Computer Science
A modern Computer Science curriculum aims to provide students with the communication skills, flexibility of mindset, and the fearlessness when tackling complex problems that will serve them so well in the future.
It includes a variety of strands such as:
- problem solving – teaching students to be independent and solve real world problems using a range of techniques and skills
- computational thinking – the principles of solving real world problems and designing systems through decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, logical and algorithmic reasoning, and data representation
- digital literacy, safety and creativity – the ability to locate, evaluate and use digital hardware and software in a creative or purposeful and safe manner
- information technology – the ability to capture and analyse data, and to make relevant changes in response to the data presented, using either software or hardware devices
- communication – the exchange of information between multiple parties, not necessarily via digital media
- ethical and social impact – revolving around the legal and moral principles that govern how an individual or a collective body of people conduct themselves
- resilience and independence – many Computer Science concepts will be unfamiliar to the students. An essential component of successfully solving complex challenges is the ability to independently break down, tackle and solve problems, and to develop a level of resilience in their approach to this.
DOCUMENTS
Textbooks and useful resources
OCR GCSE computer science specification j277
OCR GCSE (9-1). Computer Science. Authors: S Robson and PM Heathcote. Publisher: PG Online
OCR GCSE Computer Science eTextbook Second Edition. Author: George Rouse, Lorne Pearcey, Gavin Craddock. ISBN: 9781510484337. Publisher: Hodder Education. Date: 25 June 2020.
GCSE Computer Science for OCR Student Book. Author: David Waller. ISBN: 9781108812542. Publisher: Cambridge University Press. Date: 16/07/2020.