For our final session we got to explore the world of programming and how it could be used within the classroom. The concept of programming sounds intimidating, conjuring up images of an indecipherable mess of letters and numbers. However, it is easy to see how this can be used within the classroom. Programs like Scratch helped to create an easier to use and intuitive interface, where children learn to program with almost jigsaw like pieces.  This is a great way of introducing the subject to a class, as they soon pick up how to create imaginative scenes and games, which can even be shared to other schools through the Scratch website. Having seen this being used first hand, I know just how easily children take to it, and how much they can talk about what they are doing and how they are doing it.

We were also able to use Bee Bots, small robotic bees than can be programmed to move or in the case of my group perform a synchronized dance. Again it is easy to see how this can be used to inspire an interest in programming in a class. Although these are basic entry points into programming, that is exactly what children need at this stage in their computing journey. Hopefully activities like these and the others explored through the seminars will help to inspire children in primary classrooms to continue their interest in the subject throughout their life.

The history of the internet, what it was originally intended for, and what it has become today is an interesting subject. I think it is important to understand this history and the wider topic of how the internet works, in order to fully understand how to get the best out of it.

There is lots to be explored on the subject of the internet. How the internet works. How its different to the web. What infrastructure is put in place to allow the internet to work. How it has evolved over the years. How data is sent from one computer to the other. How the rules for how we use the internet are changing. All these topics can help to encourage a class to gain a better understanding of the internet and hopefully take greater care and respect when using it.

There are also some really fun activities that can be done with this greater understanding. With even a simple understanding of how websites are designed, X-ray goggles can be used to remix and change headlines, or photos.

This was a really fun activity that helped to fill me with ideas about how to use computing to inspire my class. I can imagine that children with really enjoy using the x-ray goggles to remix websites and create their very own fake news.

This was great to see just how easy it is to create and manage data with computing. The google forms software was easy to use and manage  for our particular needs. It was really accessible and I can imagine that pupils would be able to use it in all manner of subjects.

This was also a very interesting example of the valuable nature of cross curricular teaching. Computing can be used in so many subjects to help develop pupils understanding. In this instance, it was great to see how computing could be used  in tandem with maths to explore data.  By encouraging a class to build data using questionnaires, that were easy to set up and managed, the class could then use this data to create; bar graphs, line graphs, tables, pie charts. Then instead of relying on a text book or worksheet to generate questions to explore and read data, you have instant access to endless data that is embedded in context for the class.

It was also really interesting to hear how companies mine and use data to their particular needs, and just how easy it is for them to find out all about us!

Throughout both of my placements in school, I have been lucky enough to see lots of computing in action.

I have been able to see coding programs like scratch in action and have worked on building my understanding of how to teach and use the program for myself.

For the most part, I found Scratch quite straight forward and easy to pick up. It was great at clearly highlighting what each command would do, and it was pretty easy to get my desired results from it. My class certainly agreed and were able to design their own animations with ease, discussing what each command would do and what would happen if they changed the numbers or altered a command.

I have also seen lots of computing used as a cross curricular aid for other subjects. Creating leaflets on purple mash, book reviews on espresso or just research for a particular topic have all been great instances of how computing can help boost another subject.

For the research in particular, I have seen lots that I will use going forward. For instance, in one lesson QR codes were created and stuck on to the tables. This codes were linked to different websites that the class could use for research on their topic. When scanned by the pupils it took them straight to the website, without them needing to type in a long or complicated URL, which was especially handy for the year 2 class.

These are certainly things I will take with me as I continue my exploration of the subject and I hope to learn more in the future