Hello Carl,
I’ve uploaded our course description for our S2-3 course Technologies with a focus on Computing to this groups document section. It’s a course that we run for a year and two thirds for three periods a week from S2 to the easter of S3. It’s designed to give pupils enough skills and knowledge to be able to complete either National 4 or 5 in Computing and Information Sciences or Intermediate 1 Creative Digital Media or Intermediate 2 Creative Industries from Easter of S3 till the end of S4.
My own personal opinion is that we need to move away from thinking about treating aspects of software development and computer systems as monolithic topics with either little, or no real world context, and move to a model where different combinations of these skills can be developed over time in a range of different Computational contexts.
I define a Computational context as an area of modern life that is potentially interesting and engaging for students and that is also particularly well suited for highlighting and developing knowledge, concepts and skills in Computer Science and IT. Some examples might include Animation, Mobile Phones and Applications, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Multimedia applications, Digital Forensics, Computer Security, Games Development, Web Design, Social Networking, etc, etc. There are many more contexts that could be used at different stages in Computing and it’s a similar approach to the one that’s used in most other school subjects.
A good example of this approach is the Exploring Computer Science curriculum which anyone can download the teacher and pupil materials for. It’s pitched at senior pupils but there’s nothing to stop Computing teachers in Scotland taking the basic principles and adapting the approach appropriately for junior and middle school pupils.
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