Pioneering the Digital Curriculum

The award from the association for UK Interactive Entertainment, sponsored by PlayStation and SEGA, initiates play-based learning to engage the next generation of pupils and teachers with the computing curriculum.

Digital experts from York St John University will now work with schools in the area to increase the appetite and skillset for the digital world. Warren Fearn, Senior Lecturer in Design at York St John University, said: “It’s fantastic to be awarded official Digital Schoolhouse status. Our aim as a University is now to help teach digital skills to schools offering taster sessions, short courses, and research activities to the wider community. Our target is to impact over 500 students per year working on virtual and augmented reality projects.”

The York St John University emphasis will be around teaching Virtual and Augmented Reality technologies through a new enterprise called 3D R WE.

Workshops will be hosted by Digital Schoolhouses and taught by their appointed Digital Schoolhouse Lead teacher. Using play-based learning techniques to engage pupils, the work will also upskill and inspire teachers to deliver the new computing curriculum. Workshops use playful-computing activities which have been specifically developed by Digital Schoolhouse to compliment workshop themes. Computing concepts will also be taught without the use of computers, and related to pupils’ lives to increase ‘real world’ understanding.

The official launch of the Digital Schoolhouse project took place earlier this month in London. For more information on the Digital Schoolhouse Project, visit www.digitalschoolhouse.org.uk