IT Skills Management Company

Demystify Computer Science – AQA & Microsoft

Ray Chambers Garry Corcoran

This Session• Introduction to the course and VLE – Garry 10 mins• Access to Learning Resources – Mike 20 mins • Covering some of the learning outcomes of “The use

of computer technology in society” – Ray 60 mins 1 x 20 minute introduction / 2 x 20 minute

tasks

• Links to employment pathways Garry 10 mins • Preparation for the following 10 sessions –Ray 10

mins• QA 10 mins

The Course

• Designed for teachers by teachers• Delivered by a teacher• Most beneficial for new entrant

teachers or revision• Covering all the learning outcomes• Linked to The Microsoft Technology

Associate (MTA)

The Partners

• AQA – The Awarding Body• The Teachers and the Students• Microsoft – The Microsoft Technology

Associate certification (MTA)• ITSkillsman - Microsoft Academy

Service Partner• Certiport – test provider for the MTA

The Mapping

How GCSE and MTA align

The GCSE was developed jointly with reference to the Microsoft Technology

Associate

The VLE

• What it does and all about it?

Garry or Ray to design and demonstrate

Participate ?

ObjectivesProvide engaging training

Develop community

Access through a web browser

Q &A and chat facility available for users in

session

Poll questions to check understanding

Able to download documents, code

examples during session

Recordings available to review

Resources

• Books• Student Study Guides• Exam Review Kits• PowerPoint presentations• Microsoft Faculty• Partners in Learning (PiL)

Resources

• Books and PowerPointshttp://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ search Microsoft MTA

• Student Study Guideswww.certiport.com/ search for Microsoft Technology Associate

• Microsoft Facultywww.microsoft.com/education/facultyconnection/ programming

• Partners in Learning (PiL)http://www.pil-network.com/ and http://www.microsoft.com/education/ww/partners-in-learning

More Resources

• Dreamspark• Microsoft IT Academy Program (ITA)• MTA certification practice exams• MTA certification exams• E-learning – SQL, Visual Studio

More Resources

• Dreamsparkhttps://www.dreamspark.com/

• Microsoft IT Academy Program (ITA)Including e-learning SQL, Visual Studiohttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/itacademy/default.aspx

• MTA certification practice / examswww.certiport.com/

Why ITSkillsman?

Not just a course – supported resources for new Computer Science GCSE

Clearly establishes Microsoft Technology Associate & AQA GCSE alignment

Gain confidence to find and use non-traditional resources

Join community to share ideas

Course overviewCourse Content IncludingCourse 1:

An overview of the computer and networking structures

Computer structure and networking

Course 2: Programming Fundamentals 1* Constants , variables and data types, Structures, program flow control

Course 3: Programming Fundamentals 2* Procedures and functions, variables, error handling

Course 4: Practical Programming component Kinect, Gadgeteer, DreamSpark

Course 5: Programming Fundamentals 3* Handling external data, Algorithms

Course 6: Programming Fundamentals 4* Data representation, Software development lifecycle, prototyping

Course 7: Programming Fundamentals 5* Application testing, web application concepts, Use of external code sources

Course 8: Programming Fundamentals 6* Database concepts

Course 9: Procedures and resources Signposting to additional resources, assessment and labour market intelligence

Course 10: Programme completion and revision Review and revision, FAQs, assessment information, current and future trends

* MTA Software Development Fundamentals is core to all of these courses + MTAs in .NET, Web, Gaming, HTML5 and Mobile will be referenced where appropriate

Activity!

• Survey Monkey - Based on the learning outcomes as a diagnostic tool

• https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LWCLQBR

Practical Programming

• Tasks are set by AQA and each student will complete two tasks from a choice of four.

• These can be submitted either through an individual portfolio of work in either hard copy or electronic form.

• Each students must complete two scenarios.

Practical Programming

• Each of the assessments will take about 25 hours to complete.

• Each task will be marked out of a total of 63 marks. – Design of solution– Solution development– Programming techniques used– Testing and evaluation

1.16 The use of Computer Technology in society

• It’s all around us!• Kinect• Web Apps• Phone Apps• Relational Databases

1.16 The use of Computer Technology in society

• Students should be able to evaluate the effectiveness of computer programs / solutions

• Be able to evaluate the impact of issues related to the use of computer technology in society.

1.12 Application Testing

• Understand the need for rigorous testing of coded solutions

• Understand the different types of test that can be used, including unit/modular testing

• Be able to create suitable test plans and carry out suitable testing to demonstrate their solutions work as intended.

• Be able to hand test simple code designs/algorithms using trace tables.

Introduction To Programming

• Covering– 3.1.1 – Constants Variables and data types– 3.1.9 - Algorithms

• Introducing– Algorithms– Variables– Constants– Data Types– Arrays– Operators

Introduction To Programming

• Introducing Algorithms– An algorithm is a set of ordered and finite

steps to solve a given problem.

– For example… we have two values and we can compare them so that they output either one value or another.

Introduction To ProgrammingStart

Input Start Age

Input Student Age

Is Student Age> Start

Age

Not Accepted

Accepted

Stop

Yes

No

Introduction To Programming

• Use flow charts– Great for showing what should happen– Great for planning– Shows the end result– Shows overall picture of what was

planned.– Useful for testing

Introduction To Programming

• Variables– Known as a place holder to store values. Can be shown in a

number of data types

– INT number = 55;

– Can be modified easily to store a different value.

– When teaching my students I sometimes refer to a variable as a BUCKET. They can imagine how it holds the value and how it can be emptied and used again.

Introduction To Programming

• Constants• Constants are a little different to normal

variables in that they cannot be modified. • They declaration is similar in that it requires

the data type but it uses the word “Const” before it.

– Const int number = 30;

Introduction To Programming

• Data Types• Within the programming language you will

find that there are many data types which can be used.

• The table on the next table shows a table referring to a computer running a 32-bit operating system such as windows 7. 64 bit machines will have different sizes.

Introduction To Programming

Data Type Size Range Of Values

Byte 1 byte 0 to 255

Char 2 bytes U + 0000 to U + ffff (Unicode characters)

Short 2 bytes -32,768 to 32,767

Int 4 bytes -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647

Long 8 bytes -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807

Float 4 bytes ± 1.5 x 10-45 to ± 3.4 x 1038

Double 8 bytes ± 5.0e – 324 to ±1.7e308

Bool 2 bytes True or false

string - Zero to more Unicode characters

Introduction To Programming

• Understanding Arrays• An array is a collection of items which each item can be

accessed by using a unique index.– Helps us to read and analyse repetitive data.– We can loop through the array to analyse the array quickly.

• Int[] numbers = {1,2,3,4,5};– When looking for a value, arrays always start with the first

number as 0. – Numbers[0] would be number 1,– Numbers[1] would call on number 2 and so on.

Introduction To Programming

1 2 3

Numbers stored in the array

Empty Cells

Storage Numbers

Introduction To Programming

• Operators• Operators are symbols that specific which

operation to perform on the operands before returning the result.– Used in a number of situations

• Algorithms use them to check or compare answers in order to get there result.

• There are a number of different operators used throughout programming.

Introduction To Programming

Category Operators

Primary x.y f(x) a[x] x+ + x - - new type of checked unchecked

Unary + - ! ~ + + x - - X (T) x

Multiplication * / %

Additive + -

Shift <<>>

Relational and type testing < > <= >= is as

Equality == !=

Logican AND &

Logical XOR ^

Logical OR |

Conditional AND &&

Conditional OR ||

Conditional ternary ?:

Assignment = *= /= += -= <<= >>= &= ^= |=

Mobile Phone Apps

• If you have received the documentation before hand, you will have already downloaded the following requirements:– http://explore.appinventor.mit.edu/ (Google

account required)– http://

explore.appinventor.mit.edu/content/windows (Install file for Windows – Runs Emulator)

Mobile Phone Apps

– Introduction into mobile phone application development.

• “Using Computer Technology Within Society”• “Prototyping”• “Application testing”

– Simple step by step guide to get you on your way.

Mobile Phone Apps

• Setting up a simple app which will store and retrieve values into global values.

• Showing how to move between screens on a mobile phone application.

• A simple starter to the Mobile Assignment “Chip Rider”

Mobile Phone Apps

DEMO GIVEN (will supply videos)• Includes setting up a simple application• How to set up a database• How to recall the data from the

database• Using global variables

Mobile Phone Application

QUICK TEST / SURVEY TO CHECK UNDERSTANDING….

Kinect Application

• If you have received the documentation before hand, you will have already downloaded the following requirements:– Visual Studio 2010 C#

• Students can access this free at Dream Spark

– Kinect SDK Version 1.5 (Newest Release)• Free to access from the Kinect for windows website.

– You may need a Kinect for this tutorial

Kinect Application

If you do not have a Kinect, then you will still be able to compile your programs

using Visual Studio 2010.

Kinect Application

Please download the sample files found in the shared area:

• Sample 1 – Introduction to Kinect Movement• Sample 2 – Using Kinect to get pictures to

follow your hand

Kinect Application

DEMO GIVEN (will supply videos)• How to update text boxes based on

Kinect Movement• How to change values and variables

instantly using Kinect Movement

Kinect Application

QUICK TEST / SURVEY TO CHECK UNDERSTANDING….

Evaluate impact!

POLL DELIVERED THROUGH WEBINAR SOFTWARE

Careers and Roadmaps!

• MTA roadmap and MS roadmap links

Q and A

Calls to Action

Self Test with Microsoft

Digital Literacy Curriculum

Sign up for the CPD Package –

details from AQA

Complete the Skills Scan to

help with CPD planning –

Survey Monkey

Join us on the first session on

Tuesday October 2nd at

4 p.m.

Thank you!