2018-02-26 BCS Bedford School Challenge 2018
BCS (Bedford Branch) School Challenge 2018
A competition to showcase how computing is being developed in schools, how it is engaging pupils and enabling them for computing futures.
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, champions the global IT profession and the interests of individuals engaged in that profession for the benefit of all. Since 2013, the BCS Bedford Branch has been running a coding competition for Schools to cultivate young computing leaders. The competition is open to all schools in the four local education authorities and independent schools in the Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, Luton Borough, Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire areas.
Schools are invited to enter teams from Year 5 to year 10
This is an excellent activity for code clubs and Computing projects, suitable for students in Computing and Maths classes.
To participate in the competition, students can use Alice, Scratch or ANY suitable programming language.
5 Competition Groups
Year 5-6 Online Safety
Create an educational resource that promotes the positive aspects of online talking and messaging but also helps people to understand when online behaviour could become inappropriate and risky. The resource must send out a safe online message so that people feel empowered to deal with uncomfortable situations online.
Year 7 Fake News
Create an educational resource that promotes the positive aspects of using online resources to learn, for school work and social interactions, but also be careful to check if the information is true or false. The resource must encourage a behaviour of critical evaluation to get the best from online information and discard the fake.
Year 8 Identity Theft
Produce a game that helps people to understand what identity theft is and why it is important to guard against it. The game could help the players recognise strategies used to access private information. The game must suggest ways to guard against phishing and identify theft.
Year 9 Mobile Phone Security
Mobile Phone is a ubiquitous addition to personal life. It also holds a lot of information about the owner. Criminals are increasingly targeting mobile phones as a way to compromise personal and organisation security in one way or another, often with data being stolen. Produce a game, that is fun to play, but informs the public about mobile phone security and how to protect themselves or their businesses.
Year 10 Dark Web
The Dark Web is perceived as a mysterious place by many and could attract computing savvy young people to go and find out more. Produce a game that helps people to understand what is the Dark Web and the positive ways people should approach it. The game could help the players to balance curiosity with responsibility. The game must suggest ways to guard against unintentionally becoming criminals.
Competition Rules:
- Students may work individually, in pairs or teams of no more than 4.
- Participants are students from year 5 to 10 and they enter the competition according to their year group.
- Groups are encouraged to register your interest in the competition by 20th April 2018.
- The deadline for submission is
21st28th June 2018. - Students are reminded to be e-aware and avoid music or images that are subject to copyright restrictions.
- All work must be original and done with minimal help of teachers or parents. Help given must be notified on the entry form.
- During the production students should follow the normal rules of safety and not reveal any personal details online (e.g. Scratch) and all work should be polite and respectful.
- The judges’ decision is final.
- This competition is open to all schools in local education authorities and independent schools in Bedfordshire , Milton Keynes and Luton.
Prizes to include:
Trophies, medals and other goodies which will be awarded at Cranfield University on 12th July 2018.
Judges will be looking for:
- Creativity
- Selection use, combination and presentation of images and text
- The appropriate choice and use of programming instructions and should include: Custom blocks, Loops and Variables
- The clarity of the finished presentation in demonstrating improved learning outcomes
For further information please contact: Jackie Samosa