Parents’ guide Computing and Online Tools at St Mark’s

 

Here on MrW’s Computing Blog is where I share instructions, links, resources for Computing lessons and a few other things.  Please feel free to browse, use the search or tags to get a flavour of what we do in Computing lessons.  Have a go yourself or ask children to log in and show you their work and even develop it with them.

Please use the Contact me page or comment on any post or page, if you would like to know more about anything.

Here’s a run down of the tools that we use.  I hope to add to this page over the next few weeks…

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To find out more:

Google Edu Suite

Children have a Google account with an email, Google Drive, docs, Google Classroom and access to toher selected apps through signing in with Google.  This is carefully set up so that children have the advantages of a range of tools and a real experience of using email and online documents, but with build in safety features and settings.  For example, children can only email (and receive email from) other people at our school.  We only use first name and initial and there is no other data used to set up accounts.

typing.com

Typing.com is an online typing course which takes children through the stages of being able to touch-type.  Children log in with their Google accounts.  They usually begin each Computing lesson with 10 minutes of typing – it’s great for settling at the start of a lesson, as well as encouragng a growth mindset.  It’s a good skill to start early.

Scratch

Scratch is an online coding platform that we use to teach programming.  It’s very child friendly and moderated to ensure content is appropriate.  We usually don’t log in at school, but where children use accounts, we turn of messaging and don’t share projects.

Coggle

Coggle is an online mindmap creator.  Children log in with their Google account or can create a Coggle mindmap from within Google Drive.  Mindmap are designed to be brain-friendly and are extremely good for summarising and memorising information.

New tools

We will sometimes trial or adopt new online tools witht the children – byt only when their safety and educational benefit has been carefully considered.

Online safety

We have the following safety principles and practices at school and would encourage you to have something similar in place at home.  Due to the nature of the Internet, all of these tools potentially give children access to content, contact and commerce that could be innapropriate, unwanted or even dangerous – it is by being aware an vigilant that we will protext our children from harm and train them to be safe themselves.  If you ever have concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  • Children are Supervised and guided at school – there is always a responible adult present and children have a clear expectation of their purpose in using the tools.
  • There is filtering in place – this cannot be guaranteed but is very effective at preventing children from accessing potentially inappropriate, upsetting or dangerous content.
  • Children are frequently  made aware of dangers, for example, sharing personal information, befriending people online.

Links

  •  Posted by at 2:09 pm