COMPUTER SCIENCE PGCE: PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE Michael Jones Director Computing Northfleet Technology College Subject Lead CS PGCE University of Greenwich

BRIEF As the old ICT curriculum dissolved a new one was born into the shape of CS Preparing the subject content for new PGCE in CS has provided opportunities to combine existing curricula, computer science concepts and, not so, new ideas The session will provide an opportunity for the audience to develop awareness of what NQTs in CS should be entering schools with as departments mature to fit the new Curriculum Orders The topics covered will allow attendees to take away content ideas which they can incorporate into their schools.

PGCE & SUBJECT SPECIALIST? We will shortly be in our second year of a compulsory curriculum and third year of PGCE programmes to support this Numbers are growing – slowly. UoG and CCCU , £25,000 scholarship available Average age is higher than you might expect – unlikely that young CS graduates will be there Gender mix is the reverse of females into computing

PGCE & SUBJECT SPECIALIST? Wide range of backgrounds with mostly career changers and returning mothers/fathers This carries with it a range of ‘bad habits’ and often narrow specialisms Many have some initial difficulty in balancing home and the demands of school and training programme needs MESSAGE 1 – don’t cut them any slack but do be aware that there may not be as much freedom. They are not as skilled as us at doing the juggling Unlike younger graduates they are unlikely to be able to do a last minute act. Keep deadlines and monitor them

PGCE & SUBJECT SPECIALIST? Consider SKE (Subject Knowledge Enhancement) prior to training year, if you can, or during training year enhancement-course-directory MESSAGE 2 – ensure that your trainees know the school curriculum and identify where the gaps are in advance

PGCE & SUBJECT SPECIALIST? Many have been in positions where they direct operations It comes as a shock that they are now being directed. Work with them to extract the best of the skillset they have and consider getting them to build resources and apply ideas early on

CURRICULUM The PGCE/SD/SCITT programme being followed will have been approved by OFQUAL There should be a handbook that trainees follow – ensure you have a copy of this Consider suggesting to the provider content and assignments that will benefit your school eg if you have a VLE get your trainees working on this early on

CURRICULUM Assignment 1 Using Key Stage 3 as your focus area, create a learning resource using the Moodle open source application. Your resource must include a lesson activity that provides opportunity for pupils to develop one each of a digital literacy skill, ICT competency and a technical computer science understanding displayed through a programming task. You will need to explain what the learning outcomes are and research current thinking on pedagogy and activities that motivate and encourage learning and use this to support your choice of lesson activity.

CURRICULUM Assignment 2 Develop your learning resource to include a series of lessons which are aimed at developing an understanding of control technology using robotic techniques. The lessons must include clearly differentiated outcomes and a means of assessing pupil capability.

CURRICULUM Assignment 3 In your learning resource, create a separate area for non-specialist staff. In this area create two separate learning activities designed to enable a non-specialist teacher to teach an ICT activity based on modelling with spreadsheets and a computer science activity that includes selection and iteration in a programming environment.

CURRICULUM Three major components of the mandatory curriculum: Digital Literacy Information Communication Technology Computer Science Much of the National Strategy content is still valuable. Find it here: nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/secondary/ict

CURRICULUM Any recent graduate from UoG will have developed the VLE skills. The pedagogy behind this is develop not only the curriculum area skills but, perhaps more importantly, the resource planning and application skills So, what of core content? Hitting the KS3 statement straight on (two languages at least one being text based) consider Pencilcode as a way of traversing that statement Your trainees are unlikely to have experience of Scratch – using a hybrid may help you and them This provides a lead into KS4 and beyond – DON’T FORGET THE KS4 REQUIREMENT

CURRICULUM Computational Thinking Blocks programing (also referred to as VPL) Programming and GCSE – early attempt at GCSE controlled assessments Robotics – CS Vs Software Engineering – old control units Database and spreadsheet Open source: Arduino, RPi Website design Literacy and numeracy Examination technique Off-site trips Use of VLEs Safeguarding and Esafety (consider CEOP)