MR ALEX LAMING, HEAD OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Year 8s have just begun an exciting new initiative run by Amazon Web Services to encourage 12 and 13 year olds to learn about app design and development and stimulate interest in STEM subjects. The program utilises an online platform called Canvas that students log in to and perform a range of tasks within such as watching presentations and videos, filling out worksheets, brainstorming and quizzes.

The students will be arranging themselves into diverse app development teams and brainstorming ideas for an app that will help a community group of their choice. Throughout the task they will be learning key principles such as how to best assemble a team, what skills are needed to develop and select ideas for an app, what technical roles exist in the real world and how cloud computing is fundamental to modern technology. Students will also explore user interface design and work together to build a multi screen wireframe for an app that can demonstrate good human computer interaction whilst aiding a community issue such as homelessness, food poverty, environmental issues or recycling.

On Wednesday 22 November Year 8 students gathered for a course introduction from their Amazon ambassador, Gwen Boissel (an IT industry professional), for a course introduction and question and answer session. As well as learning to use wireframe development skills for their design the students will also get an introduction to App programming with App Lab so that they can understand some of the programming required to develop a real app. The Amazon GetIT program will run through the rest of the Autumn and then the spring term and we hope that it will bring a dynamic and creative edge to Computer Science lessons whilst teaching students about real world IT development in teams.