Friday 27 June 2014

Preprint: Computer Science Courses Using Laptops

A preprint of paper to be publish in the next edition the journal Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Information and Computer Sciences (ITALICS) is now available at http://journals.heacademy.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.11120/ital.2014.00011

Computer Science Courses Using Laptops

Gary HillEspen Svennevik and Scott Turner
Department of Computing & Immersive Technologies, University of NorthamptonUK

Corresponding author: Scott Turner, Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton, UK 
Phone: +44 (0) 1604 893028

Abstract

Traditionally computer sciences courses have been taught using laboratories full of expensive desktop computers. Although this approach may have been valid in the 80, 90s and even the early part of this decade, this paper suggests that buying, maintaining and replacing laboratories full of computers is no longer required. This paper raises the issues associated with attempting to use laptops – as thin/thick clients using virtual machines – to deliver the computer science curriculum and offers potential solutions that, in some cases, may make computer science courses at such ‘brave’ institutions more appealing.



Read More: http://journals.heacademy.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.11120/ital.2014.00011









Tuesday 17 June 2014

Open Educational Resources: Problem solving on JORUM

 Another new Open Education Resource (OER) has been made available by the School of Science and Technology, University of Northampton.

Problem-Solving

Author: Dr Scott Turner


Details

These mini lectures are intended for undergraduate computing students, for providing simple steps in problem solving before the students learn a programming language. Problem-Solving and Programming is a common first year undergraduate module on the BSc Computing Programme at the University of Northampton. This material was taken from the problem solving part of the module and provides an introduction to five topics in problem-solving.


The resource can be found at: http://find.jorum.ac.uk/resources/19001

Friday 13 June 2014

Innovation Fund Event - 13th June 2014

Members of STRiPe (Adel Gordon, Naomi Holmes and Scott Turner) with one of the posters from the group at the University of  Northampton's Innovation Fund Dissemination Event on 13th June 2014.

Click on the images below to find out more.