ITE Secondary Computer Science
Course Tutor: David Wells
Dear Student Teacher
May I take this opportunity to welcome you on to your programme and I hope you are
looking forward to embarking on your new career as a secondary school computing teacher.
If you wish to contact me with any pre-course questions you may have, then please email
[email protected].
Before September, you will wish to familiarise yourself with the below and start to appreciate
the new Computing National Curriculum:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-computingprogrammes-of-study
As well as reading through some GCSE and A Level specifications for Computing/ Computer
Science/ ICT based courses - familiarise yourself with existing computer science
qualifications - the below links to exam board websites may get you started:
EdExcel:http://www.edexcel.com/QUALS/GCSE/GCSE-2013/COMPUTERSCIENCE/Pages/default.aspx
OCR: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-computing-j275-from-2012/
AQA: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/ict-and-computer-science/gcse/computer-science-4512
WJEC: http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?subject=212
IGCSE:
http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-igcse-computerscience-0478/
It would also be wise to start reading in preparation for September. I will provide access to
plenty of reading and viewable resources as the programme progresses but these books will
get you started and thinking about Computing and ICT learning and teaching - I am not
suggesting you buy all of these books - think libraries and other means to get a copy to read.
When you receive your Teaching and Learning guide for the course, there will be more
books identified that you may wish to engage with and use.
Anderson K (2010) Getting the Buggers Excited About ICT, Continuum Publishing,
ISBN-10: 1441198555
Kennewell S, (2004) Meeting the Standards in Using ICT for Secondary Teaching
Routledge Falmer ISBN: 0415249872 - (Be aware that the national curriculum standards
discussed in this book are out of date)
Kennewell S, (2007) A Practical guide to Teaching ICT in the Secondary School,
Routledge, ISBN-10: 0415402999
Simmons C and Hawkins C, (2009) Teaching ICT (Developing as a Reflective teacher)
Sage publications ISBN-10: 1847872549
Simmons C and Hawkins C, (2014) Teaching Computing (Developing as a Reflective
teacher) Sage publications ISBN-13: 978-1446282526
Woollard J, (2007) Learning and Teaching Using ICT – Achieving QTS in Secondary
Schools Learning Matters ISBN-10: 1844450783
Plus these two highly influential reports regarding ICT to Computing need for change:
BCS (2012) Shut down or restart? The way forward for computing in UK schools.
Online: http://royalsociety.org/education/policy/computing-in-schools/report/
Livingstone I and Hope A, (2011) Next Gen. Transforming the UK into the world’s leading
talent hub for the video games and visual effects industries. Online:
http://www.education.gov.uk/taassets/~/media/get_into_teaching/resources/subjects_age_groups/cs_next_generation.pdf
I would also consider GCSE and A Level text books to familiarise yourself with Computer
Science/ Computing/ ICT course content. These books will help you start to pinpoint your
initial subject knowledge development needs.
You may also wish to view the following websites to help get you started and thinking about
the subject you will be teaching:
http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/index.php?id=documents
http://www.teach-ict.com/
http://www.teachersmedia.co.uk/
http://www.icteachers.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.tes.co.uk/
http://www.ictineducation.org/welcomepage/
If you have an Apple device iTunes U is also useful for computer science reading - I would
definitely engage with the "BCS Computing Education" subscription in their library as a
starting point - it's free!
All students will be expected on the course to update their computer science knowledge and
by able to describe and show they are able to teach computer science topics
effectively. The books and websites above are the beginnings of your journey towards
becoming a very accomplished practitioner with a good theoretical understanding of
pedagogy.
Pre Course Activity 1:
Please engage with the new Computing National Curriculum programme of study,
Computing/ Computer Science GCSE specifications (easily found via websites for OCR,
AQA, EdExcel and WJEC exam board websites – see above links) and GCSE Computer
Science resource books.
Use these documents/ books to audit what areas of computing you are (a) very strong at (b)
adequate or (c) need to develop.
You can present this anyway you feel appropriate but I would suggest the more detail you
can provide the better starting point you will have.
For areas identified as needing development please present via your audit how you are
developing/ planning to develop them.
Pre Course Activity 2:
“With reference to relevant reading and research, critically justify the place of computer
science in a child’s learning and a school’s curriculum provision.”
Approximate 1000 word count with appropriate reference list.
This will require engaging with relevant literature and start to think of your beginning identity
as a teacher of computing. It will also get you used to writing again – the PGCE requires
three assignments to be written and passed.
Pre Course Activity 3:
Develop a brief computer science curriculum for Year 7 pupils.
You are to assume that the curriculum time has been allocated as a one hour a week lesson
for 39 weeks, spread over 6 half terms.
Put together a draft computer science curriculum proposal/ plan overview for what you will
teach and expect pupils to learn. Keep it limited to topics that are suggested in the draft Dfe
Computing curriculum.
Present as a brief scheme of work.
I very much look forward to working with you in September.
Dave
David Wells FHEA
Senior Lecturer, Secondary ITE
Cass School of Education and Communities
University of East London
Stratford Campus
Water Lane
London E15 4LZ
Tel: 020 8223 4686
Mail: [email protected]
Please access our "Research in Teacher Education" Journal at www.uel.ac.uk/rite/