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BATH Computer Science PGCE

RESOURCES FOR SESSIONS

Week 1

Purpose (skills): To introduce the Computer Science SD Programme
Activities:

Structure of the course
Identification of skills and schedule for the term.
The Computer Science Subject File - introduction and discussion- content, requirements and the evidence

Purpose (pedagogy): Preparation for work in schools with a focus on pupil learning of Computer Science and an awareness of how the standards needed to gain Standards for Teaching apply.
Activities:

A brief outline and discussion of Computer Science
Key information provided about the home schools
Brainstorm on what we might expect to see.
Identification of key tasks for the first few days in school.
Introduction to the SD file.
Audit against the standards needed to gain QTS
Computer science skills audit
Develop an individual plan which identifies own needs for this term.
Read key reports (below) on ICT with a view to seeing how they reflect practice in home schools

Assignment - Meeting Special Needs

In addition to your teaching commitments, prepare the following portfolio task: Meeting Special Needs - Give evidence and reflect on how the department supports pupils with special educational needs? Report on how SEN pupils are identified and supported. Keeping pupil's anonymous, outline the needs of two or three pupils and a description of how these are catered within the department.

Home school activities

Write to schools to introduce yourself

Resources for week 1 (and beyond)

Week 2

Purpose (skills): Preparing for school visits, Computer Science in secondary schools. Introduction to the SD Portfolio - methods
Activities:

Background to Computing – the past, present and future.
The two purposes of Computer Science in schools - Computer Science as a subject and IT across the Curriculum.
Successes and Challenges for Computer Science and/or computing in secondary schools.
Organisation of the Study Group Skills Update sessions.
Audits of Subject knowledge, A level and the GCSE

Purpose (pedagogy): An exploration of pupil learning and Computer Science.
Activities:

Computer Science learning as identified in the National Curriculum
What is learning? Role of the teacher to enable learning
Triple X teaching vs Independent learning - what is the role of the teacher?
Different types of learners (learning styles inventory), different approaches to understanding learning (Constructivism, Directed Instruction, Information Processing)
What should we expect to see as pupils learn Computer Science?
Gathering evidence of pupil learning - formative vs summative

Home school activities

Prepare notes on the Computer Science facilities available in the school; where they are situated, what sort of hardware and software is used; how teachers and pupils access it. Include out of school activities such as clubs.
Who is responsible for Computer Science? Is there an IT co-ordinator, manager, technician? Who are they? What are their roles? Is computer science seen as a subject or part of another subject area?
Gather Computer Science documentation. Is there a Computer Science policy? Is there a code of practice? Try to collect copies of guides for staff and students.
Write short reports on Health and Safety and Data protection issues to do with Computer Science in the school, particularly as it impacts on the Computer Science teacher.
What Computer Science/ICT examination courses and syllabuses are taught at Key Stages 4 and 5? Make brief notes on each. What have results been over recent years – numbers taking them.
How is Computer Science/ICT taught in Key Stages 3, 4 and 5? Are there discrete lessons? If so, who teaches them? When? How often?
How is the department and school preparing for/delivering computer science? Are commercial packages used, are text books used – which ones, why?

Resources for week 2

Week 3

Purpose (skills) : To ensure that trainees are familiar with commonly used applications for web design and likely scenarios for school projects and coursework.
Activities:

Comparisons of the features of various commonly used applications in this area, including an AS level task.

Students must produce a professional and functional small business website based on their investigation of the enterprising business described in the case study material. They must also produce a written document outlining the website plan, design, and development. This might include organisational charts and illustrations. The emphasis, however, should be on the website as a mode of information communication. Candidate Record Sheet (Unit 4)
Applications include: HTML, DREAMWEAVER, FLASH (HTML5)
Review of progress with the Portfolio and school-based activities.
Study group to explore/support peer skill gaps.
Files to keep, e-PDPs, auditing progress against standards

Purpose (pedagogy) : From learning to planning: identifying and understanding the nature of teaching and learning objectives.
Activities:

Examination of previous National Curriculum for Key Stage 3 ICT to identify learning
Levels of attainment
An introductory look at how work can be assessed - practice in assessing work
Identifying what are teaching objectives and what are learning objectives and lesson outcomes
Exercises and activities to illustrate learning objectives and outcomes
Trainees review progress towards the Standards and the training plans identified in the light of work in schools

Home school activities Each of the activities below to be completed in weeks 3, 4 and 5.

Begin the process of building up your SD file based on Computer Science lessons observed.
Review packages in your home school for web design. Look at how and with whom they are used. Why the school chooses to use particular applications rather than others.
Observe and record lesson endings/starters with a view to planning one in schools next week
Find out the roles of he role of the ICT/Computing co-ordinator, ICT/Network Manager, ICT Technician(s)

Resources for week 3

Week 4

Purpose (skills): To ensure that trainees are familiar with features of EXCEL/ACCESS.
Activities

EXCEL/ACCESS AS and A2 project work and skills exams considered.
Trainees to practice using queries, forms, lookup, relational features, macros, Validation techniques, Normalisation.

Purpose (pedagogy): From objectives to lesson structures
Activities:

The work on objectives is developed and extended to lesson structures and organisation.
Links with EPS work in management of pupil behaviour and the implications for Computer Science.
Relationship of objectives to assessment.
The three part lesson
Developing a lesson proforma, lesson planning portfolio, review of examples.
Assignment: planning a lesson

Home school activities

Review data handling packages used in your home school. Look at how and with whom they are used.
Support a Computer Science/ICT teacher in the planning of a starter and/or plenary session

Resources for week 4

KS3 NC for ICT (previous)
Candidate Record Sheet (Unit 4 - web design)
Practice papers - Q A Files | Q A Files
Office skills 'audits - Excel | Access
Lesson plan proforma
Lesson planning (video) | Lesson planning (another video)
Structuring lessons
Starters and plenaries
Plenary tool
Starter producer

Week 5

Purpose (skills): To ensure that trainees have an understanding of sequencing and control aspects at KS3 and 4
Activities:

Load, explore and resource MIT SCRATCH
Programming concepts developed in using Scratch
Review of progress with the Portfolio and school-based activities.

Purpose (pedagogy): To explore the outcomes of teaching and learning. Examination of the outcomes which pupils produce which indicate learning. Assessment as a means of measuring learning and of informing planning. Formative and summative assessment. Questions - techniques and methods
Activities:

Review of activities in school which identify that pupils are learning
Reviewing formative assessment methods
Looking at AfL

Home school activities

Promoting good progress and outcomes by pupils - a series of focused lesson observations reflecting on
- how pupils learn
- effective teaching and learning strategies
- questions used by teachers
Reflect on associated readings, lectures and meetings with Professional Tutor

Resources for week 5

MIT Scratch web site
CS skills concepts in Scratch | Concept in Scratch
Blitz Games does Pacman
AfL
Questioning techniques
Blooms question stems
Blooms and ICT/computing
Classroom experiment (BBC) - Part 1 | Part 2
AfL toolkit

Week 6

Purpose (skills): To introduce trainees to the challenges of teaching programming.

Activities:

Exploring programming across a range of languages – to be identified and agreed according to Home School use and trainee experience. Likely to cover Python, PHP, Javascript and others.
Review of resources available to support teaching programming
Review of progress with the portfolio and school-based activities.

Purpose (pedagogy): To explore approaches to management of pupil behaviour - some strategies to use.

Activities: At this stage the trainees will have experienced early teaching activities.

A review of teaching strategies based on their own experience.
Use of Teachers TV other materials.

Home school activities

Managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment - a series of focused lesson observations reflecting on how pupils behave, effective classroom management strategies and pupil responses to these.
Reflect on associated readings, lectures and meetings with Professional Tutor.
Support a Computer Science/Computing teacher in the planning of a complete lesson.
Teach this lesson.
Reflect on feedback given
Collect work produced in class by learners to review/assess next week in university sessions

Resources for week 6

Week 7

Seminars and workshops will be organised on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - session times and rooms will be posted on the PGCE notice board nearer the time.

NB: these sessions are not optional, as with all University sessions, attendance is compulsory.

Purpose (pedagogy): Review of a lesson taught in school; feedback and evaluation of lessons; shared planning.

Activities:

Group presentations about lessons taught (expect to present lesson plan, mentor/own feedback, resources used, evidence of learning, learner response/s
Purpose, value and nature of feedback
Evaluating lessons; relation of these to teaching file and Portfolio
Shared and team teaching - planning, coordinating, working together
Managing resources in an Computer Science lesson

Resources for week 7

Lesson evaluation

Week 8

This week has been set aside as Individual Study Time. Note that the industry games conference Xplay 2013 (http://www.explay.co.uk/) runs this week across Bath. There will be opportunities for anyone attending to learn about and make computer games.

Week 9

Purpose (skills): A review of current GCSE Computer Science and Computing courses. Key differences? Functional Skills? Assessment methods.
Activities:

Specifications compared.
Trainees to review their school's KS4 syllabuses.
Study Group to support peer skill gaps.

Purpose (pedagogy)

Individual Tutorials and review of progress so far against the standards needed to gain QTS.
Trainees audit their progress against the Teaching Standards and also review their subject knowledge audits and the training plans.
Plans and actions identified for the block.

Home school activities

Planning and teaching well-structured lessons - plan a lesson with your Subject Mentor
Give details of the class context, topic and overall aim.
Provide the lesson plan including resources, learning materials, slides etc.
Include your observations of the lesson and notes on your mentor's feedback.
Reflect on what you learnt from this activity.

Resources for week 9

Weeks 10-15 - Block Practice 1

SD Assignment

During your first school placement, you will be expected to work on an area of study for your assignment, which is based on the challenges that computing teachers face with misconceptions in computing. Your SD tutor will help you with this assignment during serial 1, but you are expected to submit your proposal for the study by e-mail by November 26th (Week 12).

Assignment Dates and Deadlines

Week 16

Purpose (skills): A review of current A level computing and ICT courses.
Activities:

Specifications compared.
Trainees to review their school's KS5 syllabuses (where appropriate, otherwise complementary school)
Study Group to support peer skill gaps
Paired task to differentiate an introductory lesson to a unit of work in home schools = presentation to rest of group

Purpose (pedagogy) - differentiation techniques plus personal reviews

Ways to differentiate - task, outcome, personalised learning

Home school activities

Review targets from Block Practice 1 and plan lesson observations of experienced teachers to help you in those areas suggested.
What teaching did you not experience in Block1 - try to observe lessons in those 'missing' areas.
Discuss areas of differentiation in your department - gather resources.
Evaluate resources used in your department - printed, electronic (including video)
Find out the role and support of non-specialist computing teachers and support staff in your home school

Resources for week 16

Differentiation handbook

Week 17

Purpose (skills): to develop methods for applying for and being interviewed for vacancies
Activities:

Write outline letter of application for a position - check vacancies
Role play interviews

Purpose (pedagogy) - individual tutorials

Individual tutorials and review of progress in block practice 1, targets and plans.

Home school activities

Write a short report on one resource you have accessed that you think is well suited to the target learner and explain the reasons for your judgement.
Make your own differentiated learning resource, and upload to your e-portfolio.
Make an appointment with the G&T coordinator, and note how the register is used, and students supported.

Resources for week 17

Questions

Week 18

Purpose (skills): to raise awareness of leading trends in using ICT in teaching, organise and execute a trip (note - this day will be 'swapped for one day in home school as BETT runs at the end of the week). Please check if your school has arranged a visit.
Activities:

Visit to BETT show - choose a suitable day, arrange with home schools, apply for tickets, etc
Gather information on three technologies used in three different curriculum areas.

Purpose (pedagogy) - review how ICT can be incorporated into learning across the curriculum and the impact on computing in schools

Activities:

Personal experiences (own and school)
Review literature for subject use of ICT - report back on finding - how can work in other subjects support learning in computer science (and vice versa)?

Home school activities

Get involved in levelling exercises in the home school.

Ask your HoD/primary coordinator about the opportunities for Y6 pupils to visit the secondary school before September.

What sorts of activities are done, in what subject areas and what is the rationale for this?

Are there any mutually agreed activities which are started in primary and then continued when they arrive in September?

What information do primary schools pass onto secondary?

Resources for week 18

Week 19

Purpose (skills): to develop A level teaching skills and strategies
Activities:

Teach a 15 minute A level 'episode' to group, using active learning methods
Receive formative feedback from group

Purpose (pedagogy) - review methods to support EAL learners

Activities:

EAL

Techniques to support learning for EAL learners
Review of literature
Personal experiences (own and school)

Home school activities

Write a short summary of the strategies that your school uses or would use to include EAL pupils in lessons, reflecting on observed practice vs theory.
Discuss observations linked to targets - plan and implement any changes

Resources for week 19

Access and EAL

Week 20

Purpose (skills): using data in schools
Activities:

Spreadsheet methods to record assessment and other data on learners
What is 'value added, how can we measure it?
Using summative assessment formatively

Purpose (pedagogy) - teaching computing concepts without computers

Activities:

Review the resources available at csunplugged.org
Prepare and deliver one activity from the resources (matched to work in your home school

Home school activities

Find out what data the school uses - exam results, CAT testing, SATs and what is passed to teachers in the classroom
Find out what trips and visits the school, organises for ICT/computing

Resources for week 20

CS unplugged

Week 21

Purpose (skills): managing coursework
Activities:

Does coursework still exist?
How is coursework managed?
Techniques to manage coursework sessions
Controlled assessment

Purpose (pedagogy) - critical thinking in computing lessons

Activities:

What is critical thinking?
How can we teach critical thinking skills in computing?
Planning an activity that uses critical thinking skills - presenting plans to group.

A lesson incorporating critical thinking might include:

engaging with and reflecting on different ideas, opinions, beliefs and values when exploring topical and controversial issues and problems
researching, planning and undertaking enquiries into issues and problems using a range of information and sources
analysing and evaluating sources used, questioning different values, ideas and viewpoints and recognising bias.

Pupils should be able to take informed and responsible action through individual and group work on citizenship issues, analyzing the impact of their actions on communities and reflecting, evaluating and reviewing decisions made. Suggestions for lessons are

Introduction to e-safety for Year 7
Critical e-safety for Year 11
Copyright issues

Home school activities

Review what coursework/controlled assessment is run?

How is it managed?

How are controlled assessment sessions managed differently to coursework?

Complementary school activities