Secondary school students visit Google on completion of UCD Computer Science module

UCD’s Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (ICSP) module celebrated its second anniversary with an event in Google HQ Barrow Street, Dublin 4 on 15th May 2010 facilitated by Eoghan Nolan from Google. In the absence of any formal Computer Science curriculum at second level in Ireland, the ICSP module is designed to develop an interest in computer science among senior cycle students”, says the module’s creator Dr. Michael O’Neill from the UCD School of Computer Science & Informatics and UCD CASL. 

ICSP has successfully attracted sponsorship from Google through their Computer Science for High School (CS4HS) initiative for the past two years. The 17 senior cycle secondary school students who participated in the 2009-2010 programme were introduced to the key concepts of computer science and learned to work in the Scratch development environment, disassemble a PC and program Lego Mindstorm NXT Robots. Visiting the UCD School of Computer Science & Informatics for three Saturday workshops, participants worked in small groups supported by postgraduate demonstrators, led by Dr. Michael O’Neill and Teaching Assistant Erik Hemberg. Distance learning and online interactive support was made available to the students through the schools e-learning Moodle site csimoodle.ucd.ie, which included regular Virtual Classrooms.

When surveyed the vast majority of students said that they would be interested in taking a computer science degree at 3rd level, that the ICSP course had influenced their decision and that they would recommend the ICSP to a friend.When asked about the best aspects of the teaching student comments included "The interaction, comments and general fun and enthusiasm of the instructors" and "The Virtual Classrooms"

On 8th and 9th June 100 students participating in the UCD Science Summer School will receive an introduction to programming in the Scratch environment .  In addition to the regular teaching and demonstration staff this session will also be supported by 8 secondary school teachers who will attend a morning "Computer Science in the Classroom"(CSiC) workshop designed to enable them to deliver computer science content in the secondary school classroom.

Dr. O’Neill says “We are grateful for Google’s continued support under their CS4HS initiative for our second-level outreach programme, which includes CSiC, ICSP and the Computer Science Summer School. In a sector experiencing a shortfall of graduates, initiatives like these help us engage with the next generation of computer scientists informing them about the breadth of the discipline and the exciting range of career opportunities”.

On 10th and 11th June 2010 the UCD Computer Science Summer School will open its doors to more than 60 students who will experience a shorter version of the ICSP module.

To find out more about studying computer science in UCD please see www.ucd.ie/csi

Article by Alex Cronin,  Computer Science Outreach , UCD School of Computer Science & Informatics

Photography by Matthew Stabeler , ICSP demonstrator and PhD student, UCD School of Computer Science & Informatics