How computers work

This website provides online learning material relating to computer architecture. It can be read online or downloaded in book format [PDF].

Qualification Design Team for NC Review meets

The Qualification Design Team (QDT) responsible for the review of NC Computing met for the first time this afternoon. The QDT has a wide ranging remit and will play an important role in shaping the new award(s). Members have been selected from a number of Scottish FE colleges (such as Telford College and Cumbernauld College) and include classroom practitioners with experience of delivering NC awards. It was a good meeting with interesting debates about the role of core skills, vocational…

Writer’s blog

One of the writers of the e-learning material for HNC Computing has created a blog to record his progress. It makes interesting reading and showcases some of the tools that can be used to create online learning material.

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Online learning material for HNC Computing

We have received significant funding from the European Union to develop support materials for HN awards. One of the projects that received funding was the development of e-learning materials to support HNC Computing. Caroline and I met with the writing team on Saturday to commence this work. The team will develop a digital (HTML) teaching pack for each mandatory unit within HNC Computing. Ted Hastings provided the training, having recently produced high quality materials for the new Library PDAs. Most…

Web log teaching materials are now available

A few months ago, I reported that we were working on support materials for the new Web Log unit [PDF]. We took the unusual step of producing the teaching material as a wiki. The material is now available via Wikibooks. Wikis appear to be well suited to this purpose. This technology offers the prospect of mass participation in curriculum development – rather than the traditional top-down approach to the production of teaching and learning material. So it will be interesting…

Call for internet safety lessons

The Scottish Education blog reports on a BBC news story about Internet safety.

E-assessment: Effective Learning Conference

The Computing team attended SQA’s E-Assessment Conference today. The event was aimed at college managers and lecturers with an interest in how e-assessment can be used to improve learning. The SOLAR project was a particular focus of the day. I gave a couple of presentations [PPT] on our e-learning suite of awards since we hoped that some of the people attending might be interested in undertaking these qualifications – especially the Diploma in E-Assessment. Our workshops went well and it…

HNC Computing exam – additional questions

Thanks to a European grant, we received funding to produce additional questions for Section 1 of the HNC Computing examination. We met in Jury’s Inn in Glasgow this morning to take this forward. Caroline has put together a team of writers, vetters and moderators to produce the additional questions. We’re aiming to write 250 items. These will be sent to colleges (to use as you please) later this year (probably June). Mike Janetta (Lauder College) and Graeme Clarke (Adam Smith…

HNC/D IT validation event

The validation event for HNC/D Information Technology was held this morning in the Marriot Hotel in Glasgow. The validation panel was convened by Bob McGonigle and the Qualification Design Team was led by June McCamlie. The panel members gave the proposed arrangements a thorough scrutiny. The HNC proposals were broadly accepted but we’ve a bit of work to do on the HND. So we’re going to finalise the HNC as soon as possible and take our time with the HND.…