View from the classroom
For example, one of our workshops focuses on playing PacMan – an activity the children thoroughly enjoy but which then leads on to using Google Blockly to relate the desired outcome of moving around the PacMan maze to the instructions which need to be given in sequence for the program to work. With their interest sparked and basic concepts in place children can quickly move on to other things. The Digital School House Project provides the initial impetus to engage interest and build confidence leaving its participants well placed to go on to discover how interesting and fundamental to today’s life computing is.
Can you describe a typical lesson? A DSH day at Woodford usually comprises 3 sessions with a break and a lunchtime. The primary school is contacted after making their booking to find out which topics they are interested in covering and what their requirements are. My colleagues and I then put together three complementary workshops: one
“A practical
workshop such as “Networking” would introduce the concept of what a network is and how it works in the world of computing...”
theory-based and two practical. Each workshop topic and focus is interlinked in some form. A practical workshop such as “Networking” would introduce the concept of what a network is and how it works in the world of computing. This knowledge is then used within a practical session where the students learn of some of the key components used to make up a network such as a router, a device and cables. They then create a model of the network using 3D Doodler pens to melt down plastic and create the components. This is one our most popular workshops – the pupils thoroughly enjoy creating their plastic models! The teachers take the models back to their schools to display and inspire others. We encourage interactivity within the
workshops. Although the resources are created by us, we allow certain workshops to be pupil led to encourage confidence in learning about the topics. Pupils are fully involved in both “unplugged” and “plugged” workshops and we monitor their learning at regular intervals through question and answer and through timed challenges and pupil demonstrations.
How have the children responded to the Project?
The feedback we have received from the project has been extremely positive. The children treat a DSH day as a school trip and give us all of their energy to the very end! We aim continually to improve the workshops so all pupils and visiting
October 2015
www.education-today.co.uk
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