Catherine Elliott

Marketing computing: how school branding reinforces or challenges gender stereotypes This paper examines how school branding and policy may shape gender disparities in computing education. Wong et al. explore how schools portray computing in brochures, websites and related material...

🎯 New open access paper: What do school websites signal about computing and who it is for? Using document data (n = 960), we examine how schools frame computer science in public-facing materials, and what that might mean for gendered participation.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

So my talk at #Bett2026 is 15:45 at #TechInAction tomorrow, and you should come. You’ll hear things most people only hear in corridors.

I’m sharing the first look at new research built from anonymous insights from educators across the country. No attribution. No spin...

Supporting autistic pupils in primary computing - Teach Computing Plan and teach an effective computing curriculum for autistic pupils working at primary level.

Free online course for computing teachers from NCCE / STEM Learning - Supporting autistic pupils in primary computing
teachcomputing.org/courses/CO29...

Opportunities, limitations and risks of using AI to support students with special educational needs - R.I.S.E. Magazine A working paper from the OECD examines the opportunities, risks and limitations of AI being used to help students with special educational needs (SEN) achieve

Learn about a new OECD report exploring the opportunities, limitations and risks of using AI to support students with special educational needs. #RISEEduMag. #OECD #sEN #AI #Resarch #News @netsupport.bsky.social @techheaddd.bsky.social
www.riseedumag.com/opportunitie...

Safeguarding in the age of AI: a new chapter for schools - R.I.S.E. Magazine Understand new safeguarding risks posed by AI and gain key actions to address them, with Afsha Zeb.

Understand new #Safeguarding risks posed by #AI and gain key actions to address them in our latest #RISEEduMag article, from the fab Afsha Zeb. A must-read for #SchoolLeaders www.riseedumag.com/safeguarding... @netsupport.bsky.social #DigitalStrategy #CyberSecurity #AIPolicy

This is quite a team to be part of. Looking forward to putting Healthy Child Development at the heart of all our work in Sheffield over the coming year.

www.learnsheffield.co.uk/About-Us/Our...

This is such a beautiful, poignant and important talk.

I'm with you on this - I tend to default to ChatGPT as it gives much better outputs, and generates superior images, but I'm very cautious with what I enter into it. Could you share the Alan Turing quote? - would love to read it

We're looking forward to delivering a workshop at the Computing At School conference, about how to make coding lessons more engaging.

In our workshop, we’ll discuss some of the best ways we’ve found to make learning to code more engaging, and introduce you to Mission Encodeable.

"Today’s announcements show this government is laser focused on investing in the futures of young people across Britain, knocking down barriers to opportunities, regardless of where they grow up."

Ooh, lasers 🤩

LGBTQ+ Computer Science Greats Computing is for all. Anyone can be a Computer Scientist or Electronic Engineer if they love the subject, put their mind to it, and put the work in. Some of the most amazing, the absolute greats, w…

Computing by all, for all - THIS MONTH
June is Pride Month
Read about LGBTQ+ Computer Science Greats and the massive contributions they have made.
cs4fn.blog/lgbtq-comput...
#ComputingByAllForAll

We did the math on AI’s energy footprint. Here’s the story you haven’t heard. The emissions from individual AI text, image, and video queries seem small—until you add up what the industry isn’t tracking and consider where it’s heading next.

www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/20/1...

I always mention it when training staff about AI, and it has to be in there when we teach students about it too - hope you find the space!

Did you know Bluesky has a setting that will remind you to add alt text before posting any images?

Global Accessibility Awareness Day is a great day to help you get that set up.

Go to "Settings," then "Accessibility." Select the checkbox for "Require alt text before posting."

#GAAD #GAAD2025

I'd love it if you listened and share with friends and family

Sheffield AI are running a FREE AI based hackathon in May 2025.

Entries are open to anybody in the region who wants to get hands on and build something with AI.

Find out more and sign up: sheffield.ai/hackathon/

@helpsheffield.bsky.social #SheffEvents

This is a great blog - AI as “probability engines rather than magical friends”.

The impact of CS4FN over 20 years • "Contributed to the rebirth of Computer Science as a school subject” • given talks to tens of thousands of students with positive feedback from students and teachers • given CPD talks to thousands of teachers, to help support them teaching Computing. • created long-lasting novel educational resources, including educational activities and posters. • Our resources are used globally • supported wide ranging research projects • kickstarted then supported the massive increase in those taking CS at university • contributed to policy change in the school curriculum to include CS • contributed to the UK government's policy change to support teachers • popularised approaches to improve the teaching of computer science • supported tech entrepreneurship and contributed to the foundation of a successful spinoff company • supported diverse diversity • and more…

It is the Computer Science for Fun (CS4FN) project's 20th anniversary. I am gradually writing our impact story. Read about it here:
cs4fn.blog/impact/
@qmuleecs.bsky.social
Here are some highlights ...

May need more than 300 characters for this one... mostly no, agreed, hence it's now in PSHE/RSHE not computing - was only put there as PSHE not in NC back then. But as with AI, pupils need a good grounding in how the internet works etc to be able it use it safely & a good place to reinforce messages

Writing effective prompts for AI - maybe, but understanding what AI is and how it works needs to be in computing (& taught 1st), plus plenty to go in online safety/PSHE around misinformation and bias. Use of AI should go across the curric. as should application of tech, to reflect real-world use.

A book - Ring the Hill by Tom Cox lying on an envelope.

Thanks @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social arrived safely - very much looking forward to getting involved in this

My first computer - with "Massive RAM" of 16K! Many happy hours playing Horace Goes Skiing and Jumping Jack 😁

Good morning! Nearly 200 people have completed this survey so far. If you work in tech, no matter how loosely, and want to be part of a positive social movement, please take a look and share with your networks

Responsible-ish GenAI dos and don’ts: text edition — Careful Industries Seven things to bear in mind and three responsible-ish AI strategies

I like this Careful Industries blog on Reponsible-ish use of GenAI: www.careful.industries/blog/2025-4-... - it can be super useful & save time, but we should all be setting 'conscious boundaries' around the use of this extremely resource-intensive tool.

Apply to take part in the Keyboard Navigation Usability Test | Emma Posey Micro:bit Educational Foundation is recruiting children aged 8 to 18 for MakeCode Keyboard Navigation Usability Test in the USA for mid-April 2025. Please share this email with anyone you think might...

Basically for a keyboard navigation usability test to use MakeCode to help create amore accessible version. More details here: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Sadly I don't have the followers I used to on the *other* platform, but in case there's anyone out there in the US working with young people with disabilities or additional learning needs who love coding, but can't use a mouse - there's a great project from @microbit.org looking for participants 1/2

Totally agree with you here - and even without AI the thinking and design process can be neglected in primary computing - I've met a lot of pupils who can create amazing things in Scratch but have no idea what selection means, or how to build something from first principles.

Why Computing is STILL About Thinking I read a recent blog post about AI in education by Neil Almond, and it has been playing on my mind, not because I disagreed, but because it asked exactly the right questions. What’s the real purpose of technology in education? And what are the risks if we get it wrong? As someone who leads computing in a primary school, I often return to a simple truth when asked what the subject is really about:

Why Computing is STILL About Thinking

I read a recent blog post about AI in education by Neil Almond, and it has been playing on my mind, not because I disagreed, but because it asked exactly the right questions. What’s the real purpose of technology in education? And what are the risks if we get…

Hi Amjad, I've not posted much yet as I'm just getting going with BS - but will soon be sharing lots of lovely computing/edTech + SEND stuff 😁

Generative AI Chatbots Common Sense Media improves the lives of kids and families by providing independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media.

Common Sense Media have reviewed some AI tools here: www.commonsensemedia.org/ai-ratings/g... as a starting point.