Introduction

• What is a computer?


• Operating systems


• Files, folders and paths


• File types


• The PC


• Windows versions


• CPUs


• Memory types


• Components of a PC

Software

• What is software?


• Downloading software


• Installing software


• Uninstalling software


• What can software do inside a computer?

2D Games Development using any of the games platform i.e. Unity, Unreal Engine, Stencyl, Game Maker etc

• Download and install programs


• What is a game?


• How are games made?


• Understanding layout


• Actors, backgrounds, scenes and sounds


• Testing created games


• Behaviours and events


• Peer game testing

Hardware

• What is hardware?


• Examples of hardware


• Hardware vs software


• Identifying input/output ports

The Internet

• Browsers


• Cookies


• Search engines


• Password security


• Websites


• URLs

2D Games Development using any of the games platform i.e. Unity, Unreal Engine, Stencyl, Game Maker etc. This will be different from the one which has been taught in the previous week.

• Download and install programs


• What is a game?


• How are games made?


• Understanding layout


• Actors, backgrounds, scenes and sounds


• Testing created games


• Behaviours and events


• Peer game testing

Robotics: Robot Coding

Customising PCs

• Changing the background


• Screensavers


• Shortcuts

Open Office

• Installing Open Office


• Making a document


• Customising headings and text


• Alignments


• Text effects

2D Games Development using any of the games platform i.e. Unity, Unreal Engine, Stencyl, Game Maker etc. This will be different from the one which has been taught in the previous week.

• Download and install programs


• What is a game?


• How are games made?


• Understanding layout


• Actors, backgrounds, scenes and sounds


• Testing created games


• Behaviours and events


• Peer game testing

Robotics: Robot Coding

Excel Spreadsheets

• Spreadsheet building


• Rows and columns


• Charts


• Formulae

PowerPoint

• Creating a presentation


• Animations


• Images


• Videos


• Text effects


• Showing a presentation as a slideshow

2D Games Development using any of the games platform i.e. Unity, Unreal Engine, Stencyl, Game Maker etc. This will be different from the one which has been taught in the previous week.

• Download and install programs


• What is a game?


• How are games made?


• Understanding layout


• Actors, backgrounds, scenes and sounds


• Testing created games


• Behaviours and events


• Peer game testing

Robotics: Robot Coding

2D Games Development using any of the games platform i.e. Unity, Unreal Engine, Stencyl, Game Maker etc. This will be different from the one which has been taught in the previous week.

• Download and install programs


• What is a game?


• How are games made?


• Understanding layout


• Actors, backgrounds, scenes and sounds


• Testing created games


• Behaviours and events


• Peer game testing

Robotics

3D Games Development

• Download and install program


• Create a scene


• Import characters


• Add textures and layers


• Important graphics created


• Add logic and physics to game


• Debug

Robot Coding

According to the Chief Medical Office, the guidelines for the amount of exercise children and young people aged 5-18 should receive are as follows:

1. All children and young people should engage in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes and up to several hours every day.


2. Vigorous intensity activities, including those that strengthen muscle and bone, should be incorporated at least three days a week.


3. All children and young people should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended periods.

As we at BYITC are encouraging kids to develop a passion for, and skills in, computing and coding, we want to counteract the amount of sedentary time kids spend in front of a computer by encouraging them to incorporate more physical activity into their lives and make exercise something they enjoy as much as learning about IT.

Moreover, it is becoming more crucial than ever that kids learn to embrace a healthy and active lifestyle. In 2016, 29% of children in Scotland aged between 2 and 15 were at risk of being overweight and 14% were at risk of being obese. A 2016 survey showed that modern kids spend around half the time playing outside that their parents did as children, preferring to stay indoors playing on their computers and consoles. Encouraging children to exercise not only helps them to stay fit and in shape but can prevent them from developing serious illnesses associated with being overweight, such as type 2 diabetes.

The programme’s coach, Garry, is also highly knowledgeable about all aspects of leading a healthy lifestyle, and will be happy to provide information to parents and kids about:

• Having a healthy and balanced diet


• Anatomy and physiology for exercise


• Creating a personalised fitness plan and aiming for realistic and achievable goals


• Using gym equipment such as exercise machines and free weights properly to avoid injury.

Computing skills are undoubtedly of vital importance in the modern age; however, it cannot be denied that computer work can often be fairly solitary.

According to Michigan State University, teaching children a sense of empathy through teamwork is crucial to their development. They suggest allowing children time to play together in an active way to practice “collaboration, problem-solving and conflict resolution.”

One excellent way for children to develop their teamwork skills is to participate in sports, as virtually every sport features a strong element of working with others. By playing sports with other children, kids can learn the importance of cooperation. Even with teammates they may not be particularly fond of, they learn to put their differences aside for the greater good of the team, which is undoubtedly a useful skill to have in the workplace!

This kind of teamwork also allows children to develop their social skills in a fun and productive way. While group projects at school may involve working as a team, the children may not have a real passion for the project and so limit their conversation on the subject to a minimum. However, when they are playing a sport they enjoy with others who share their passion, they are more inclined to discuss this passion with their teammates and brainstorm ways to improve their team.

Engaging in teamwork through sports can also improve a child’s confidence. As a result, not only do they become more confident in their interactions with their peers, but receiving compliments on their technique or game times may help to boost their self-esteem.

Finally, children who take part in teamwork in sports are more likely to develop a healthy sense of accountability and responsibility. For example, when the child’s team loses a game or the child does not perform to the best of their ability, they must learn to cope with failure and admit their own shortcomings instead of blaming others.

Although education is vitally important to a child’s development, the summer holidays should still provide kids with an opportunity to have a break from the typical classroom structure and to let off some steam.

Allowing kids free time to enjoy themselves shouldn’t be seen as a waste of time. A great deal of research has shown the importance of play as part of a child’s development. A report by the Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health notes that “despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children” and attributes this to factors including “hurried lifestyles” and “increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centred play”. The report lists several important benefits of play, including:

• Allowing children to use their creativity


• Develop imagination as well as physical, cognitive and emotional strength


• Allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practising adult roles


• Enhance confidence and resilience needed to face future challenges

However, despite the benefits of children devoting time to playing, the report shows that schools have gradually reduced the amount of time children are given for play in an effort to focus on reading and mathematics. This may affect children’s ability to store new information as a clear-cut change in activity – e.g. going from a classroom to playing outdoors – has been proven to enhance children’s cognitive capacity.