Demystify Computer Science – AQA &
Microsoft
IT Skills Management Company
Ray Chambers
Garry Corcoran
This Session
• Introduction to the course and VLE – Garry 10 mins
• Access to Learning Resources – Mike 20 mins
• Covering some of the learning outcomes of “The use
of computer technology in society”
– Ray 60 mins 1 x 20 minute introduction / 2 x 20 minute
tasks
• Links to employment pathways Garry 10 mins
• Preparation for the following 10 sessions –Ray 10
mins
• QA 10 mins
The Course
• Designed for teachers by teachers
• Delivered by a teacher
• Most beneficial for new entrant
teachers or revision
• Covering all the learning outcomes
• Linked to The Microsoft Technology
Associate (MTA)
The Partners
• AQA – The Awarding Body
• The Teachers and the Students
• Microsoft – The Microsoft Technology
Associate certification (MTA)
• ITSkillsman - Microsoft Academy
Service Partner
• Certiport – test provider for the MTA
The Mapping
How GCSE and MTA align
The GCSE was developed jointly with
reference to the Microsoft Technology
Associate
The VLE
• What it does and all about it?
Garry or Ray to design and demonstrate
Participate ?
Objectives
Provide engaging training
Access through a web
browser
Develop community
Q &A and chat facility
available for users in
session
Poll questions to check
understanding
Able to download
documents, code
examples during session
Recordings available to
review
Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
Books
Student Study Guides
Exam Review Kits
PowerPoint presentations
Microsoft Faculty
Partners in Learning (PiL)
Resources
• Books and PowerPoints
http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ search Microsoft MTA
• Student Study Guides
www.certiport.com/ search for Microsoft Technology Associate
• Microsoft Faculty
www.microsoft.com/education/facultyconnection/ programming
• Partners in Learning (PiL)
http://www.pil-network.com/ and
http://www.microsoft.com/education/ww/partners-in-learning
More Resources
•
•
•
•
•
Dreamspark
Microsoft IT Academy Program (ITA)
MTA certification practice exams
MTA certification exams
E-learning – SQL, Visual Studio
More Resources
• Dreamspark
https://www.dreamspark.com/
• Microsoft IT Academy Program (ITA)
Including e-learning SQL, Visual Studio
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/itacademy/default.aspx
• MTA certification practice / exams
www.certiport.com/
Why ITSkillsman?
Not just a course – supported resources
for new Computer Science GCSE
Clearly establishes Microsoft Technology
Associate & AQA GCSE alignment
Gain confidence to find and use nontraditional resources
Join community to share ideas
Course overview
Course
Content
Including
Course 1:
An overview of the computer and
networking structures
Computer structure and networking
Course 2:
Programming Fundamentals 1*
Course 3:
Programming Fundamentals 2*
Constants , variables and data types, Structures,
program flow control
Procedures and functions, variables, error handling
Course 4:
Practical Programming component
Kinect, Gadgeteer, DreamSpark
Course 5:
Programming Fundamentals 3*
Handling external data, Algorithms
Course 6:
Programming Fundamentals 4*
Course 7:
Programming Fundamentals 5*
Course 8:
Programming Fundamentals 6*
Data representation, Software development
lifecycle, prototyping
Application testing, web application concepts, Use
of external code sources
Database concepts
Course 9:
Procedures and resources
Signposting to additional resources, assessment and
labour market intelligence
Course 10:
Programme completion and revision
Review and revision, FAQs, assessment information,
current and future trends
* MTA Software Development Fundamentals is core to all of these courses + MTAs in
.NET, Web, Gaming, HTML5 and Mobile will be referenced where appropriate
Activity!
• Survey Monkey - Based on the learning
outcomes as a diagnostic tool
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LWCLQBR
Practical Programming
• Tasks are set by AQA and each student will
complete two tasks from a choice of four.
• These can be submitted either through an
individual portfolio of work in either hard
copy or electronic form.
• Each students must complete two
scenarios.
Practical Programming
• Each of the assessments will take about 25
hours to complete.
• Each task will be marked out of a total of
63 marks.
–
–
–
–
Design of solution
Solution development
Programming techniques used
Testing and evaluation
1.16 The use of Computer
Technology in society
•
•
•
•
•
It’s all around us!
Kinect
Web Apps
Phone Apps
Relational Databases
1.16 The use of Computer
Technology in society
• Students should be able to evaluate the
effectiveness of computer programs /
solutions
• Be able to evaluate the impact of issues
related to the use of computer
technology in society.
1.12 Application Testing
• Understand the need for rigorous testing of
coded solutions
• Understand the different types of test that can
be used, including unit/modular testing
• Be able to create suitable test plans and carry
out suitable testing to demonstrate their
solutions work as intended.
• Be able to hand test simple code
designs/algorithms using trace tables.
Introduction To Programming
• Covering
– 3.1.1 – Constants Variables and data types
– 3.1.9 - Algorithms
• Introducing
–
–
–
–
–
–
Algorithms
Variables
Constants
Data Types
Arrays
Operators
Introduction To Programming
• Introducing Algorithms
– An algorithm is a set of ordered and finite
steps to solve a given problem.
– For example… we have two values and we
can compare them so that they output
either one value or another.
Introduction To Programming
Start
Input Start Age
Input Student
Age
Is Student
Age> Start
Age
Not Accepted
Stop
Yes
No
Accepted
Introduction To Programming
• Use flow charts
– Great for showing what should happen
– Great for planning
– Shows the end result
– Shows overall picture of what was
planned.
– Useful for testing
Introduction To Programming
• Variables
– Known as a place holder to store values. Can be shown
in a number of data types
– INT number = 55;
– Can be modified easily to store a different value.
– When teaching my students I sometimes refer to a
variable as a BUCKET. They can imagine how it holds
the value and how it can be emptied and used again.
Introduction To Programming
• Constants
• Constants are a little different to normal
variables in that they cannot be modified.
• They declaration is similar in that it
requires the data type but it uses the word
“Const” before it.
– Const int number = 30;
Introduction To Programming
• Data Types
• Within the programming language you will
find that there are many data types which
can be used.
• The table on the next table shows a table
referring to a computer running a 32-bit
operating system such as windows 7. 64
bit machines will have different sizes.
Introduction To Programming
Data Type
Size
Range Of Values
Byte
1 byte
0 to 255
Char
2 bytes
U + 0000 to U + ffff (Unicode
characters)
Short
2 bytes
-32,768 to 32,767
Int
4 bytes
-2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647
Long
8 bytes
-9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to
9,223,372,036,854,775,807
Float
4 bytes
± 1.5 x 10-45 to ± 3.4 x 1038
Double
8 bytes
± 5.0e – 324 to ±1.7e308
Bool
2 bytes
True or false
string
-
Zero to more Unicode characters
Introduction To Programming
• Understanding Arrays
• An array is a collection of items which each item can be
accessed by using a unique index.
– Helps us to read and analyse repetitive data.
– We can loop through the array to analyse the array quickly.
• Int[] numbers = {1,2,3,4,5};
– When looking for a value, arrays always start with the first
number as 0.
– Numbers[0] would be number 1,
– Numbers[1] would call on number 2 and so on.
Introduction To Programming
Numbers stored in the array
Empty Cells
1
2
3
Storage Numbers
Introduction To Programming
• Operators
• Operators are symbols that specific which
operation to perform on the operands
before returning the result.
– Used in a number of situations
• Algorithms use them to check or compare answers
in order to get there result.
• There are a number of different operators
used throughout programming.
Introduction To Programming
Category
Operators
Primary
x.y f(x) a[x] x+ + x - - new type of checked unchecked
Unary
+ - ! ~ + + x - - X (T) x
Multiplication
*/%
Additive
+-
Shift
<<>>
Relational and type testing
< > <= >= is as
Equality
== !=
Logican AND
&
Logical XOR
^
Logical OR
|
Conditional AND
&&
Conditional OR
||
Conditional ternary
?:
Assignment
= *= /= += -= <<= >>= &= ^= |=
Mobile Phone Apps
• If you have received the documentation
before hand, you will have already
downloaded the following requirements:
– http://explore.appinventor.mit.edu/ (Google
account required)
– http://explore.appinventor.mit.edu/content/
windows (Install file for Windows – Runs
Emulator)
Mobile Phone Apps
– Introduction into mobile phone
application development.
• “Using Computer Technology Within Society”
• “Prototyping”
• “Application testing”
– Simple step by step guide to get you on
your way.
Mobile Phone Apps
• Setting up a simple app which will store
and retrieve values into global values.
• Showing how to move between screens
on a mobile phone application.
• A simple starter to the Mobile
Assignment “Chip Rider”
Mobile Phone Apps
•
•
•
•
DEMO GIVEN (will supply videos)
Includes setting up a simple application
How to set up a database
How to recall the data from the
database
Using global variables
Mobile Phone Application
QUICK TEST / SURVEY TO CHECK
UNDERSTANDING….
Kinect Application
• If you have received the documentation
before hand, you will have already
downloaded the following requirements:
– Visual Studio 2010 C#
• Students can access this free at Dream Spark
– Kinect SDK Version 1.5 (Newest Release)
• Free to access from the Kinect for windows
website.
– You may need a Kinect for this tutorial
Kinect Application
If you do not have a Kinect, then you will
still be able to compile your programs
using Visual Studio 2010.
Kinect Application
Please download the sample files found in
the shared area:
• Sample 1 – Introduction to Kinect
Movement
• Sample 2 – Using Kinect to get pictures to
follow your hand
Kinect Application
DEMO GIVEN (will supply videos)
• How to update text boxes based on
Kinect Movement
• How to change values and variables
instantly using Kinect Movement
Kinect Application
QUICK TEST / SURVEY TO CHECK
UNDERSTANDING….
Evaluate impact!
POLL DELIVERED THROUGH WEBINAR
SOFTWARE
Careers and Roadmaps!
• MTA roadmap and MS roadmap links
Q and A
Calls to Action
Self Test with
Microsoft
Digital Literacy
Curriculum
Sign up for the
CPD Package –
details from
AQA
Complete the
Skills Scan to
help with CPD
planning –
Survey Monkey
Join us on the
first session on
Tuesday
October 2nd at
4 p.m. 
Thank you!