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Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract 1766 views 104 downloads

A National Engagement Model for Developing Computer Science Education in Wales

Faron Moller Orcid Logo, Tom Crick

ISSEP'2016: The 9th International Conference on Informatics in Schools

Swansea University Author: Faron Moller Orcid Logo

Abstract

Computer science education in the United Kingdom has undergone substantial scrutiny, and in England a new computing curriculum has just been introduced. However, in Wales - a devolved nation within the UK - political, geographical and socio-technical issues have hindered any substantive educational...

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Published in: ISSEP'2016: The 9th International Conference on Informatics in Schools
Published: Munster, Germany ISSEP 2016 2016
Online Access: http://www.cs.swan.ac.uk/~csfm/Pubs/issep16.pdf
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa29623
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Abstract: Computer science education in the United Kingdom has undergone substantial scrutiny, and in England a new computing curriculum has just been introduced. However, in Wales - a devolved nation within the UK - political, geographical and socio-technical issues have hindered any substantive educational policy or curriculum reform for computer science over the past ten years. In this paper we present the activities of Technocamps, a university-based schools outreach programme founded in 2003 and its wider impact on computer science education and teachers in Wales. Furthermore, with imminent curriculum reform, we frame the wider opportunity for sustainably embedding both high-value digital competencies and computer science education - as well as changing the wider public perception and importance of computer science - as a prospective replicable case study of a national engagement model for countries with similar aspirations of becoming digitally confident and capable nations.
Item Description: Originality:Co-authored by the Chair of the Welsh branch of Computing at School (CAS), this paper emphasises the need in Wales for the novel Technocamps model of school engagement outlined, distinct from the CAS model which has been successful in England but has proven to be ineffective in Wales.Significance:This paper details the work and impact of Technocamps on Welsh Education. This impact has recently been brought to the fore by the Welsh First Minister who has made repeated political pledges in the run-up to the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election to expand the Technocamps operation in order to introduce and embed the emerging Digital Competence Framework and computer science proficiency within all schools throughout Wales.Rigour:ISSEP is a leading conference in computer science pedaogics for schools with stringent refereeing criteria ensuring that only work recognised as internationally-excellent is accepted.A revised version of this paper is now being submitted to ACM Transactions on Computing Education.
Keywords: Computer Science Education

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