Category: Education

Code Club at Bentilee Library

I’m co-running a new Code Club at Bentilee Library with Samuel Freeman. It is the first Code Club to run in a Stoke-on-Trent library. It has run for three weeks and it has been excellent. The kids have been learning to program games using Scratch. The Sentinel stopped by last week to see what was going on and wrote a great article.

Samuel Freeman setting up the Library systems for Code Club
Samuel Freeman setting up Bentilee Library systems for Code Club.

BCS and Agile Experiences

On Tuesday 4th November 2014 at 18:00, the North Staffordshire Branch of BCS and Agile Staffordshire are getting together for a special event. We will be sharing experiences in a series of lightning talks and exercises. This will be a great opportunity to network and learn more about what is going on in the area. This event is also ideal for students with an interest in software development who want to know more about practicing agile techniques in the industry. Continue reading “BCS and Agile Experiences”

A Plea for Help

I will soon be talking in schools in my role as a STEM Ambassador and hope some of you might help me with an endeavour. With the introduction of a new computing curriculum in schools, I will be talking to school pupils about computing in the wide world and what an education in computing might lead to. I am not ‘selling’ computing over other subjects, I am letting people know about the opportunities that computing can lead to.

One thing I would really like to do is make a video, because listening to a myriad of lovely, interesting people will be even better than just me, talking.

Interested

I hope you’re interested. If you are, what follows is a little more detail on how you can help turn my presentation into something special.

Using a web cam, phone or other video recording device (a steady one, if you can, maybe a tripod); make a short (30 seconds to 2 minutes) video introduction of (pick any of these you like):

  • Your name, where you’re from and what you do.
  • How you know me, or met me, or even just your Bacon number.
  • Why you like (love/get fanatical/are inspired by) computing.
  • How you learned or studied computing, and what discipline you chose.
  • How you use computing in the things you do every day.
  • What you hope to do with computing in the future.
  • Why you would love to be studying computing for the first time, today.

If you decide to help me out, please leave a comment and I will organise collection and answer any questions you might have. Please keep it school safe! I don’t want to edit your message into oblivion to avoid being banned from schools. If you’re a wizard at video editing and can make an extra special job of it, please do so. I will be learning video editing as I go a long.

I volunteer my time to STEM activities, so I do not have a budget for this activity. I will be relying on your generosity and your time – both highly valued. I will need your permission to use the videos for the purpose of inspiring the new computing generation. If you wish me to follow a specific license, please tell me.