Computing: what
shall we tell the kids?
A Lecture in Memory of Tom Conlon
Alan Bundy
University of Edinburgh
05/09/12
1
In Memory of Tom Conlon (1954-2008)

Lecturer at Moray House (1983-2008).
 Teacher, researcher, entrepreneur and
constructive critic of education policy.
 Dearly missed by generations of Scottish
computing teachers
 This lecture commemorates Tom’s unique
contribution.
05/09/12
2
Computational Thinking is Pervasive

Computation pervades all aspects of 21st
century life:


academia, industry, government, defence,
entertainment, social life, etc.
People:




ask new kinds of question;
accept new kinds of answer; and
form new kinds of theory.
Computers are all around us:

05/09/12
~100 owned by each UK family.
3
But Fewer Schoolchildren Study Computing

In many schools, ICT means
office product skills,
– which kids find boring and
repetitive.

Computing is not identified
with:
– careers at the cutting edge of
technology;
– using and creating exciting
systems.
05/09/12
25000
20000
15000
10000
Computing
Studies (Sgrade)
Computing
(Higher)
5000
0
4
Computing Careers?
“When one of the teachers
suggested to the parents of one
girl that perhaps she should go
into computing the parents said:
‘Oh we don't want Samantha just
to be a secretary.’ ”
From interview with Karen Spärck Jones,
winner of the 2007 BCS Lovelace Medal.
05/09/12
Computing Careers!

Diverse job opportunities in all sectors of the
economy.
 Estimated £250k extra lifetime earnings from
CS degree.
 eSkills claim max demand – supply in
Computing area.
 Includes both managerial and technical jobs.

School has essential role in educating for both.
05/09/12
Vicious Cycle
From Royal Society
Report: Shut down or
restart?
Describes English
situation.
Better in Scotland.
05/09/12
Scotland: The Good News

Computing content has been mainstream in
Scottish qualifications:


Before CfE at Standard Grade & Intermediate 2,
Higher and Advanced Higher;
with significant programming content.

Scottish Computing teachers are required to be
qualified.
 Computing outcomes are core CfE entitlement.
05/09/12
Scotland: The Bad News

Confusion between Computing and ICT.

A concern of Tom’s.

Declining uptake of Computing qualifications.
 12% fewer Computing teachers since 2006-7.

And 8% of schools with no Computing teacher.

Network lockdown restricts opportunities.
 Curriculum for Excellence:

Need to retain qualification quality and diversity.
05/09/12
Computing can be fun!

Lots of great teaching material.
 Backed by software aimed at kids:
– Logo, Scratch, Alice, Greenfoot,
Kodu, App Inventor, mobile robots,
micro-controllers, etc.

Lots of enthusiastic teachers.
 Under-pinned by a principled,
rigorous, scientific/engineering
discipline.
05/09/12
10
Shut Down or Restart?
Recommendation 3:
“Every child should have the opportunity
to learn Computing at school, including
exposure to Computer Science as a
rigorous academic discipline.”
05/09/12
Some Principles of Computing

Problem solving: computational thinking, model making.

The representation of data,


Computer architectures,



including programs as data.
and the general-purpose computer.
Algorithms and their efficiencies.

Program operations.

Big O notation.
Abstraction, hierarchy and virtual machines.

Interpretation and representation of higher levels in lower ones.
05/09/12
Grassroots Movement for Change

UK-wide Computing at School group.

Self-help group for computing teachers.
 Supported by BCS, Microsoft, Google and others.
 CAS Scotland
 CAS designed curriculum.

Royal Society report.
 Successful lobbying of Government.

05/09/12
Eric Schmidt speech decisive.
13
Chairman on UK IT Teaching
“I was flabbergasted to learn that today
Computer Science isn't even taught as
standard in UK schools. Your IT
curriculum focuses on teaching how to
use software, but gives no insight into
how it's made.”
Eric Schmidt, Chairman of Google, in 2012
MacTaggart Lecture in Edinburgh.
05/09/12
Michael Gove Responds
The best degrees in Computer Science are among the
most rigorous and respected qualifications in the world…
and prepare students for immensely rewarding careers
and world-changing innovations. But you’d never know
that from the current ICT curriculum.
This is why we are withdrawing it from September.
Technology in schools will no longer be micro-managed
by Whitehall. By withdrawing the Programme of Study,
we’re giving teachers freedom over what and how to
teach, revolutionising ICT as we know it..
05/09/12
Education Secretary Michael Gove
responding to Eric Schmidt
Curriculum for Excellence
“The curriculum aims to ensure that all
children and young people in Scotland
develop the knowledge, skills and
attributes they will need if they are to
flourish in life, learning and work, now and
in the future.”
 Can we take this opportunity to transform
Scottish Computing education?

05/09/12
16
RSE/BCS Exemplification Project

Teachers responsible to develop materials to
meet CfE principles.
– Liberating and scary!


Exemplification materials illustrate how to do
this.
Jeremy Scott seconded part-time to develop
materials:
– Head of Computing at Edinburgh’s George Heriot’s
School;
– Phase 1: 11-14 years - Scratch and App Inventor.
– http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/1034_ComputingScience.
html
– Phase 2 just starting: 14-16 years. Phase 3?
05/09/12
17
Thanks to …
05/09/12
Starting from Scratch


An introduction to Computing Science covering:

What is a computer?

Programming using MIT Scratch;

Computational Thinking questions;

Group project.
Pack contains:

Teacher notes;

Learner notes;

Tutorial screencasts.
05/09/
I Love My Smartphone


Intermediate Computing Science covering:

A brief history of the smartphone;

Hardware and software;

Mobile app development using MIT App Inventor;

Computational Thinking questions;

Group project.
Pack contains:

Teacher notes

Learner notes

Tutorial screencasts
05/09/12
What Should a Digital Citizen Know?
More than just office product skills.
 The role of Computing in 21st
century society.
 Appreciation of the risks.

05/09/12
Computing in 21st Century Society




Research and education in all disciplines.

DNA as a program.

Mind/brain as hardware/software.
Industry and commerce.

Mining customer data.

Automated trading.
Government and politics, e.g.

open data, WikiLeaks, etc;

climate change models.
Social networking and entertainment.
05/09/12
Appreciation of the Risks

Spam, viruses and other malware.
 Grooming, phishing and other social
engineering.
 Privacy and identify theft.
 Automated weapons, the flash crash and
other loops without humans.
05/09/12
The Challenges Ahead


Every child should learn Computing,

including learning to program,

but digital citizenry too.

We have the technology,

to make this fun and engaging.

The RSE/BCS Project exemplifies this.
But we must:

Get the right new qualifications;

Reverse the shrinkage of Computing departments;

Increase the supply of Computing teachers;



05/09/12
Key role for Moray House
Provide continuous professional development;
Enthuse students with excitement and opportunities.