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glasgow school of art open day

Glasgow School of Art Open House at The School of Innovation + Technology, Sat 14 Dec 2024 at 13:00

Open House at The School of Innovation + Technology – Glasgow School of Art, Sat 14 Dec 2024 at 13:00

Come and join our creative community for a taste of studio life, speak to students + staff and get an insight into your time at the GSA.

Find our more and sign up using this Eventbrite link

 

 

The School of Innovation and Technology(SIT) invite you to an open studios event at the Glasgow Campus.

Book for this event to tour the SIT facilities and studios and meet with programme staff and current students and experience just a bit of our studio culture.

 

Please note this event is for Undergraduate Programmes within the School of Innovation and Technology only.

Highlights include: Undergraduate Study in SIT – Sound, Games & 3D, 13:00-15:30

Come and learn more about our undergraduate programmes in sound, games, VR and 3D modelling at The Glasgow School of Art’s School of Innovation & Technology and see our new studios in Glasgow’s city centre. There will be an opportunity to meet and chat with tutors, learn about the programmes and see (and experience!) a range of student work in sound, virtual reality, and more.

• 13:00 Welcome talk – UG study

• 13:30 Talks and tours:

o Studying BDes Sound for the Moving Image

o Studying BSc Immersive Systems Design (Games & VR and 3D Modelling)

Sign up using this Eventbrite link

A VERY Computational Christmas Quiz

Can you beat the quiz?

Got what it takes to beat our Very Computational Christmas Quiz?

20 questions, no time limit.  Try it on your own, as a group or as class!  Let us know how you do @digilearnscot

TRY THE QUIZ

Too easy?  Looking for a different challenge?

Why not try to customise our quiz code with your own questions, colours and images.  Interested?  Follow out tutorial below…

Customise our Quiz with Code

The quiz was built using HTML, CSS and Javascript – key languages of the web!

Take me to the Quiz Editor

You can use our tool to edit your own quiz – follow the instructions below

Instructions

STEP 1: Edit the name of the quiz  and who its by (HTML)

STEP 2: Change the background and the colours (CSS)

STEP 3: Edit and add your own questions (Javascript) and save

Curriculum Review CompSci

Computing Science Review – Workshop 1

Provocations

There were a number of speakers during  the morning session to set the scene and provide stimulus for discussions.

  • You can watch and / or download the presenters slides below.
  • You are may wish to add your thoughts, individually, or from a group perspective to the discussion boards.
  • The purpose of this first session is to identify the WHY and the WHAT of Computing Science.  The key questions asked are

Question Set 1

  • Where are we now?
  • How is Computing Science contributing to the 4 capacities – what is working?

Record feedback on Board 1

Question Set 2

  • Why Computing Science?
  • Looking ahead to 2030, what knowledge, skills and attributes will learners require to realise the ambitions of computing science in education?
  • What are the challenges and opportunities for learners in acquiring the knowledge, skills and attributes you have identified?

Record feedback on Board 2

NOTES
The boards have been set so you can only see your own responses at this time. This is so we can capture independent responses.  However, we will make all the cards public once people have had the chance to contribute.

This session is about the curriculum – as such the focus should be on that as opposed to issues such as DPIAs, tech infrastructure, teacher recruitment.  While these are all issues that are important and require work, it is not the main aim of this session.

Provocations

Andrew Creamer
 

The Curriculum Improvement Cycle

Slides: AC CIC

Karen Meechan
 

Industry Perspective

Slides: NA

Brian Clark
 

Computing Science in Scotland

Slides: CS in Scotland

Iain Shand
 

Computing Science in Further Education

Slides: Overview of Computing in Further Education 26-11-2024

Sue Sentance
 

Computing Science Education – Big Picture

Slides: Computing Science Big Picture Sue Sentance

Quintin Cutts
 

Computing Science: STACS – where are we?

Slides: STACS Where Are We with Computing?

learn to code scratch with jp morgan

Teach the Teacher training – Scratch coding by JP Morgan

What is Teach the Teacher?  

Teach the Teacher is part of the pro bono STEM program offered by JP Morgan. This runs alongside other initiatives to train primary school children to do basic coding in a ‘language’ called Scratch. 

 

What is the learning intention of Teach the Teacher? 

To upscale primary school teachers and to give them the skills (and more importantly the confidence) to be able to run Scratch code club sessions for pupils.  

 

Are there any prerequisites? 
No prior coding knowledge required. 

Access to:  

  • A device that has internet connectivity to run Scratch and access the web resources  
  • A reliable internet connection for video presentation or content sharing (virtual only) 

 

What is the structure of the program?  
There are currently 2 standard offerings available: 

  • Virtual online (6 week block)  – 6 x 1 hour sessions  
  • In-person (3 week block)3 x 2 hour sessions  

 

Benefits  

  • Equips teacher with basic skills required to run code clubs and complete basic Scratch lessons independently  
  • Virtual or on-site  
  • Allows the teacher to share knowledge and train colleagues in the primary school  
  • No experience necessary 

 

If you would like to register your primary school and either of the offered programs then please contact:
jpmc.stem.primary.support@jpmorgan.com 

 

About JP Morgan 

As well as being a global leader in financial services, JP Morgan is one of the world’s biggest technology-driven companies. JP Morgan offer a number of volunteer-led programs to help increase pupils’ interest and knowledge in STEM subjects through basic introduction to coding. 

These sessions are offered virtually and in-person with an ultimate objective to help primary schools to continue their learning journey on these topics after the program is complete.  

The BIG BIG Computing Quiz – Download

techfest 24 save the date

Scotlands Digital Science Festival 1st to 8th November – Powered by Techfest

As part of Scotland’s Digital Science Festival, powered by TechFest, a number of online sessions are taking place that your Secondary School students won’t want to miss!

These dynamic events are packed with fascinating content and practical insights that are sure to inspire and engage your pupils!

Friday 1st November, 18:30 via zoom:

An Eye Below Zero, a Long Term Look at the Poles 

45 years of polar experience have given Doug Allan a unique perspective on both the Arctic and Antarctic. He’ll be telling exciting and inspiring stories about the winter he spent with Emperor penguins, and his face to face encounters with polar bears. But Doug has also witnessed how the warming of the poles is affecting the animals. He’ll explore the innovative and imaginative steps and solutions that we can adopt to take on the challenge. We can still turn the tide.

Register Here

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Saturday, 2 November, 19:00 via zoom:

Campaigning for Change: Banning Disposable Vapes 

Can grassroots activism really create meaningful change? Absolutely! Join Laura Young who proved this theory true. Laura is the founder of the campaign to ban disposable vapes, which has prompted legislative change across the UK. She will share her campaign journey, top tips & key takeaways at this online talk!

Register Here

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Sunday, 3 November, 19:00 via zoom:

How to Robot-Proof Your Kids

AI makes many promises about making life easier. Companies are selling AI to read your emails and then write your responses. But at a time when all of the world’s knowledge is free in your pocket, your value is your unique voice. From augmented intelligence to neuroprosthetics, Dr. Ming will explore how we can use AI not to make life easier but to make ourselves better.

Register Here

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Wednesday, 6 November, 19:00 via zoom:

The Straight A’s Brain

What if your child could remember superhuman amounts of information and never forget what they studied for exams? Can they boost focus and concentration while taking care of their brain? Join Dr. T, Aberdeen’s TV psychiatrist, for an exciting online workshop where they’ll unlock powerful memory techniques, brain health tips, and study hacks for kids and teens (ages 8-16). Parents can join too, learning top tips to help their kids ace school and study smarter than ever before!

Register Here

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Thursday, 7 November, 11:00 via teams:

Pokémaths: The Maths of Pokémon

Delivered by fantastic Dr Tom Crawford aka Tom Rocks Maths, the Pokémaths: The Maths of Pokémon session will investigate how many Pikachu’s it takes to power a lightbulb. How much a Charizard eats? And why the world of Pokémon seems to ignore the basic laws of physics! Dr Tom Crawford looks at the maths one of the world’s favourite video games.

Register Here

 

#CSW24 featured image

#CSW24 – Computing Science Week Scotland 2024

Computing Science Week 2024 will run from November 4th to 15th 2024. Both weeks will comprise of Live Lessons, Success Sharing Sessions, Educator Webinars, and a face to face event in between to bring educators together and share good practice.

Week 1 has a mainly low code theme, with a few exceptions. It showcases the ways in which Computing can be explored without always having to focus exclusively on code based activities.

Week 2 will be hands-on coding activities for pupils and educators alike.

Click the links to see which sessions you would like to attend.

tackling digital exclusion

Recommended reading: Tackling Digital Exclusion – Audit Scotland

This blog post is a summary of key points in Audit Scotland’s report that might be useful for educational settings, such as schools, nurseries and local authorities to consider.

Read the full report with this link Tackling digital exclusion (audit.scot).

 

“Digital exclusion is strongly associated with poverty and people with certain protected characteristics.” 

Anyone working with groups that may be at-risk of digital exclusion should consider the potential barriers in place to them accessing and using such technology. If there are analogue alternatives, these should be as effective and readily available, along with support, training and access provision for people to engage with them.

 
Where this is not the case, the Royal Society (2022) talk about the double loop of poverty where analogue factors are entrenched by digital ones to doubly affect those at risk of exclusion.

 

 

Some of the impacts of digital exclusion that are more likely to surface in education are: 

  • making it harder to access services and information  
  • making it more difficult for parents to engage with children’s education  
  • incurring debts or being unable to make payments if they lack the skills and confidence to use online payment methods.

 

Some of these, more than others, relate directly to rights of individuals, including: 

  • Right to receive and impart information 
  • Right to education 

Many schools and local authorities already have digital leaders or champions, and I imagine that ensuring these families are not digitally excluded is high on the list of school improvement actions anywhere digital is included. 

 

 

The report also calls for a Scottish minimum digital living standard (MDLS) which “includes, but is more than, having accessible internet, adequate equipment, and the skills, knowledge and support people need. It is about being able to communicate, connect and engage with opportunities safely and with confidence.” 

 

This is an aspect we have tried to factor in our recent guidance on digital skills for learners and teachers. Ideally, this guidance will support local authorities and educational settings to develop such a set of skills and knowledge in learners with the aim of reducing digital exclusion from not having them. 

 

The last point that really resonated for education was ‘how poorly designed digital services without useable alternatives can lead to barriers to accessing services and have a negative impact on vulnerable people.’ 

Where apps are used to communicate learning to families on a regular basis – how effective are the non-app alternatives? How does a paper copy compare to video or verbal media shared on apps? Does the school or nursery make this feedback more equitable for families that need it? Perhaps in-person sharing on a regular basis?

If they don’t factor and mitigate this effectively, we risk having a ‘part of the population … unseen or unheard [as] the pace of technological change continues’. 

 

 

Computing Science in Scotland – Update

Over the next few months, we will be hosting a number of events to support Computing Science education in Scotland. These events include

  • Computing Science Week(s)
  • In Person Computing Science Conferences
  • Pilot Review of Computing Science education as part of the Curriculum Improvement Cycle 
  • Chat CST – A virtual sharing practice event for Computing Science Teachers
  • Live Lesson Programme

Read on to find out more about each event and how to take part…

Computing Science Week(s)

Now in it’s third year, Computing Science Week is bigger than ever before.  Now spanning over two weeks between 4th and 15th November 2024, we will be hosting a number of live lessons for teachers and learners to take part in during the day followed by professional learning sessions for educators after school.

These two weeks have been broadly arranged into a ‘No Code / Low Code’ week (4-9 Nov) and a Coding week (11-15 Nov)

During the first week, we will be running sessions around computational thinking, data science and tech for connectivity, with a bit of Scratch Jr and Microbit in there!

 

The second week will more focussed on code based activities for different ability groups and will feature sessions using Scratch, Web Development, Swift Playgrounds and AI.

Look out for the full programme of events coming soon!

In Person Computing Science Conference

The 2nd annual computing conference, organised by Education Scotland, is open to all early years practitioners, primary school teachers, and secondary school teachers who teach computing.

During this unmissable event, you will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts who will share insights into future career prospects and to attend practical breakout sessions designed to empower you with innovative teaching methods for the classroom,

The conference will be held on Saturday 9th November at 10am simultaneously at the following venues, all with live in person workshops;

  • West College Scotland – Abercorn Building – Renfrew Road, Paisley PA3 4DR
  • West Lothian College – Almondvale Crescent, Livingston, EH54 7EP
  • University of Abertay – Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG

When registering, you can choose the nearest venue to you.

The proposed agenda for the day is as follows

  • 9:30am Arrival. Registration and refreshments
  • 9:45am Welcome
  • 10:00am Keynote: Ollie Bray Strategic Director Education Scotland (streamed to all venues)
    11:00am-11:45pm
     Workshop Session 1
  • 11:55pm – 12:40pm Workshop Session 2
  • 12:45pm Lunch (provided)
  • 1:45pm – 2:30pm Workshop Session 3
  • 2:30pm Networking Event

When you complete registration, you will be forwarded to a Microsoft Form to allow you to select the three workshops that best suit your needs from a list and to allow you to select your dietary requirements.

Register for the conference

Computing Science – Pilot Curriculum Review

The 2021 OECD report on Scotland’s curriculum recognised the strengths of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), and made a range of recommendations to ensure that this strength would persist into the future including: “Develop a systematic approach to curriculum review. Scotland could consider establishing a curriculum review cycle with a planned timeframe and specific review agenda, led by the specialist stand-alone agency”.   
 

In line with this recommendation Education Scotland, along with STACS,  are undertaking a pilot curriculum review of Computing Science.  Education Scotland invites teachers across all sectors (including PTs/FHs, DHTs and HTs), ELC practitioners, local authorities, colleges, universities and other key stakeholders to apply to be part of this workshop. The workshop will take place on the 26th November 2024 from 10am until 3:30pm in Glasgow.

We anticipate high demand for this event and want to ensure that as many sectors, experience and geographic locations are represented. 

It would be useful to seek permission to attend this event prior to completing this form.

Please register your interest here before midnight on Sunday 3rd November 2024.  You will be contacted if you have been allocated a place at this workshop by Friday 8th November 2024.


More information about the curriculum improvement cycle can be found here

Register your interest in the review

Chat CST – A virtual sharing practice event for Computing Science Teachers

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
Spending time with peers discussing your subject is invaluable.  Recently, we were delighted to support and take part in Tech Talks –  a virtual event for design and technology teachers in Scotland.  
The event contained 12 15 minute presentations.  All the presentations were done by Design and Technology teachers (apart from Daydream Believers and a lecturer from Edinburgh University)  Essentially, each gave a 10 minute presentation and 5 mins for questions.

We are keen to host a similar event for Computing Science teachers towards the end of November / beginning of December that focusses on Planning, Learning, Teaching and Assessment.

We are currently gauging interest in this event via poll in Computing Science Glow Team.  All secondary teacher in Scotland who teach Computing can request to join this team. If you are member of this team, please indicate your interest here

Go to Glow Team Poll

Live Lessons supporting Computing Science

Our live lesson programme kicked off again in August this year.  We have been delighted to have a huge numbers of schools and learners join us and our very special presenters for live lessons already!    

woman sitting at a laptop

Our programme continues to evolve and grow so do look out for future sessions you and your learners can take part in!

This Month

Next Month

Later This Year

TechTok Recap University of Edinburgh, digilearnscot and Education Scotland logos

TechTok 2024: Video Recap

Below is a playlist of the sessions that were delivered by practitioners during TechTok24. Each video is linked below. Thanks to Russell White from Moray House for organising and hosting this successful virtual conference.