Undergraduate Course: Computing in the Classroom (INFR10077)
Course Outline
School | School of Informatics |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | This course will give fourth year students the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the local community by sharing the knowledge of Informatics with school pupils and teachers. They will work with teachers to design appropriate teaching material and practical projects for computing education in schools, communicate effectively with young people and instil in them passion for computing disciplines, and support them in developing skills necessary in an increasingly digital society. Students will gain a critical understanding of the theory and practice of computer science pedagogy as appropriate for different stages of school learners. In addition, studying this course will enable students to develop a range of communication and organisational skills in a high pressure but supported real world setting.
The course offers an in-depth, sustained experience in the classroom to students contemplating a career in education. |
Course description |
Students will contribute to the teaching of computer science and data science in primary / secondary / special schools in Scotland. This could include a diverse range of activities including creating online materials, teaching classes online, developing software to support live events, and where appropriate, visiting classrooms. They will be supported by primary and secondary teachers and by academic mentors from the School of Informatics and School of Education.
The aim of the course is for the students to design and deliver a project based on discussions with academic staff and classroom teachers, analysis of the appropriate school curricula, assessment of pupil's interests, and feedback received from an academic mentor. Students will receive formative feedback from an academic mentor based on observation notes and reflective writing recorded throughout the year.
Course topics include:
* Computer science in schools curricula in Scotland and other countries
* Good practice in computer science pedagogy research evidence
* Effective teaching techniques
* Giving and receiving feedback
* Lesson planning
* Child protection and appropriate measures for risk management (e.g. infection control)
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students must register interest in May the year before the academic year the course is taught (i.e. register in May 2023 for course taught in academic year 2023/24).
Students will also be required to obtain a PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups, delivered by Disclosure Scotland) background check and will be interviewed in advance of the course. |
Course Delivery Information
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Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 6,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Summative Assessment Hours 51,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Placement Study Abroad Hours 66,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
62 )
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Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
Students will spend 66 hours visiting classrooms.
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Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework: 100%
Report 1: 50%
Report 2: 30%
Oral presentation: 20%
Report 1 ( (to be submitted at the end of semester 1) (50%): A reflective account of their experiences of teaching so far, how they relate to the educational theory and research papers they have read and plans for the teaching materials they will develop.
Report 2 (to be submitted at the end of semester 2) (30%): A summary of the teaching materials which they developed with an explanation of how the materials map to the curriculum and an evaluation of how effective the materials were from the points of view of both learners and class teachers (where appropriate).
Oral Presentation (to be assessed at the end of semester 2) (20%): The student will prepare a presentation which reflects on their experiences of working in schools and the extent to which they achieved their personal learning goals during the course. |
Feedback |
Students will work closely with teachers/academic mentors, receiving regular informal feedback and advice. Students will receive written feedback on Report 1 (midway through the course) which will help them to improve their work for Report 2 and the Oral Presentation. They will receive written feedback on Report 2 and the Oral Presentation. |
No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- critique key aspects of emerging research on computer science pedagogy, and analyse how these pedagogies may be applied to deliver topics either within Curriculum for Excellence or the relevant SQA qualifications
- engage with the local community by helping to upskill primary and secondary school teachers about up to date topics in Informatics
- design and develop effective teaching material, methodologies, and practical projects for computing modules taught in schools based on a synthesis of research knowledge with techniques and ap-proaches learned through observation of teaching practice in the school setting and discussions with teachers
- skilfully communicate to a range of audiences and convey clearly technical concepts to different age groups
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Reading List
Grover, S., & Pea, R. (2013). Computational Thinking in K-12: A Review of the State of the Field. Educational Researcher, 42(1), 38-43. doi:10.3102/0013189X12463051
Grover, S., Cooper, S., & Pea, R. (2014). Assessing computational learning in K-12. Proceedings of the 2014 Conference on Innovation & Technology in Computer Science Education - ITiCSE 14, (June), 57-62. doi:10.1145/2591708.2591713
Israel, M., Pearson, J. N., Tapia, T., Wherfel, Q. M., & Reese, G. (2015). Supporting all learners in school-wide computational thinking: A cross-case qualitative analysis. Computers and Education, 82, 263-279. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2014.11.022
The Primary Teacher's Guide to Teaching Computer Science available at www.teachcs.scot |
Additional Information
Course URL |
https://opencourse.inf.ed.ac.uk/cic |
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
This course gives a unique opportunity for students to gain transferable interpersonal and communication skills through working with children, young people and their teachers. It will develop the following UoE graduate attributes:
* curiosity for learning that makes a positive difference
* passion to engage locally and globally.
Students will become:
* critical and reflective thinkers
* effective and influential contributors
* skilled communicators
(see https://www.ed.ac.uk/employability/graduate-attributes/framework) |
Keywords | Education,children,classroom,teaching |
Contacts
Course organiser | Prof Judy Robertson
Tel: (0131 6)51 6249
Email: judy.robertson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Yesica Marco Azorin
Tel: (0131 6)50 5194
Email: ymarcoa@ed.ac.uk |
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