This document, by the Royal Society, provides the conclusions and recommendations from the largest survey of technicians in schools and colleges. It gives you evidence for what technicians should be doing or could do to support science education in schools. There are views from across education and case studies to...

This London Engineering Project paper, from The Royal Academy of Engineering, describes a range of activity days which supported the engineering diploma in schools who have students who may decide to continue studying the subject to degree level.

Using a set of simple ‘swap puzzles’, this CS4FN activity helps students to learn, fundamentally, what an algorithm is and how they can be made more efficient. Students are encouraged to create algorithms for solving the puzzles which can be used by future players to win, with no understanding of the game, in as...

To play a simple game called Hexapawn, an ‘artificially intelligent’ computer is created made entirely from sweets. The game is like a mini version of chess; the rules are explained fully, and a playing board drawn. The ‘machine’ then ‘learns’ how to improve its playing of the game by trial and error and by ‘...

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) has the goal of helping countries make informed decisions about how to improve teaching and learning in mathematics and science. This report summarizes the results of the TIMSS 2011 international mathematics assessment of fourth and eighth grade students...

This CS4FN activity from the team at Queen Mary University of London highlights some issues encountered during the design of human-computer interfaces (HCI). It acts as an introduction to HCI, introducing the need to translate problems and to understand how people behave.

The activities include a robot...

These resources, developed by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme in partnership with the Association for Science Education, are aimed at newly qualified secondary science teachers and their mentors. Originally published as a CD-ROM, the resources provide training activities and materials that can be used in a...

This magic trick from the Computer Science for Fun team at QMUL shows that computing is about more than just programming and computational thinking is about more than just algorithms.

A simple mathematical approach is taken with dealt piles of cards – this allows the dealer to control the whereabouts of the...

This unplugged activity from the CS4FN team uses two examples – an insulting computer and one that can play snap – to look at simple computer programming, flow of control and logic. Everything is provided for this front-of-class activity, which would act as an effective starter for a lesson on programming concepts...

This report from Ofsted is based on a survey into the impact in schools of the government’s strategy for continuing professional development (CPD). The strategy was introduced in 2001 and subsequently relaunched in 2005. It aims to promote the benefits of CPD, help teachers make the most of the choices available,...

This resource contains a series of card tricks. Each trick is presented in two parts. In the first part enough detail is given so that the trick can be performed. A description of the desired effect is given followed by an explanation of the mechanics of the trick – actually what is done to ensure the trick works...

The Magic of Computer Science II begins with an introduction to the resource, explaining the basic concepts used in the book. There follows descriptions of how to perform seven tricks with explanations of how the trick works and the computer science concepts illustrated in the tricks.

The joker in...

The third collection of magic tricks, from Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan, is entitled ‘magic meets mistakes, machines and medicine. The five card tricks contained make use of maths and computer science theory, and are used by real magicians.

Each trick includes magician’s instructions. The theory behind each...

This London Engineering Project paper, from Royal Academy of Engineering, describes the stages of setting up the Solar Car Challenge as a 12-week themed activity. Students were asked to work in groups to create and customise cars to make them faster and bespoke. Work on...