Link for Joining the Dots:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j15xyina31w01h1/Action%20Geometry%20joining%20the%20dots.pdf?dl=0

Re-organisation of Repositories

In order to make downloads more accessible we have grouped all the repositories as sub items under the menu heading ‘repositories’.

ISPY and PUSH-PYTHON

We are building a new package of push-button ‘unplugged programming’ to supersede the ‘arrow keys’ software leading to the final push-button subset of Python 3. It is an integrated teaching and learning environment with Computational Thinking, creativity and experimentation in ‘unplugged programming’ at its heart, that offers : a series of 5 Toolboxes with no syntax errors, no error messages for pupils to deal with, no saving-and-running programs, in short, no IDE environment and therefore no ‘administrative error’ overhead for pupils or you. It is usefully preceded by sessions on ‘unplugged programming’ involving paper and pencil and ‘Walking the Talk’ as a robot.(Repository 1, Workbook 1). A snapshot is given below of Toolbox 1 in ISPY, with problems to solve displayed, illustrating ‘sequence’ and picking out symmetry in figures ‘push-button programmed’ on the grid .

ISPY, a package written in Python, which we intend to release in a beta version after half-term in this summer term 2016, is a scaffolded introduction to computational thinking and programming. The final Toolbox is PUSH-PYTHON, a subset of Python 3, set up as push-button Python instructions. The cross-curricula teaching and learning content of repository 1 and 2 on the website will be integrated into ISPY and PUSH-PYTHON for pupils to undertake the inbuilt graded missions, tests and challenges within the package. The package is currently being trialled with years 7, 8 and 9 in a local school. More details here

New Free Course for Teachers at UCL

We shall be running a free course in Computational Thinking and Programming for secondary teachers starting January 23rd 2016- details to follow.

Welcome back to the re-launching of this Website

Nearly all workbooks and mission sheets on the website have been largely rewritten and re-ordered. The additional 5 workbooks, including 6-8 are currently in preparation, but the structure and continuity of the course is finalised and nearing completion and we think is stable and useable. The unplugged programming is now complete and available in Repository 1. Thank you to all of you who have participated in the courses and used the downloads and fed back to us.

Google International CS4HS Award 2015

This Project has received the Google International CS4HS Award 2015. Congratulations to the teaching team at UCL — Rae Harbird, Steve Hailes and Dave White.

Thanks to Computing at School and UCL for giving us the opportunity to undertake the work for this project on the CAS Master Teaching Programme 2014-15. The award supports the further development, adaptation, dissemination and completion of a cross-currcula, project-driven Course in Algorithms and Programming for primary and secondary teachers from KS2 — KS4. The project consists of a downloadable repository of Workbooks for teachers and Worksheets for students. The target date for completion of all Workbooks 1-20 is half term (October 2015).

Latest News: 06/05/2015 — Workbooks 4 and 5 and Worksheets have been updated.

This Project has received the Google CS4HS Award 2015. Congratulations to the teaching team at UCL — Rae Harbird, Steve Hailes and Dave White.
Thanks to Computing at School and UCL for giving us the opportunity to undertake the work for this project on the CAS Master Teaching Programme 2014-15. The award supports the further development and completion of this project. Target date for completion of Module 1 and formal launch date: June 1st 2015.

30/03/2015 — Workbooks 2-5 have been updated. Classroom action starts in Workbook 4. Two further Workbooks on unplugged programming in preparation:

• 5a: unplugged programming: cracking the code– functions
• 5b: unplugged programming — programming projects

Latest Update

Overhaul of Workbooks 3 and 4 on 20/03/2015

All workbooks are being rewritten in the light of feedback and rethink.The version for all Workbooks will be updated to restart at version 5.0. So far Workbooks 1-2 have been updated.(23/02/2015) and
Workbooks 3 and 4 on 20/03/2015. And Workbook 5 has been temporarily withdrawn for updating to make compatible with new Workbooks 3 and 4.

Overhaul of Workbooks starting 1st February 2015

All workbooks are being rewritten in the light of feedback and rethink.The version for all Workbooks will be updated to restart at version 5.0. So far Workbooks 1-3 have been updated.(23/02/2015)
Workbooks 4 and 5 has been temporarily withdrawn for updating to make them compatible with new Workbook 3.

Make and Make Sense; Hands On and Minds In — Seymour Papert