Computer says YES! An introduction to university-level Computer Science
Monday 8th – Thursday 11th April 2013 (non-residential)
Aston University is running a four day non-residential computing science course from Monday 8th to
Thursday 11th April 2013 for your Year 12 students currently studying ICT or Mathematics. The
course will start at 10.00am and end at 4.00pm each day with a presentation evening from 6.00pm to
8.30pm on 11th April which students will be expected to attend.
This course is designed to expose your students to a range of challenging and exciting topics with
real-world applications. It will introduce the principles by which systems for control, decision making
and entertainment are designed, developed and improved and will give students a hands-on
opportunity to use a variety of tools and languages.
If your students are considering a future in the Computing, Communication, Business Systems or
Games sectors and want to explore their higher education options then this is the course for them.
This course will appeal to students keen to find out more about the practical aspects of implementing
software, the mathematical foundations of how computer algorithms work or the way that future
software products will be designed. No prior experience in programming is required.
With a mix of lectures, hands-on exercises and workshops, students will get a real impression of what
life is like at a small, friendly, campus university. In labs, students will be mentored by experienced
postgraduates and undergraduates from Aston’s successful Student Software Company. Student
Ambassadors and members of our Computing Science Society will be available throughout the
course to share their experiences of higher education and giving tours of the campus and facilities.
Students will also have plenty of opportunities to talk informally with staff and see examples of project
work produced by our final year students.
Over the four days students will work in teams on a software development project which will allow
novice and experienced programmers alike to tackle a real-world problem and generate an exciting
solution. Students will display and demonstrate their results at the event finale on the evening of 11th
April, to which parents/guardians, staff, local entrepreneurs and Aston students will be invited.
During the course students will learn about a wide range of topics including:
 Programming using Java or another language
 Project management and problem solving
 User interface design
 Machine learning and artificial intelligence
 Web development
 Computer graphics
 Geographical / spatial information systems
 How computers can work with uncertain information
For more information, or to request application forms for the event please contact Angela Morris at
[email protected]. Please note that booking is essential and students must complete individual
application forms. This is a four day non-residential course and attendance on all four days is
compulsory for successful applicants: no fee will be charged in this case. Schools will be liable for a
£50 cancellation charge per student for any cancellations made less than two weeks prior to the
event, or for non-attendance at all or part of the event. Bookings will be allocated on a first-come
first-served basis with a maximum of 5 places available to any one school or college.
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