The course provides five short activities that introduce pupils to coding using Python. If they have never coded before, these activities will be a good starting point. Through the course they will learn about some of the fundamentals of programming including variables, sequencing, selection and repetition.
CCEA has launched a new Digital Skills Framework for Key Stage 3 that aims to ensure young people become Digital Citizens, Workers and Makers. Accompanying the framework are a series of resources which will support Coding in the Classroom.
CCEA, in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, have developed a new resource to support coding at Key Stage 3 (ages 11 - 14). CCEA have designed the resource to support the development of skills in the Python programming language.
The Python Year 10 Resource helps prepare learners to programme to GCSE and A-level programming.
The new resource is part of CCEA’s award winning ‘digital skills framework’, which aims to improve the computer coding skills of young people in Northern Ireland.
Whether you are new to Python or reinforcing skills this course will guide you through object-oriented programming with Python. Our resources explain how to write Python code, explore common coding challenges and you’ll create Tic Tac Toe game.
Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITC) recently provided a new digital skills programme called 'Time to Code' for primary schools.
Many primary schools are keen to help their pupils learn to code. Providing lessons in coding can help schools cover the requirements of the Northern Ireland curriculum for Using ICT.
CCEA were involved in advising BITC on the type of support schools need to introduce this aspect of Using ICT in primary schools.
CCEA, in collaboration with Kainos, have provided training on coding with Python for Key Stage 3 ICT/Computing teachers from the Fermanagh area.
The aim of the training was to assist with the upskilling of teachers and to encourage schools to teach programming and coding at Key Stage 3. This initiative follows a series of one day workshops on a range of digital skills that were attended by over 200 teachers.
FutureLearn has developed an online course specifically for primary teachers who want to learn key programming concepts using Scratch as the programming language
Computational thinking feature concepts such as decomposition (breaking a problem down), writing algorithms (a list of instructions) and being creative.
The approach can enhance work in programming with Scratch or any other programming language you are using with primary children.
It will also align with Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities in the Northern Ireland curriculum.
If you are interested in developing computational thinking and coding in your primary classroom, there are a number of initiatives that you can explore.
If you want to learn about the programming language Scratch and you’re the type of person who prefers to learn with others, the following are some options.
CCEA has developed a short video and Q&A resource to tell the story about our new innovative A Level Digital Technology. The revised qualification replaces A Level ICT and will develop strong digital skills to prepare today’s learners for careers in tomorrow’s digital world. Take a look at the new video.
Local education body CCEA has received high level recognition for the development of a 'Digital Skills Framework' for schools in Northern Ireland. The organisation has just been announced as winners of the prestigious O2 UK Digital Skills Award for 2016.
During EU CodeWeek, CCEA visited St Peter's and St Paul's Primary School in Foreglen to experience a number of coding activities using a variety of software, hardware and programmable devices.
In December, CCEA will be providing a series of one-day courses aimed at Key Stage 3 teachers of discrete ICT/Computing. The courses are available to book through the Training & Support section of our website. Below is a brief outline of their content.
Part of the revision of the Legacy GCE ICT specification was to add more computational thinking to the new GCE Digital Technology specification.
In Unit AS 1: Approaches to Systems Development, there are learning outcomes assigned to a section entitled ‘Programming’ where students are required to demonstrate their knowledge in order to describe the fundamental programming concepts of sequence, selection and iteration, including count-controlled and condition-controlled loops.
EU Code Week is celebrating its 5th birthday on 7-22 October 2017. We’re encouraging schools to create an app, a game, a website, make an interactive story or make a robot move.
Throughout the two weeks of EU Code Week, CCEA will be signposting you to some free resources and showing you how coding can fit into the Northern Ireland Curriculum.
Develop skills in using filmmaking and animation digital tools in this free three week online course from FutureLearn beginning 30 October 2017. Integrating film and animation into your lessons helps pupils develop their skills as digital makers and also enhances their understanding of the topic they are studying.
As part of its ongoing Digital Skills initiative, CCEA has provided six 1-day workshops entitled "The use of Adobe Photoshop for image editing" and "Recording music in the classroom using GarageBand". The workshops were aimed at Key Stage 3 Art & Design or Music teachers with little or no experience of using the software.
Following a review by the Irish Universities Association (IUA), CCEA is pleased to announce that the IUA have taken the decision to accept the CCEA GCE (A-Level) subjects, listed below, as acceptable for entry in 2018 and beyond:
A high-quality computing education 'equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world' (Department for Education, 2013).
Digital Skills will play a critical role in the social and economic futures of our young people. Collaboration, between education and employers, is the only way to address the digital skills shortage. These are the key messages of CCEA’s ‘Educating the iGeneration’ conference, attended by major industry representatives and a European delegation of education policy advisers.
CCEA is currently looking at the provision of digital skills across both primary and post-primary schools. As part of this work, we are developing non-statutory guidance for the development of a Digital Skills Curriculum at Key Stage 3.
We would like to hear the thoughts of teachers on this draft document and invite you to attend a consultation event on one of the following dates:
Digital makers, problem solving, thinking skills - were some of the key topics on the agenda at CCEA's (Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment) first Primary ICT Conference.
Nearly 200 primary school teachers from across Northern Ireland, took part in 'Thinking for Digital' - Northern Ireland's largest primary school digital skills conference.
