Year 5 & 6 pupils (9-11yrs) from Casllwchwr Primary School in Loughor, Swansea are the first to take part in fun, hands on computer science workshops, all without the use of a computer.

Launched today (16th September 2013), ‘Playground Computing’ is a new primary programme borne out of the successful Technocamps project based at Swansea University. It is funded through the Digital Makers Fund – a fund backed by Nesta, Nominet Trust and Mozilla.

Playground Computing Twitter logo

The project, which will run across South Wales, will focus on three different topics, Hardware, Data and Programming and will teach young pupils conceptual computer science principles through a variety of activities, tasks and games in a fun way.  It will provide an ‘unplugged’ version of teaching computer science that will detach pupils from the idea that computing involves using a computer as a tool.  The free lively workshops will drive home the message that computer science is about technological thinking and understanding and looking into the how and why computers work.

The Technocamps initiative has proven to be very popular with both teachers and students in Secondary Schools across Wales and as a result is now expanding the services it offers to the younger generation. Due to an overwhelming demand for primary support, Technocamps secured funding from the Digital Makers Fund to deliver this exciting new programme to young people across South Wales.

Whilst pupils will not be using computers in class, they will be able to follow up with these activities by using technology and resources will also be available online.