Alan

A short biography with information about past and future projects and links to resources.

GCSE Computer Science(9-1): NEA Preparations

If you are currently teaching the ‘new’ GCSE Computer Science (9-1), it’s possible that you are in the middle of preparing your classes and ‘Resource Bank’ for your students to use in the Autumn Term when the NEAs are released by the examination and awarding bodies. I’d like to share what I believe is a…

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Reflecting on #GirlsinSTEM

My mother was born during Christmas of 1947; her parents thought it would be cute to name her ‘Noelle’. When her baby sister was born some 15 years later on the very same day, they continued with the Christmas theme and named her ‘Carol’. If there’d been another, who knows – she may have been…

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The MOOC has landed!

A few months ago, I published a post titled Proposal for a GCSE Computing MOOC in which I described an idea I was considering to support other teachers with the teaching of GCSE Computer Science. Well, the good news is it’s now ready for use at – http://courses.exa.foundation The problem: I taught GCSE Computing over a…

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Challenges of Teaching GCSE Computer Science

Since I joined Exa in October 2015, I believe I’ve supported as many teachers as in the previous 5 years with the development of GCSE Computer Science. Through my work with exa.foundation I’ve been able to visit teachers in their schools as well as leading CPD events in regions around the country. One of the…

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Proposal for a GCSE Computing MOOC

About one third of my work since joining Exa Education has been supporting the teaching of Computing in UK schools. I’m constantly looking for new solutions to help me scale-up my support to other teachers and I’d like to share a proposal for a MOOC to support the teaching of GCSE Computing and enlist a…

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#31WaysInMay

I know from my own experiences that it’s challenging to build a compelling case to be released from school to attend any event taking place on a school day, whether that’s an important meeting, vital in-service training or an inspiring conference. ‘Rarely Cover’ policy and diminishing staff development budgets make it even more difficult for…

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75+ Revision Resources & Strategies

In this post, I’ll start by sharing in detail three strategies that I’ve used for preparing my classes for their GCSE Computer Science exams, but they could also be applied to any curriculum subject. The first suggestion is a long term strategy that takes a long time to set up, but the others are all…

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5 Questions To Answer When Planning A STEM Trip

If you’re seeking to engage and develop the interest of children into Computing and/or STEM subjects you may have considered organising a trip. Here are 5 questions you should consider as part of your planning, some suggestions for alternatives to school visits as well as recommendations for places to visit.  1. Why even bother? The…

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An Ace In The Hole

If you’re a subscriber to this blog you’ll know that after teaching in mainstream education for 21 years I recently joined Exa Education, a business providing internet connections to thousands of schools across the UK. Part of my role is to promote safe, secure and appropriate use of technology. As I gaze down into the…

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How much should a conference cost?

“So, what’s the best resource you have available?” – It’s a question I’ve asked teachers on more than one occasion. Yes, it’s a trick question that I throw out occasionally to catch out those who might reply “iPads. Raspberry Pi computers. Google. The Internet.” and so on. While these are all extremely useful tools, the…

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