Computing and ICT in a Nutshell

A good way to understand something better is to go broader. To help students see that everything inside the computer is stored as a number, rather than just looking at text, images and sound, why not include other things such as programs, dates and times?
www.advanced-ict.info/theory/NC/do...

25% off for life? Are they struggling?

Study finds teens spend nearly a third of the school day on smartphones: Frequent checking linked to poorer attention A new study from researchers at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that middle and high school students spend nearly one-third of the school day on their smartphones, checking them doze...

I'm wondering whether the decline in interest in subjects like maths is down to smartphone use.
phys.org/news/2026-03...

Monte Carlo Method - Estimating Pi Learn how we can use random numbers to estimate the value of pi!

I might tell my students about the Monte Carlo method for calculating pi using random numbers. I'll be celebrating on the 22nd of July, though. ;-)
www.advanced-ict.info/mathematics/...

No, I don't know Bolton Castle.

Did the same person buy the trousers? He might have got away with the shoes if the trousers were long enough.

Passkeys were supposed to replace passwords, but they're failing for the most predictable reason It was meant to make things easier.

For me, using a passkey is the path of least resistance - it's easier than remembering a password.
www.howtogeek.com/passkeys-wer...

I still hear this justification re: AI in classrooms: “It’s out there & we can't be left behind.”
Friendly challenge: which happens more often?
1. Schools regretted waiting too long to adopt a technology.
2. Schools regretted adopting a technology before they fully understood how to use it.

This is an interesting map, comparing the proportion of students eligible for free school meals in schools and their catchment areas. Red means lower and blue means higher.
app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrI...

AI allows hackers to identify anonymous social media accounts, study finds New research suggests tech behind AI platforms such as ChatGPT makes it easier to perform sophisticated privacy attacks

AI can help people to identify anonymous social media accounts: #TeamCompSci
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Domains have gone up a lot this year - $32 for renewal! Luckily the dollar has slumped under Trump, so that's only £23 at the moment.

Meta’s Internal Research What The Company Learned About Social Media and Harms to Mental Health from Dozens of Internal Studies

What did Meta know about the damage that their products were causing and when? There are studies from 2020 and 2021 about the harm caused by Instagram to teenage girls and their body image, for example: #TeamCompSci
metasinternalresearch.org

Why you should always use Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi (when possible) Use Ethernet when and where possible over a Wi-Fi connection.

Yes - even our Firestick is connected with a cable. It doesn't make a lot of difference with things like iPlayer, but it's noticeably quicker scanning through videos or flicking between photos on our NAS (from the television).
www.makeuseof.com/always-use-e...

O Level Computer Studies See notes and internal exams for the O level Computer Studies taken in 1985.

When I was at school Miss Young taught us O level Computer Studies. She taught us to program using the blackboard because there were only three computers in the school, and managed to spot errors in our handwritten programs. That seems more impressive now!
www.advanced-ict.info/theory/OLevel/

I've only got a Pixel 8a - it was £264 brand new, unlocked in a sealed box, 18 months ago, so you don't need a high-end phone. The US might be different, but eBay here is full of "unwanted" upgrades that people got with their contracts.

Exclusive: AI Error Likely Led to Iran Girl's School Bombing Pentagon investigators believe a bombing of a girls' school in Iran on Saturday likely resulted from inaccurate information provided by AI.

This page possibly covers multiple "cultural, ethical, lethal and environmental" issues at the same time. Why is a local news site covering a story in Iran, and is it actually true if it isn't reported elsewhere? But if it is true... #TeamCompSci
thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-ai...

It's like that with things like the 11+, too. My son got his grammar school place this week and we spent a total of £10 (for a set of practice papers), but his friend has been having a tutor for over a year.

Google brings Android’s desktop mode to Pixel devices The Pixel 8 and up will display a desktop-like experience when connected to an external monitor.

I just plugged my monitor into my phone, and a ChromeOS-style desktop did indeed appear! I just need to find a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse so I can see what it does.
www.theverge.com/tech/888370/...

When Using AI Leads to “Brain Fry” As firms increasingly incentivize employees to build and oversee complex teams of agents—for example, by measuring and rewarding token consumption as a proxy for performance—people are finding themsel...

"AI" tools are intensifying, rather than simplifying, work:
hbr.org/2026/03/when...

That's interesting - my laptop is quite happily connecting to my Bluesky/Eurosky account using the library WiFi, but the Android app isn't. It works if I turn the WiFi off. My first thought was ports, but Google's "AI Overview" tells me that both use the same ports, protocols and endpoints.

Why you can remember every word of a song from 25 years ago – but not why you walked into the room Forgetting why you walked into a room isn’t a sign of cognitive decline. It’s your brain doing exactly what it evolved to do.

Interest must also be a factor - I find that I'm more likely to remember songs that I like. I have a suspicion that low student attainment is more about lack of interest than lack of ability.
theconversation.com/why-you-can-...

Depeche Mode - In Your Room [Album Version] (Official Video) YouTube video by Steve 86

I wondered for a minute whether that was going to be a Depeche Mode cover!
youtu.be/71azKeYG6Yc

I almost went for Soul Mining - it was on constant rotation when I was a student.

It's one of my favourites - and I once went on a date with someone who'd done her PhD on it!

Yes - Diamond Mine gets a regular outing in our house.

ROSALÍA - Berghain (Live at The BRIT Awards 2026) ft. Björk YouTube video by RosaliaVEVO

PS. Rosalía's Lux is getting plenty of love, but if you haven't heard it then do give it a go. She was the best thing at the Brits by a mile.
youtu.be/7fyufPkXLbs

Albums that don't get enough love:
1. The Circle and The Square - Red Box
2. Music In Colors - Stephen Duffy and Nigel Kennedy
3. The Guitar and Other Machines - The Durutti Column
4. All Life Long - Kali Malone
5. Dazzle Ships - OMD
#FridayFive

There’s a lot to hate about AI. But what if there was a mindful way to use it? Our new free course AI for the People will show you practical ways to work with AI –without giving up judgment, privacy or your humanity

The Guardian has a new course on how to use "AI" 'without giving up judgment, privacy or your humanity'!
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Readers reply: what would happen to the world if computer said yes? The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions asks whether we could cope with a world where computer gave up saying no …

Is "AI" too much of a people pleaser? #TeamCompSci
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Hello! I'm the Computing specialist with a LA SEND service in Warwickshire - and I also run a computing website (link in profile). All the Computing teachers moved here from Twitter last year, but it's gone a bit quiet recently. #FFBWednesday