.

This year, we’re delighted to be able to offer some in-person events for the first time, in addition to online sessions. All of our events will be posted at https://ada.scot/2022.  If your school would like to get involved, please drop us a line at hello@ada.scot – we’d love to hear from you.

In the meantime, you can find details of many of last year’s events and activities on the ada.scot website. There are also video recordings of many of our previous events. And, if you’d like to stay in touch please register for our newsletter.

By working together, we can ensure the opportunities offered by Computing Science are available to all – join us!

 Dr Matthew Barr is Director of the Ada Scotland Festival – https://ada.scot/

CALL Scotland Professional Learning Offer

CALL Scotland help children and young people across Scotland to overcome disability and barriers to learning using Assistive Technology. Their small team of teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Assistive Technologists and support staff are based at the University of Edinburgh.  We have Service Level Agreements with 18 out of 32 Local Authorities and travel all over Scotland carrying out individual pupil assessments and providing associated training.

Have a look at their website to see all the services they offer which includes a wide range of Professional Learning open to everyone.

  • Free online learning modules: The modules are at aimed at teachers, learning support staff, parents and/or anyone who would like to learn more about the potential of technology to support learners with ASN.  We have 4 new ones on offer:
      • Technology to support dyslexia
      • Using the iPad to support literacy
      • Technology to support visual impairment
      • Creating Accessible documents

 

  • Online 90 minute courses: These are delivered through Microsoft Teams on a wide range of topics all based round the use of Assistive Technology to support children and young people with Additional Support Needs.  Cost: £40 each course
  • 20 minute webinars: Free live webinars delivered every second Wednesday with the opportunity to ask your questions at the end.  Webinars can also be viewed at a later date from our Archives section.

We also have our 2 Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) free online modules on offer:

      • Introduction to AAC
      • AAC in Education (Supporting learners with Complex Communication Support Needs)
  • Technology to support dyslexia in education: This 5 week online course starting on October 25, 2022 will focus on and explore a range of technologies, resources, and strategies to support learners with literacy difficulties arising from dyslexia. This course is a technology-based course for educators and other professionals working within the Scottish Education sector who want to learn how assistive technology can support learners with dysleixia to overcome barriers to learning.   Cost:  £200

 

  • Technology for ASN in Education: This innovative and exciting 10-week online course is aimed at educators who would like to increase their knowledge on how technology can expand educational opportunities for learners with Additional Support Needs (ASN), i.e., arising from conditions such as dyslexia, sensory impairment, severe and complex learning needs, autism, and communication difficulties.  The focus of the course will highlight and explore a range of assistive technologies and resources for pupils who require additional support within an educational context to address barriers to learning. Cost: £450

Schools can book a trainer from CALL Scotland to come out to their school to deliver an in-person, hands on bespoke training session.  Please contact Shirley.lawson@ed.ac.uk to discuss your training requirements or ask any questions.  Our diary does fill up quickly especially on In-Service days so get in quickly with date requests!

Scottish schools to receive 20 micro:bits

Every primary and secondary school in Scotland will receive 20 V.2 micro:bits, in a partnership between The Micro:Bit Education Foundation, Nominet and The Scottish Government. The roll out of these devices started in May 2022 and is still continuing.  Alongside this there is free comprehensive teaching resources and professional learning for all educators.  Primary schools will be the first to receive the devices followed by secondary schools.

The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that introduces you to how software and hardware work together. It has an LED light display, buttons, sensors, built-in microphone and speaker, and many input/output features that, when programmed, let it interact with you and your world.

Professional Learning Offer

  • Resources and professional learning to get you started with microbit.org/primary
  • Professional learning courses from micro:bit – Micro:bit Educational Foundation (thinkific.com)
  • New 3 part course, This is Micro:bit, which can be found on the webinars page of DigiLearnScot.  This course will be offered again in the new academic year 22′-23′.
  • DigiLearnComputingScience provides a comprehensive overview of the micro:bit V1 and V2 and you can also access our watch again webinar on Getting started with micro:bit.
  • The Micro:bit Education Foundation provides extensive access to learning resources, ideas, and support to help get practitioners and learners started using the devices or to move onto more complex projects using the micro:bit.
  • Barefoot have created lesson plans to support outdoor learning with the micro:bit for ages 7 – 11.
  • Request free micro:bit posters and stickers for your school here.
  • Join our national computing science glow teams community for ELC & primary educators here.