University of Bradford launches Codeanywhere Survey

Bradford University Codeanywhere launch with Webanywhere

The University of Bradford has launched a survey on the Computer Science curriculum for schools, sponsored by the Yorkshire Innovation Fund and the European Regional Development Fund.

Researchers from the Artificial Intelligence Research Group of the
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science School have this week launched a survey as part of the University’s very first Yorkshire Innovation Fund project, in collaboration with Webanywhere. The research team comprises Professor Daniel Neagu, Dr Paul Trundle, and student interns Rafiullah Hamedy MSc, Lisa Eyre BSc.

The project will survey UK teachers, assessing their opinions about impending large-scale changes to the Computing curriculum to find out if they would welcome assistance to make the transition successfully. The survey also asks for preferences on what collaboration to promote Computer Science subjects for GCSE and A-levels should consider, for example training or teaching materials.

During the launch 300 schools in the Yorkshire and Humberside region have been invited to participate in an online survey that has been created specifically for this purpose. In the coming month, the project will analyse the responses and begin to develop the required assistance.

Webanywhere will then look to sponsor future projects to help assist teachers with the new curriculum and the computer science agenda. We will be running a number of workshops at Webanywhere HQ for teachers to learn more about coding.

The Internet Age is The New Industrial Revolution

Facebook Seminar at NOAH

Having attended the NOAH Internet Conference in London and listened to a number of guest speaks it really has dawned on me that we are living in a special time. The Internet Age is the New Industrial Revolution and we need to educate the children of today to embrace this new phenomena. The internet is transforming many industries and it’s the new gold rush.

It is important that children learn to work with computers and not against them as this will determine career success. The reality is a lot of work traditionally done by people is being automated by computers. Mobile technology, social networks and cloud computing are creating new companies and new industries.

Hence, the need for children to learn how to code computers. Our country needs to create things and this was traditionally done by manufacturing but perhaps now it’s about creating world class software and internet companies.

Marks and Spencer is being challenged by ASOS, Blockbuster by Lovefilm and Netflix. The next generation are wanting to work when they want and where they want leading to the popularity of websites such as People per Hour, Elance and oDesk.

We must not see the internet as a threat but as a real opportunity to change the world for the better. We must educate children in the new skills for the digital age and ensure their living standards are maintained. The rise of China and India is making competition for jobs increasingly competitive so we must differentiate ourselves.

Silicon Valley comes to the UK 2013 @SVC2UK

Sherry Coutu Chair of Silicon Valley Comes to the UK

Sherry speaking at the Houses of Parliament

Sherry Coutu has pulled off another excellent year for Silicon Valley Comes to the UK. I was lucky enough to attend the Houses of Parliament and listen to thought leaders from around the globe on what they see as the future of education.

There were some great speakers including Diane Tavenner (Summit Schools), John Katzman (Noodle Education), Mike Keller (Stanford Library), Ben Nelson (Minerva Project), Louise Rogers (Times Educational Supplement), Eben Upton (Raspberry Pi) and Conrad Wolfram (Mathematica).

I found Diane of Summit Schools particularly interesting. Summit Schools in California are re-imagining the classroom.

Here are just a few of the things they are doing:

Classrooms without walls
Whiteboards on the back of chairs
Weekly 1 to 1 student mentoring which are student led
8 weeks of study away from school in the community and in business
Teachers are conducting high value coaching in classrooms and students are watching videos at home (the flipped classroom approach)
Student’s have individualised learning plans

Mathematica explained the importance of teaching Maths through coding. Conrad explained that coding is to Maths what composing is to English.

Webanywhere are running some computer coding workshops for free in collaboration with Bradford University. You can visit our Codeanywhere site to learn more.

In addition, you can learn more about Silicon Valley Comes to the UK at the SVC2UK website.

Create your Character Competition

I Judging our Create your Character competition

It’s not X Factor nor is it Strictly Come Dancing but judging our Create your Character competition is a great honour to undertake. Children from up and down the country have spent many hours inside and outside of school creating their own inspirational characters. Imaginations have run wild and the best characters will be included as avatars in our Learnanywhere learning platform. It’s great to see kids using Learnanywhere but it’s even better getting pupils to contribute back to the product itself. Good luck to one and all who have entered the competition and may the best characters win!

Webanywhere turns 10!

Webanywhere are celebrating our 10th birthday. We’ve come a long way from the company founded in my back bedroom a decade ago, and we couldn’t have done it without our customers, both old and new.

I’d like to share a video to express my thanks for joining us on this journey. We really do appreciate our customers, and as ever are keen to hear about your experiences with our products (I even give out my email address in the video, if you would like to write to me directly!)

Look out for upcoming announcements as we celebrate this landmark in our history (and for pictures from our staff party this Friday!). Here’s to the next 10 years – to new jobs, continuing innovation and to new horizons in the blooming educational technology market!

Webanywhere cake

There are only two things in life that you can invest…

Here’s the next extract from my talk at the Holy Family School Enterprise Day – this time focusing on something I am extremely passionate about – entrepreneurship.

I cover the need to focus on what you enjoy and are best at, finding a problem which is under-served and solving it – and the truth in the Tortoise and the Hare fable!

No pain no gain