How to Teach Computer Science

Rebecca Franks and I talk about Enrichment, but as Rebecca is co-founder of Flip Computing, we can't resist going back to the subject of the last episode: inclusion. Flip Computing and Quality First Teaching get a mention, then I hear all about Flock XR, the new, free, 3D creation tool that bridges the gap between Scratch and products like Blender. Also Alan waits while you donate to keep the podcast alive. A short episode because it's nearly Easter and Alan is going on holiday tomorrow!

Flip Computing: flipcomputing.com Flock XR: flockxr.com

Transcript and all other information about HTTCS at httcs.online

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I chat with the co-editor of "Inclusive Computing Education in the Secondary School", Ellie Overland. We discuss the moral imperative for inclusion, how all teachers want to include everyone, the limitations of seating plans, coloured paper and fidget spinners. How it's all about curriculum, role models and language - looking at you, Paxman. We critique one-size-fits-all lesson planning templates and wonder if pair programming is working or masking the problem. 50 minutes of expert chat with an EdD and former HMI. What more can you want? 

Transcript on my blog httcs.online/blog where you can gift me a Wordpress subscription

Or buy me a coffee at ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs 

The brilliant Miles Berry and Becci Peters and I chat all things AI in education. Becci gives us practical tips for lesson planning and engagement. Alan explains why students still need to know stuff. Do they need to code though? Alan writes an app with AI, Miles names it "six impossible things". We discuss the "Barefoot" poster and ask "Is CT 2.0 just tinkering in fancy clothes?" Miles favours a " knowledge based. thinking rich" curriculum but ironically knows nothing about K-pop. 

Subtitles included on most platforms, also transcript on my blog httcs.online/blog

Book me for training in your school aka "HTTCS LIVE", find out more at httcs.online 

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Almost an hour of cracking bantz from Dave Cross, Becci Peters, Andy Colley and myself covering ways to reduce workload in the Computing department. Centralised curriculum, beg-steal-borrowing resources including from CAS, co-planning, feedback NOT marking, and getting behaviour right. And how to use dictionary coding for your feedback if you really MUST mark everything that moves! Daily retrieval using SmartRevise or Quizziz and immediate re-teaching, and basics like markbooks, continuous data collection and calling home with positive news! 55 minutes of pure gold.

I discuss Issues and Impacts of computing with the wonderful Beverly Clarke MBE. We discuss AI (of course), and the impact of automation on jobs and the economy, The value of Tik Tok (and the danger). Digital wellbeing and how you can plant trees while regaining control over your doomscrolling! Universal basic income, digital wellbeing, and involving young people in decisions about tech. And helicopter parents versus the wisdom of George Michael!

Transcript available at https://httcs.online/2025/01/27/podcast-s2e02-what-are-the-issues-and-impacts-of-computing/

Book purchase links available from my website: httcs.online 

ECDL, CIDA, DIDA, we taught them all! Nowadays we're all about Computer Science GCSE but how do we get there? Andrew Virnuls returns, joined by Becci Peters of CAS to talk about the key stage 4 curriculum and qualification landscape. How do we teach the KS4 Computing national curriculum? Should there be two GCSEs? Should coursework make a return? None of these are answered definitively in this latest episode!

S2 E01: Pete and I discuss Microbits, Pis and the hassles of getting permission to drop something from a drone. Making computing interesting - don't say "fun"! And we go off-topic about AI, report-writing and much more. Series 2 begins with a bang, my dog gets another new name, and there will be jokes. Terrible, terrible jokes. You have been warned.

The concluding part of my chat with David Morgan aka "The Lesson Hacker". We talk AI-drawn Labradors with two tails, AI failing to get Star Trek uniforms right, and the end of the costume rental industry! We also talk about important stuff like adaptive teaching and personalised learning. 

Transcript at httcs.online/blog

David's website: mindjoy.com

Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs 

Use the discount code at johncattbookshop.com 

David Morgan of Craig'n'Dave and Mindjoy joins me to talk about the future. Apparently it's here already, who knew? Personalised teaching bots, the history of cheating and how to become a "10x teacher". We talk ChatGPT, CS50.ai and making our own PRIMM bot. We bond over Microsoft Encarta and a shared dislike of differentiated worksheets (*shudder*). This episode features the phrase "I spent the weekend making a semantic waves bot", which you don't hear every day. Part 1 of 2, because we could not stop chuntering on. Part 2 next week.

Read the transcript on my blog httcs.online/blog, or buy my books, hire me for a school INSET or bespoke training and more, at httcs.online.

Register for the free live event we discuss in the pod at mindjoy.com and scroll down to Upcoming Events or click here

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One of the best known creators of computing education content, one half of Craig'n'Dave, Dave Hillyard, joins me to talk about Hungarian Dancers, Snakes and Ladders and the day we did a "collab". It's abstractions all the way down in this epic that you must listen to if you teach algorithms.

Transcript on my blog at httcs.online/blog

Buy me a coffee at ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs

Buy my book and more with your discount code (listen to the pod to find out) at johncattbookshop.com