How might you use fiction as a vehicle for teaching computational thinking? Here are some ideas.
Read MoreThink outside the box, by Terry Freedman
AI-generated content: does it matter how articles are written?
Does it matter if articles are written by an algorithm?
Read MoreAlexa, don't do as you're told
Should we be polite to virtual assistants?
Read MoreSolving the driverless car problem Part 3
The problem referred to in the title may be summarised as: who ya gonna kill? The car is hurtling along the road when a child steps out in front of it. The car is faced with a dilemma: kill the child, or the pedestrian waiting to cross the road, who would be in the car's path should it swerve to avoid the child. Terry Freedman explains why this whole thing is a red herring.
Read MoreSolving the driverless car problem part 2
The problem referred to in the title may be summarised as: who ya gonna kill? The car is hurtling along the road when a child steps out in front of it. The car is faced with a dilemma: kill the child, or the pedestrian waiting to cross the road, who would be in the car's path should it swerve to avoid the child. Terry Freedman explains why Lance Sharpe’s analysis was wrong.
Read MoreSolving the driverless car problem Part 1
The problem referred to in the title may be summarised as: who ya gonna kill? The car is hurtling along the road when a child steps out in front of it. The car is faced with a dilemma: kill the child, or the pedestrian waiting to cross the road, who would be in the car's path should it swerve to avoid the child. Guest contributor Lance Sharpe considers the problem from an Economist’s perspective.
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parking, by Terry Freedman
Digital Exclusion and Digital Equality
Both young and old can suffer from digital exclusion.
Read MoreWho are you REALLY meeting?
Is the person you’re talking to online who they say they are? Here’s a short video that ou could use to discuss this topic with your classes.
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Waspish behaviour. Picture from Pixabay. Licence: CCO
Intimidation in public life, and education technology
Should social media platforms be regarded as mere repositories of content, which by implication is thus not their responsibility, or publishers, subject to the same laws and restrictions as other publishing media, such as newspapers? This is one of the discussion points arising in this interesting report about the intimidation on social media of members of Parliament and other public figures. It's especially interesting given the fact that this week the German government brought into effect a new law regarding social media companies.
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Robot, by Terry. OK, so I'm useless at drawing. Get over it!
Robots, artificial intelligence and all that
Call me a dreamer, but I think AI and robots are developments to be welcomed in education, not to worry about.
Read MoreOur lives in data: privacy
How much data are you prepared to give away, and what are you prepared to allow organisations to do with it? The answers in my case surprised me.
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Don't let this happen to you!
National Backup Day: points for discussion, and 8 potential elements of a Computing project
Some topics to discuss arising from a recent survey, plus a possible Computing project for your kids.
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Formative assessment vs Summative assessment
To some extent, the difference between formative assessment and summative assessment is a matter of context and objectives.
Read MoreSexism in computer stores
In 1994 I set out with my wife to discover the best place to buy a computer system -- and discovered a lot of sexism along the way.
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Picture from Tony Netone
Online safety with Romeo and Juliet
The technology may have changed, but children don't.
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Computers, life and work: some interesting 'background' reading
Here's a selection of very interesting and articles -- and one book -- about artificial intelligence, and how it does, or may, affect us. It includes a sobering list of jobs which no longer exist, and a debate.
Read MoreA generic classroom activity for dealing with fake news
Fake news is in the news -- unless, of course, that is not itself fake news! Here's an infographic summarising a generic classroom activity, plus details of how to get a lot more information.
Read MoreWhy I dread the thought of benign algorithms
Science fiction writers would have us believe that intelligent machines will either enslave us or get rid of human beings altogether. But what if they were extremely benign and protective towards us? What could possibly go wrong? This article may be used as the basis for a discussion with your pupils.
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BREXIT and education technology
This is a round-up of views about how the decision to leave the EU might affect some of our laws pertaining to technology, such as data protection, followed by some suggestions on how one might use these notes in the classroom.
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Big Ben etc, London
Digital Cities
Nesta has updated its index of 'digital cities'. Here are some interesting links to articles about the project, plus a couple of articles by journalists on tech start-ups and spaces in London.
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