ComputeTY 2014 Secondary Schools Get Hi Tech

This year the School of Computing, in conjunction with CNGL, for the ninth year in a row, ran their groundbreaking ComputeTY programme for Transition Year students.  The programme has run very successfully over the years, and has evolved and improved over time.  The statistics are showing that this outreach programme also directly recruits new students into the Faculty of Engineering and Computing year on year, which is also a huge plus for DCU.

In the past, the course structure was divided into two streams, Stream 1 - web design and Stream 2 - an introduction to Java programming.  However, this year a third stream App Inventor was introduced to teach students how to design and create their own mobile apps, which can be tested and run on any Android device.  Technical advisor Gary Conway said ‘technically, we continue to evolve ComputeTY to keep the programme fresh and in touch with the interests of today’s youth.  By introducing the AppInventor stream, it allows students to realise they have the technical ability and creativity to create something that’s not only fun but has the potential to develop into something bigger and more useful in the future’.

The Java Programming stream which was introduced three years ago is going from strength to strength, with academic advisor and CNGL researcher Dr. Jennifer Foster commenting that “some students were so motivated that they continued to code during their lunchbreak  and at home in the evenings. This increased interest in programming reflects that fact that it has now become widely recognised as a valuable skill that should be learned at second-level.”  The Web Design course is as popular as ever, with students creating eye-catching, interactive websites showcasing hobbies such as baking, basketball and poetry.

Since its launch in 2005, ComputeTY has been completed by almost 3,500 Transition Year students from Dublin schools and beyond. The programme is reaching further out to schools on the outskirts of Dublin as there has been greater urban sprawl over the years. Dr. Rory O’Connor, Head of School of Computing pointed out, “The course enables students to develop practical computing skills and gain certification from DCU for their work. The initiative also aims to strengthen DCU's links with the local community by encouraging students who live close by or on a bus route to DCU to participate in the programme”.

Funded by the HEA and run by DCU School of Computing, the course is supported by the Centre for Next Generation Localisation (CNGL), a world leading research centre, where researchers are advancing the state-of-the-art in adaptation of digital content, including computer games, to different individuals, languages and cultures.

If you would like more information on next year’s ComputeTY programme, contact Christine Stears at DCU Faculty of Engineering and Computing christine.stears@.dcu.ie or telephone: (01) 7005237.