[Free] One of Teaching London Computing's inspiring unplugged sessions on teaching computing, for Computing teachers in London (see FAQ at end), presented by Professor Paul Curzon from Queen Mary University of London. [See note at end for free magic event for secondary school aged pupils]

Teaching London Computing in partnership with CAS London

All our current events

1.Wed 25 Nov: Sorting Unplugged [this event, info below, tickets from this page]
2.Sat 28 Nov: Introduction to Arduino [info] [tickets]
3. Wed 2 Dec: The magic of {Christmas} Computer Science - free magic show for young people. [info] [tickets]

Workshop: Wednesday 25 November 2015, 5pm to 6.30pm
Room 3.02, (3rd floor Bancroft Road Teaching Rooms)
Sorting Unplugged

Overview
In this workshop we demonstrate some practical and powerful ways to teach basic sort algorithms using unplugged methods. Students act as an array of values to be sorted, with others as loop variables. Together you gradually work out a sort algorithm, Bubblesort, that works by doing lots of passes over the array. The students also work out how to improve the algorithm, and you explore how much faster the improved version is. You develop the code as the algorithm is developed. A further activity shows how this can be improved upon even more using divide and conquer techniques, again that are acted out, in a way that shows both how divide and conquer works but also why it is so much faster.

Session material
This session will cover:

• Sort Algorithms: Bubblesort, Mergesort and Quicksort
• Simple, memorable ways to teach sort algorithms.
• Efficiency of algorithms
• Why divide and conquer problem solving is so powerful

Activities are suitable for all age groups and can be adapted to fit your teaching needs.

This session comes with slides linked activity sheets, props and ‘story’ write-ups that you can download from the workshop page: http://teachinglondoncomputing.org/11-sorting-unplugged/

Biography
Paul Curzon is a Professor of Computer Science at Queen Mary University of London. He runs the cs4fn ‘Computer Science for Fun’ (cs4fn) project, www.cs4fn.org. It aims to inspire school students about computer science through a series of free magazines, website and school shows. He regularly gives such shows around the UK as well as continuous professional development talks to teachers about the cs4fn approach to teaching. He is Director of the Teaching London Computing Project. He was made a UK National Teaching Fellow in 2010 in recognition of his excellence in teaching and outreach, was a finalist in the 2009 Times Higher Education Innovative Teacher of the year award and has twice won the student nominated Queen Mary University of London award for excellence in teaching.

FAQs

Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?
Please contact Jo Brodie (j.brodie@qmul.ac.uk)

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
No - we just need your name.

Will there be refreshments?
No - but you are welcome to bring something with you to eat or drink (the room does not have computers in so it is OK to have a snack). There are small supermarkets nearby (Co-op next to Stepney Green station, Sainsbury's very close to Bancroft Road).

Do I have to be a London computing teacher to attend?
The workshops are aimed at those who are currently (or who are about to begin) teaching the Computing curricula (particularly GCSE and A-level, though the information in the workshops has been used with younger children). As we're funded by the Mayor of London we prioritise those who are currently teaching in London schools. The workshops are not suitable for school pupils though as the events are about how to introduce computing concepts into the classroom. Contact Jo Brodie (j.brodie@qmul.ac.uk) for further information.

Can I bring pupils / students?
No, this event is for teachers. But see below...

The magic of Christmas Computer Science
QMUL is hosting one of the IET's Christmas Children's Lectures with a magic show powered by hidden computer science. It's free, aimed at secondary school children and takes place in the People's Palace (QMUL, Mile End Road) on Wednesday 2 December 2015, from 5pm. Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan will be on-stage at 5.30pm.

[More information about the free magic event for children] [Tickets for the free magic event]