UC’s expert heading to London to address Global Summit
university-of-canterbury
Wed Jun 05 2013 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
UC’s expert heading to London to address Global Summit
Wednesday, 5 June 2013, 3:42 pm
Press Release: University of Canterbury
UC’s leading computer science expert heading to London to address Global Summit
June 5, 2013
One of New Zealand’s leading computer science experts will tell a Google Global Summit meeting in London next week that there is more to computer science than just learning to programme.
The Summit is for projects from around the world that have won funding from the Google Roots in Science and Engineering Awards programme, which funds and supports organisations that provide science and technology education at a grassroots level.
Many of the projects aim to reach disadvantaged communities, some of which don't even have desks, let alone computers.
University of Canterbury (UC) computer science professor Tim Bell says computer science can be explored even without using a computer.
``Our Computer Science Unplugged project has produced a number of activities, games, puzzles and tricks that provide free tools for teachers and presenters to do just this.
``The Unplugged approach can be used to supplement work on a computer, as a break from being in front of a screen, to help students focus on the essence of topics rather than being distracted by the device, and in situations where a computer isn't available.
``It removes programming as a gateway to getting into computer science, which opens the subject to more students. We will look at how to deliver such material in a fun and engaging way, and look at how it has been used effectively around the world.
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``I will also be appealing for more women around the world to take up computer science. It is a great career and industry needs more women who have studied the subject.’’
Professor Bell will run a workshop at London’s Queen Mary University on June 11; will speak at the Global summit on June 12 and 13; and also speak at the Computing at School conference for UK computing teachers to be held in Birmingham on June 14.
``At Birmingham I will be talking about the introduction of computer science into schools in New Zealand from 2011 to 2013, and share our experience, as they are going through the same transition now that we had a couple of years ago.
``Computer science is a growing field. Good students get multiple job offers and employers are reporting that they can't hire enough people from New Zealand and are forced to go through the more complex process of hiring people from overseas.
``New standards for computer science and programming were phased in to New Zealand high schools starting in January 2011 and the first cohort of students who have had access to these standards will arrive at universities in 2014.
``My talk to the UK teachers will look at how the new standards were introduced, the support that was available for teachers to adopt them, and the reaction from the various stakeholders including students, teachers, schools, universities and employers,’’ Professor Bell says.
Photo: Professor Tim Bell
ENDS
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