OCR GCSE Computing Controlled Assessment Materials 2 - Worked Solutions

Cambridge Education has produced worked solutions for OCR GCSE CA Materials 2. Should you require access to the .py files or help with preparing to deliver this particularly tricky CA let me know via email and we can arrange support.

Python Training Feedback

A big thank you to Dave Pittam at Oldbury Academy for his hospitality and also another big thank you to everyone who attended the Python training course on Tuesday; we really enjoyed it. I have added all of the email addresses to the Sandwell Computing Circle and so you may receive blog post notifications through Google+ from now on when new content is added.  If you would like to take up the one-to-one online Python training offer or organise another face-to-face session please just make contact.

jonnydavey@gmail.com
07595024251

Reminder - Python Basics Training Course at Oldbury Academy on Tuesday the 14th October at 3pm

This is just to remind you that the Python course is going ahead at Oldbury Academy on Tuesday the 14th of October at 3pm.

Oldbury Academy Address:
Pound Rd, 
Oldbury, 
West Midlands 
B68 8NE

Shahid Khan will be delivering Python training starting with Python basics using resources you can take and deliver yourself.

All levels are welcome to attend. A light meal will be provided.

Please RSVP to

jonnydavey@gmail.com
07595024251

Internet Find - Close up pictures of AND Logic Gates and CPUs

Click on the picture to be taken to some amazing pictures.

KS3 Python Basics Course

This is a course made using Versal.com and my original Python Prezis. The style changes from Prezis to Versal widget created content which is my new recommendation for course building.  Click here for a link to the course. Let me know what you think and how I could improve it.

Python Training Invitation - OCR Assessment Tasks - Oldbury Academy 14th October 3pm to 5.30pm

Cambridge Education

Sandwell Computing Support

Python Training Session

Invitation to Attend

Date:

14^th October 2014

Time:

3.00pm to 5.30pm

Venue:

Oldbury Academy

Address:

Pound Rd, Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8NE

Contact:

Jonny Davey 07595 024251

During the last Sandwell Computing network meeting we all agreed a Python training session would be very useful as preparation to meet the demands of the OCR GCSE in Computing.  Cambridge Education has arranged for this first Python training session to be delivered at Oldbury Academy as a twilight.  The session will look at the OCR A453 controlled assessment tasks, starting with Task 3 detailed below:

Task 3 High scores database. 15 marks

Design, code and test a system to store and manage user names and their highest score.

The system must be able to

 create a file

 add data to a file

 locate data in the file by name and their highest score

 delete an item and its associated data from the file

 locate and update a high score for a user

The system need only cater for 10 items

Shahid Khan, a specialist in Python and Java coaching, will deliver the session. Shahid holds a first-class honours degree in Computer Science and tutors Python up to graduate and corporate levels.

The session will begin by teaching the fundamental concept blocks and then will move on to build a working solution for the task.  If there is time we will also look at Task 2 that asks the candidate to create a rating system for passwords.

If you have any particular Python training requirements please let us know and we will prepare support materials.

Please come along and bring your departmental staff.

Please RSVP with approximate numbers and their levels of prior learning with regard to Python programming.

All levels are welcome.

Arduino - Touch the light sensor to activate the LED

Touch the light sensor to activate the LED 

Before the summer break I spent Monday evenings with my mentor at Hackspace learning about the Arduino system.  I think it is a great way to teach C derived programming languages and illustrate input-process-output in a concrete context. 

The benefit of Arduino is that you can make real stuff like a system to activate a LED when someone is standing on your doorstep, or to get a text when someone presses your doorbell. Arduino can be used to solve problems, the key focus in the new computing programme of study. 

Increasingly cool Arduino has a rapidly expanding following of hackers and tinkerers. 

So what's on offer here? 

Part of the work Cambridge Education has been doing has involved Google Hangouts and now we'd like to run a distance learning test with a willing partner. 

Would you like to get an Arduino demonstration of about 15 minutes to half an hour on Google Hangouts?

Just get in touch. 

jonnydavey@gmail.com 
07595024251

CAS - Secondary Computing Guidance

I'm sure you have seen this but just in case click here to find it. It's a good read.

Python Prezis - Calculations and Variables

Welcome back and

Matt Britland - Open Source KS3 2014-2015 Computing/ICT Curriculum

This may prove to be very useful in September

Technology Career Testimonials - Great for understanding which tech. career path to follow

http://icould.com/videos/mustafa-k/

http://icould.com/videos/laura-w/

http://icould.com/videos/misha-g/

http://icould.com/videos/hannah-m/

http://icould.com/videos/andrew-s/

http://icould.com/videos/adam-e/

http://icould.com/videos/cathy-t/

http://icould.com/videos/james-n/

http://icould.com/videos/andrea-n/

Welcome to the Sandwell Computing Blog

Tech City Opportunities Portal - With so much going on in Tech City this is well worth a look.

Tech City Portal

Leading to Opportunities

for our students

"Welcome to the club of Tech City. If you’re interested in tech and you’re willing to work hard, you can be a part of it.

Tech companies are looking for people with technical, design and people skills. If you know what you want to learn but don’t know where to find it, you’re in the right place. Here you can search for all the different local programmes that teach you how to code, build software or understand electronics.

Search here by telling us your preferences, what you want to do, and who you want to be."

School Recommendation - The Turtle Prize



http://turtleprize.com/

Free Python competition resource with lesson plans and good supporting resources. 

School Recommendation - Piffin (Rasberry Pi Lab Kit)

PIFFIN - a place to source electronic lab kits for the Rasberry Pi.

Planning Tools - Online Programming Courses - (Pay Per View)

This is a site which I think is useful for a number of reasons:

• The courses General Assembly (GA) provide give us a good guide to understand real world training demand in terms of coding and web development at the moment
• There are free sessions which introduce the longer online courses with the intention of helping clients to ascertain whether they are at the right level for the course content - we could use that to better understand our own training needs
• I think the site adds confidence as I'm sure you will browse the courses and think I could teach that or certainly teach myself, given time

Expert Tip - This (I'm told) is the future of building cross platform websites and apps (Advanced Level)

Coding Tip - Python School .Net (Sue Sentance)

This looks quite well organised.

School Find - Matt Britland on Pinterest - You need to see this!

Matt Britland's Pinterest page was brought to our attention by City Academy's Ahmed Mangera - a fantastic resource, thanks Ahmed.

Coder Tip - Brendan Eich built Javascript in just 10 Days

Idea - Code Family Tree Display

Watching Douglas Crockford we got interested in the family tree of code. If we are going to teach Javascript, Python and HTML it's worthwhile setting the historical context in as many ways as we can.

Coder Tip - Douglas Crockford on JavaScript - Episode IV: The Metamorphosis of Ajax (If you liked episode 1 you may also like 4 (IV) - stick with it though to hear how the browser wars were played out in the 90s)

Coder Tip - The Only Real Javascript Expert is Douglas Crockford - Part 1 of 5 - 'Javascript's Proper Historical Context' (very interesting)

Coder Tip - Sublime Text 3 - It's so pretty!

Sublime Text 3 is a beautiful text editor which comes recommended by Burberry's business analyst. The reasons are listed on the website but we like the way the interface colour scheme can be changed. 

A more colourful way to learn with features like distraction free editing etc.

Recommendation - Better Than Code Academy? - W3Schools

W3Schools teaches code in a clean, repetitive format which we think may better suit some of our students. 





We like it because:

• The individual lessons are short and listed on the left hand side
• Explanations are clear
• The lessons can be repeated
• Each lesson has a 'try it' option 

School Find - Code Avengers - Cool

A new school recommendation which we must say looks pretty cool for teachers and students alike. We'd love to know if you've tried it. Thanks for sharing it.

School Find - KS3, KS4 and KS5 ICT/Computing Resources - Gr82BGeeky

This site is highly recommended by one of our Secondary ICT/Computing HoDs. 

Take a look!

Idea - Computing Skills Passport to Support Transition

Considering the work we have done around transition and the feedback we got about carrying NC levels and student information over from KS2 to KS3 we have come up with an idea. Working with a local artist/designer Louise Best we have come up with an idea to provide students with a Computing Skills Passport. It would look and feel like a normal passport with rubber stamps adapted for new NC Computing and ICT skills. Being a physical object the passport can easily travel with the student and has an authentic feel to support and motivate.

What do you think? 

KS4 OCR GCSE in Computing - New Support Materials and Resources

OCR have posted quite a few NEW support materials and resources which may be of interest to you. They include:

• Summary Brochure
• Erratum Notice to Centres
• Unit A451/01 - Computer Systems and Programming - Specimen 2, Mark Scheme and Question Paper
• January 2013 and June 2013 Examiners Reports
• An 'Unofficial Guide to Computing GCSE' by Mark Clarkson
• Unit A452 - Practical Investigation - Sample scheme of work and lesson plan booklet

If you are considering offering this course in September it might be worth having a look, perhaps at the unofficial guide first.

Let us know if you need any help with pathways/plans or any other ICT/Computing/Computer Science matter.

OCR Cambridge - GCSE Computing MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) - Please Register and Comment

Register as a teacher and gain access to the content which is being updated in April - a lot of it is video instruction - it's good quality and all free.

OCR (Sponsored) Computer Science - Round Table Discussion 'Coding the Future' - It's long (1h 17m) but very interesting (Especially at exactly 18m in)

KS4 Edexcel GCSE Computer Science - Sample Assessment Materials - Worth Looking at as a Starting Point

New - KS4 Edexcel GCSE Computer Science - Teacher Support Materials - Block 4 Scheme of Work with Task-Sheets (And Answer Sheets)

School Find - Matt Britland's 'Computing Curriculum Projects for Students in Years 7 - 9'

Thanks to Oktay who flagged up this great resource. It's a blog by Matt Britland who does advisory work for The Guardian and gives away great resources such as the comprehensive, 16 Mb's big:

'Computing Curriculum Projects for Students in Years 7 - 9'

Will you sign up for the Master Teacher programme?

 

Computing GCSE Board Comparison - Will you offer Computing in 2014? If so please Comment on which Board you will go with

Government Release - Year of Code

See the Government Release

School Find - Appshed - Some amazing projects taking place in our schools - Want to know more?

School Find - Kodu (I think you might know about this - but just in case)

BETT Find - Quadblogging - Some 'big names' were supporting this one

BETT Find - What's My Heart Rate (Free) - I'm recommending it but I don't believe it - How can this really work?

BETT Find - My Cognition (We can't recommend it - it's not free - but they wanted schools to try it out though - based in Moorgate)

BETT Find - Hopscotch - Like Blockly but it's an App (Free and highly rated)

BETT Find - Blockly - Learning Games and Code Without Typing (Like Scratch)

Google Buys UK DeepMind AI Start Up

A brilliant publishing blog by the co-founder of Twitter - Inspiring reading, writing and publishing on any subject

The film 'Her' is well worth watching - He falls in love with his operating system! - AI that's almost believable

Hour of Code via Code.Org

Code Academy - NEW Brilliant Classroom Resources

HTML/CSS/Python Teaching Resources for use in the classroom. Includes Powerpoints which are really helpful