S3 Computing Science

AIMS OF THE COURSE

Computing Science is vital to everyday life; it shapes the world in which we live and its future. Computer scientists play key roles in meeting the needs of society today and for the future, in fields which include science, communications, entertainment, education, business and industry. Our society needs more computer scientists and for all young people to have an informed view of the Computing industry and its contribution to the economy.

COURSE CONTENT

Pupils will learn how to apply aspects of computational thinking and problem analysis across a range of contexts.  The course has three main areas of study:

Software Design and Development

• Learning to design, implement and test programming solutions to simple problems.

• Use Scratch to create playable games, incorporating their own graphics

• An introduction to Python, a powerful, contemporary programming language

• Use of physical computing devices, such as microcontrollers, for our code to interact with the physical world.

Information Systems

• Develop simple, structured information systems

• Create multimedia web-pages incorporating video, graphics and audio

Computer Applications

• Use contemporary software applications to produce original video, graphics, animation and video

• Learn about contemporary issues facing computing and discuss future trends in the industry

• Study the internal processes and hardware of a computer system

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Much of the course content is investigative in nature: using whole class teaching activities to explore a topic before completing research or practical tasks either as a group or individually.  Pupils will have opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding by investigating a range of real-life problems and solutions.  The focus on problem-based learning will help pupils to demonstrate their understanding of a topic in new and less familiar contexts. 

ASSESSMENT PATTERN

The course will be assessed through class discussion, set practical activities and end of topic tests.

HOMEWORK REQUIREMENTS

Homework is designed to support the students understanding of the subject, and with a largely practical course, homework exercises will consist of starter videos and working with free to use online applications to enhance class work.