Devizes Arts Festival featured this great homage to classic computer games. A simple idea but a brilliant one: becoming the characters in a physical recreation. I got so into being pac-man!
https://community.stem.org.uk/blogs/phillip-anley/2023/03/20/jumpstart-the-junk STEM have kindly published my blog containing some thoughts towards how old, and seemingly defunct, technology can yet be of value to teachers as a means of providing Physical Computing experiences. Perhaps the question for teachers (& school IT support teams) could be: "what can this still do?" - rather than "what can this not do?"
http://www.flickernet.net/pm25 Enjoying resource creation for my friends at Digit<all> An activity for teachers will merge DT with Computing skills and Science - to build a particle measuring machine, linked to the PM2.5 Tree Sensor so that pupils can engage with the need for careful monitoring of these dangerous airborne particles. http://www.flickernet.net/pm25 http://www.flickernet.net/pm25
The Space To Learn site in Northern Ireland captures video of wildlife passing by cameras that are spread throughout the woods. This camera, BadgerCam - is a good one for recording the soundscape too! https://youtu.be/m09STihb7ZE
http://www.flickernet.net/pacomp2 After a scramble to complete our two entries as far as possible - it is congratulations to Team Heat Hunters (Year 10/11) and Team Purple (Year 13) for readying their submissions in time. There was much more intended, but the experience of applying thermal imaging sensing and AI number recognition, gave both teams some valuable insights into these intriguing areas of robotics.
STEM PDL Stage 2 training has provided a rare opportunity to combine with colleagues from the far North of England to the South coast - in sharing our experience of school consultancy processes, and best support techniques. Thank you Chris and Tracey for modelling the highest standard of professional development. As part of our training I was asked to present on a piece of…
Thank you to Chris and the team for some fascinating CPD in Birmingham this week. It has brought home to me how much more effective it is to plan a project - especially one that involves many disciplines and subject areas - with the input of brilliant people! www.flickernet.net/stem http://www.flickernet.net/stem
The Space To Learn page is gradually taking shape. Over the next few months I will share the ways in which I aim to develop outdoor educational technology from our foothold in the Mourne Mountains. Expect live data streams; real world applications of physical technology; and an exploration into new ways in which STEM subjects, creative writing and historical investigations can benefit from a…
The huge potential of Unity as a teaching resource is keeping Keith and I hard at work. We have exciting plans to bring STEM subjects to life using this great engine - the laws of physics can be explored in a virtual world! https://www.digitalwrites.org.uk/Freefall/
Thank you to Stuart and the team at BCS for a most interesting day exploring the new BCS Level 1 qualification at BCS HQ. The twelve of us present were taken through the materials and provided with ample time to explore what delivery of this new certification will look like. As LPA are one of the first schools to offer this (through the STEM…
The Raspberry Pi-up-a-tree is functioning well. Data stream is here: www.flickernet.net/data with further information on the wider STEM based outdoor learning project here: www.flickernet.net/s2l http://www.flickernet.net/data (more recent data)
This is the first of two environment monitors under preparation to provide real-time data and imagery from two distinct environments: rural and urban. It will stream information about the air quality including pollutant gases and particulates as well as light / sound and weather data. codename: johnket https://www.flickernet.net/iot http://www.flickernet.net/iot
To support our latest Raspberry Pi adventures, here is a dedicated page for Pi fun! https://www.flickernet.net/rpi
Thank you to Grace and the judging panel for PA Consulting, part of Cambridge Network, who sent us an enormous envelope - inside which was a small, but perfectly formed Pico! The judges commented on our project: "Your objectives, although challenging, show the impact you wish to have. I also like that you see this as an interactive approach and not something that is…
Robert from ARM has inspired me with his confidence in the Micro:Bit as a means to create sensors that will support STEM learning. Robert's experience in seeing physical computing integrated into schemes of work encourages me to explore this avenue. https://www.arm.com/resources/education/schools
Our thanks to Marcus and the team at Newbury Code Ninjas who has kindly offered to share the CAS Raspberry Pi AstroPi set with us. We look forward to comparing notes on what these Raspberry Pi units end up being part of! https://www.codeninjas.com/locations-list/gb/brk/newbury
This website was so useful in helping Year 7 to make sense of what innovations happened, when! http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline
Here is the new Berners-Lee House website page. Named in honour of Sir Tim, it seems entirely appropriate that we establish a place on the net! www.flickernet.net/bl
As we explore the remarkable Internet Of Things (IoT), please take a moment to view these resources: www.flickernet.net/iot
For Year 8 Tutors: please show these to your tutees in our morning registration sessions: www.flickernet.net/safe
For further guidance about hex, please see here: www.flickernet.net/hex
Welcome to the Year 12 Cambridge Technicals IT Course. This video selection is for you: http://www.flickernet.net/ctec1
These videos are to assist with our current OCR Python Programming task www.flickernet.net/python
This link is for my new Year 10 CS students. These videos are to help with the content of the Edexcel course www.flickernet.net/cs
Back in the day there was a space flight simulator that created a huge field of destinations in which to explore, trade and navigate - if you would like to try it out, here is an emulator and the original .exe: www.flickernet.net/elite
Enjoying the BitBot XL - full review for teachers here: www.flickernet.net/robot
Welcome to all of the Year 6 pupils who will shortly be joining us in Year 7. A complete collection of recent school video guidance and your Transition Booklets are available here: www.flickernet.net/transition
Here is is: I hope this is helpful. http://www.flickernet.net/homestudy/
Our new Code Club will be starting at LPA next week! It is invitation only this term (starting with KS3, helped by three KS5) The links page is here
This is the big blue bunny rabbit that our children spotted whilst on holiday in Dorset. It was for sale for the quite reasonable price of 50p. After some debate over who would be making the purchase, he was presently in the bag / saved from landfill / one of the family. The parting words of the stall holder rang in my ears, a…
Demonstrating automated systems to Year 9 with a Raspberry Pi 4, breadboard mounted PIR and resulting monkey on patrol.!
A full weekend of study at Bath University. Being presented with the opportunities and the potential of Raspberry Pi by those who know it best. My thanks to Dan, Mark, Laura and Alan for an amazing time.
Popping into a Year 7 Science lesson I was perplexed to find all the pupils elevating laminated symbols above their heads as their teacher held her phone up to scan the scene. The data promptly appeared on the white board at the front. This was my first taste of Plickers in action - now I am keen to give it a go!
Just to round off the training that I have been fortunate to receive recently: the NCCE Certificate in Computer Science Subject Knowledge has come through. Julia kindly presented me with it at BCS HQ.
Delighted to record that I have been awarded the BCS Certificate in Secondary Computer Science Teaching - my thanks to LPA for providing the experience and guidance to achieve this key qualification. As a separate, but related, enterprise I have also been made a STEM facilitator for the National Centre for Computing Excellence (NCCE). This means that I can help to deliver the new…