The Twinkl Digest by Vicki Tayler produced within hours of the research review published by Ofsted on Computing inspired me to reach for my keyboard. Before I set out my practitioner’s perspective, for the purposes of complete transparency, this reflection is not at all intended to be a criticism of any of the organisations I have been associated with since I became a teacher. Indeed, it has been with the assistance and support of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Computing at School network, National STEM Learning Centre, BBC Micro:bit Foundation and so many more who have put me in the position I find myself in at the time of writing (May 2022). In this reflection, I will refer to products and services which I think are important tools and resources to the “high-quality computing” teaching I believe my practice to be. None of the products or services have paid me to make any of the comments that I have.
But what should I know what “high-quality computing” look
like? For those who have yet to closely
follow the digital footprints I leave, I was until the Summer that none of us
will ever forget, a Primary Class Teacher.
Although I qualified in 2012, I only truly consider myself as having eight
years teaching experience. However, I’ve
been “thinkering” around computers and technology since 1982. I have almost 24 years experience of working in
the Civil Service. My time in the Civil
Service was when computers in the workplace went from one not very powerful
standalone machine used for very primitive data processing to being part of a
team working on a multi-million pound project to establish a Wide Area Network
for the Department I was working for at the time. The ubiquity of technology makes it
imperative for digital literacy, computational thinking and the ability to
understand how the devices we have surrounding each and every one of us work as
important as reading, writing and numeracy skills. “We” can be confident that irrespective of future
career decisions, technology will feature in the professional and private lives
of everyone. So I know a thing or two
about computing.
In terms of my pedagogical pedigree, I am very fortunate to have
been working for a school which is part of a twelve school Multi Academy Trust. It was through direct invitation from members
of the Board of Trustees that during school year 2020-21 that I was tasked to
teach A-Level Computer Science to a wonderful group of Year 13 students. My
A-Level students, based on my Teacher Assessed Grades were all accepted onto
their first choice of University and Apprenticeships. This current (2021-22) school year I am once again teaching across
schools with the same amount of time across two sites teaching Reception, 4, 5
and 6 at both as well as Year 1 at my “base” school.
So why stick my head above the parapet? My starting point must be how perplexing it is
that some people can be so engaged with wanting to learn and become proficient
users of technology while there are others from a similar socio-economic background
who given the same opportunities simply feel differently about Computing. On the National Centre for Computing
Education course facilitated by Mandy Honeyman taking place during May 2022, it
was interesting to reflect on the numerous studies on how engagement rates,
diversity and inclusion in Computing are being addressed and for our collective
global future why this is of the utmost importance. I have also been fortunate to have been
supported by my employer since 2017 to be involved in an Action Research
programme with Manchester Metropolitan University where my dissertation is on
the potential impact of technology on attainment. I do not intend to offer a “silver bullet”
solution. Instead, my experience as a
parent of school aged children, time in teaching and previous professional existence
offers a perspective which may be useful to others.
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