PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
500,000 UK jobs are available in IT and 100,000 are in programming.
The industry is crying out for computing and programming skills, hence the Government’s recent reinvention of the ICT curriculum or as it is fondly now known: “The National curriculum in England: computing programmes of study”.
Last September saw the introduction of the new Computing Programmes of Study but it’s not until April that schools will be Ofsted-monitored. Because of this, the education channel is desperately researching and sourcing solutions designed to deliver the new curriculum.
Remember the 1980s? Remember: “But Mum, I need to get a BBC Micro / Spectrum / Commodore / Amstrad / Atari, because it will help me with my homework?”
And: “We use them in school so we need one at home.”
And: “It’s not just for games… I promise?"
What goes around comes around, as they say, and this is no exception. As of September Key stage 2 students must learn how to write and debug programs and Key stage 3 goes further in that multiple programming languages must be taught to a fairly advanced level.
Teachers, as always, are expected to hit the ground running and, this time, with a subject matter most have had no prior exposure to.
Parents also, unless they grew up in the early ’80s, generally have not received an education in programming, using Excel, PowerPoint and Word yes, but not actually programming.
The Fuze is a computing platform designed for both the classroom and the home. It specifically focuses all its attention to making computer programming both easy to teach and learn.
The Fuze is already available from Maplin, Toys ‘R’ Us and Argos. The unit is incredibly well built and it is safe as it runs at a very low voltage. There is a dedicated website offering tutorials, projects, support and updates – all free.
