Draft Leaving Certificate Computer Science Specification published!

The NCCA have published the draft specification for Senior Cycle Computer Science

Siblings or cousins? Mathematics and Computer Science, the relationship

Mathematics is a fundamental intellectual tool in computing, but computing is increasingly used as a key component in mathematics and there are obvious connections between computing and mathematics in the areas of numerical analysis, logic and number theory. Computer science has had an impact on many branches of mathematics – replacing existing proofs by computer…

Learning / Life

Rule Number Six

Two Prime Ministers were sitting in a room discussing affairs of state. Suddenly a man bursts in, apoplectic with fury, shouting and stamping and banging his fist on the desk. The resident prime minister admonishes him: “Peter,” he says, “kindly remember Rule Number 6,” whereupon Peter is instantly restored to complete calm, apologises, and withdraws. …

Higher Education / Learning

What are we missing from the great School of Athens?

Many of us who have attended Higher Education leave with an award and the technical skills we have developed. However what about the behavioural and the emotional development of our graduates? Were they taught how to understand or govern emotions, or how to reflect on the purpose of life? Perhaps schools and universities should offer some further guidance…

Higher Education / Student Retention

Student Retention Literature – Tinto’s Model

Following on from my previous post on the Retention of Computing Students, I wanted to examine the retention literature and present the theoretical models underpinning a students decision to withdraw from their course in more detail. As I stated previously, in the field of academic student retention literature Tinto’s model is held in high regard and…

Control the Controllable’s

In the words of Marcus Aurelius’s, Meditations, he states ‘Vex not that spirit at the course of things, they heed not thy vexations.‘ Externals things have no control over any one of us if we don’t let them. The only thing one has control over is oneself. In a race, in an academic setting the…

Senior Cycle Computer Science, Regional Focus Group @ NUI Galway

The School of Education at NUI Galway are hosting a regional Focus Group on the new Computer Science curriculum. The Focus Group will be held on Thursday 14 September, 2017. The session will take place between 2–4pm in Room D202, Education Building, Block D (south campus) at NUI Galway. The discussion will be based on…

Curiosity

Happy New Year

A new semester and a new academic year. New challenges, new opportunities, new possibilities. Dreams, wishes and thoughts which were once dormant emerge from the spring, as the newness is embraced. The worries come fleeting by. Fears of the unknown are intertwined with the strength of the knowing but that propels us to turn up.…

The Winds of Fate

Why Computer Science is an essential 21st Century Literacy Skill for all students

Via Irish tech news – http://irishtechnews.ie/why-computer-science-is-an-essential-21st-century-literacy-skill-for-all-students/

The Transatlantic Cable – An Irish Perspective

(A paper submitted to the 2001 IEEE Conference on the History of Telecommunications, Student paper winner for Europe and Asia.) Changes in the telecommunications industry over the past decades have been significant. The last 20 years has seen a dramatic growth in the dependence of industry and commerce on telecommunications and wireless technologies. Nonetheless the laying…

Cornelia Thinks…

Discussions on Higher Education, Learning & Life.