http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant Views from a Computing teacher and Subject Support Co-ordinator Wed, 07 May 2008 11:08:37 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Update 7/5/08 - the full speech and following questions are available here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor0424-02.htm#Col7863 Did anyone else read the speech by Fiona Hyslop to parliament regarding the new Qualifications that will come in with CfE? http://www.scotland.gov.uk/news/this-week/speeches/smarter/natqual Certainly, there is not a huge amount of detail in Fiona Hyslop's speech but what is there I ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2008/05/01/future-qualifications/ I got an interesting email from a former student of Dunbar Grammar who went on to study Computer Science. He had seen some of the press coverage about the future of computing and decided to let me know his thoughts. He's kindly allowed me to reproduce the contents ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2008/04/30/ex-student-views-on-computing/ No, I haven't bought one (yet). I notice Ollie has now pre-ordered another interesting mini laptop though - the Elonex One. However, I got really excited when I saw the machine on the left - this is the new Asus EeePC sporting - wait for it - a ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2008/03/06/laptop-update-new-eee-pc/ I spotted this on the PCW website today - google are releasing an online web authoring package as part of their online apps. Not had a chance to try it out yet, but it looks like an interesting tool for collaborating with classes.  Might just brighten up revision in the ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2008/03/03/google-does-it-again/ I'm currently in the market for a new laptop, which is proving more difficult that I imagined! I need something lightweight for taking to and from work (and using with my other work for BASP), with decent specs for using graphics, video and sound packages, and also reliable. ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2008/02/14/new-laptop/ Now that course choices are starting to get nearer I have decided to make up some flyers/posters this year to promote the subject. I've posted the PDFs below if anyone wants to use them - I can send the MS publisher files on request if you wish to adapt ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2008/01/24/subject-promotion-posters/ As I mentioned below, I have written a letter to the TESS following up on the article about Computing Science Inside.  In the letter I (try to!) outline what I feel is a big problem with Computing right now - the misunderstanding at all levels as to what the subject ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2007/11/28/my-002/   It was great to see the Computing Science inside... project get some much deserved publicity in TES this week.  I think the article conveyed the real usefulness of these sessions well.  I'm going to be working on a letter to the TES regarding the situation in Computing (as I see ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2007/11/27/computing-science-inside/ Just in case you missed the post on Ollie's blog, past papers for 2007 are being made available on the SQA website. You can access them here. As per previous years, the Marking Instructions are also available in the subject areas. This is certainly a development I firmly approve ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2007/11/27/sqa-past-papers/ I was one of two teachers from East Lothian (the other being Emma Webster from PL) who attended the CS Inside workshop at Edinburgh Uni's School of Informatics last night. I'd first learned about CS Inside at the Future of Computing conference in May, and have been keen ever since to ... http://edubuzz.org/blogs/mjtennant/2007/10/25/cs-inside-workshop/