Programming and more: CPD* for GCSE computing
*CPD = continuing professional development
1. The 10-week course format (information taken from the Autumn 2013 course)
Event details This course is for teachers preparing to teach Computing at GCSE or beyond. The course focuses on programming using a textual language and on understanding the essential concepts of the workings of a computer.
The course will run for ten weeks, including during half term. Each session will last for two hours, from 5pm to 7pm. It will take place in the Engineering Building at Queen Mary, University of London, E1 4NS.
Programming Language: The main course language is Python, a popular language in schools, although the concepts you will learn using Python will be applicable to other languages.
Prerequisites: Programming will be taught from scratch but we recommend that you should have tried at least a little programming beforehand (for example, using Scratch, Kodu, Alice or a similar tool). It is not essential to have used a textual programming language before.
Highlights include:
- The course fee includes a Raspberry Pi for each teacher to keep, used for programming and exploring computers, both during the course and in your own time.
- The course leaders are from Computer Science at Queen Mary, University of London, the home of cs4fn, a respected resource for teachers and students about computing. As well as teaching undergraduate computer science, they have experience of talking in schools and producing fun computing activities for students.
- Flexible Study Pattern: Material will be available on QMUL’s VLE, which is accessible from anywhere and includes recorded lectures, forums and online tests. The study pattern provides flexibility, allowing for occassional unavoidable absence. The weekly sessions at QMUL will focus on practical programming work. To get the best out of the course, participants should expect to do additional study using the VLE.
Week
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Programming
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How Computers Work
|
1
|
Python expressions and variables.
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Component of the Raspberry Pi
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2
|
Writing scripts; simple input and output.
|
The Operating System
|
3
|
Conditional statement; boolean expressions
|
Boolean logic and truth tables
|
4
|
While loops; finding faults
|
Binary representation
|
5
|
Dry running a program
|
Memory and storage
|
6
|
Arrays (lists)
|
CPU, caching and performance
|
7
|
Testing
|
Communication principles
|
8
|
Pseudo code and flowcharts
|
Internet components
|
9
| Functions. Problem solving |
Logic gates and boolean algebra
|
10
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Using files; designing programs for file I/O
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Binary adder circuits
|
2. The 5-day course format (information taken from the Summer 2013 week-long course)
This course is for teachers preparing to teach Computing at GCSE or beyond. The course focuses on programming using a textual language and on understanding the essential concepts of the workings of a computer.
The course will run for five straight days over one week, from 19–23 August 2013. Each day will incorporate 5 hours of instruction, starting at 10am and ending at 4pm. It will take place in the ITL Building at Queen Mary, University of London, E1 4FZ.
The main course language is Python, a popular language in schools. Programming will be taught from scratch but we recommend that you should have tried at least a little programming beforehand (for example, using Scratch, Kodu, Alice or a similar tool). The ideas you will learn using Python will be applicable to other languages; we will make some comparisons.
Highlights include:
- The course fee includes a Raspberry Pi for each teacher to keep, used for practical programming both during the course and in your own time.
- The course leaders are from Computer Science at Queen Mary University of London, the home of cs4fn, a respected resource for teachers and students about computing. As well as teaching undergraduate computer science, they have experience of talking in schools and producing fun computing activities for students.
- Material will be available on QMUL’s VLE, which is accessible from anywhere.
Day
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Programming
|
How Computers Work
|
1 - morning
|
Introduction to the course
Using Python interactively: integers, string and expressions.
|
Component of the Raspberry Pi
|
1 - afternoon
|
Writing scripts; simple input and output.
Variables; distinguishing string and numbers
|
Computer logic and truth tables
|
2 - morning
|
Conditional statement; boolean expressions; dry running programs
|
Binary numbers
|
2 - afternoon
|
While loops; testing programs
|
Binary arithmetic
|
3 - morning
|
Simple functions; finding faults
|
Computer memory
|
3 - afternoon
|
While loops; programming style
|
The CPU; smaller, faster, hotter
|
4 - morning
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Lists and for loops
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Storage; performance
|
4 - afternoon
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Functions with parameters
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Operating systems: processes
|
5 - morning
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Using files
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Operating system: files
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5 - afternoon
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Comparison with other languages
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Networks
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