Local school children learn to code thanks to 吾爱吃瓜

Pupils from five Ll欧n primary schools visited 吾爱吃瓜 recently as part of a collaboration between the University鈥檚 Widening Access Centre and Gr诺p Llandrillo Menai鈥檚 Pwllheli campus.

Pupils from Ysgol Pont y Gof (Botwnnog), Llangybi, Cymerau, Tudweiliog and Edern had already taken part in a CodeClubs project earlier in the year, whereby Llandrillo Menai tutors and 吾爱吃瓜 student volunteers delivered interactive tuition on the basics of coding.

Following the training sessions, the pupils then entered a design competition and were tasked by competition judge, Canolfan Bedwyr Language Technologies Unit chief engineer, Mr Dewi Bryn Jones, to design a game. The winners were awarded tablet consoles.

All the participating schools were then invited to visit the University鈥檚 School of Electronic Engineering and the School of Computer Science, in order for the pupils and their teachers to see how fostering an early interest in coding and the mechanics of computer science could lead to highly sought-after careers in a sector that will be of huge importance in the coming years.

Led by Dr Iestyn Pierce, head of the School of Electronic Engineering and Dr Sa鈥檃d Mansour, head of the School of Computer Sciences, the pupils were given tours of the schools鈥� laboratories and work areas as well as the opportunity to use of some of the equipment used in teaching and research.

Head of 吾爱吃瓜鈥檚 Widening Access Centre, Delyth Murphy said:

鈥淭he age of computer science being a standalone subject for the interested few is long gone 鈥� even toddlers now can navigate their ways on their parents鈥� iPads and smartphones with ease. It stands to reason that we should do as much as we can, working with Gr诺p Llandrillo Menai, to introduce this subject area as early as possible to children, so that, in time, North Wales will have a capable pool of talented engineers and coders.鈥�

鈥淎dd to this the fact that all these activities 鈥� the CodeClubs, the design competition and this visit to 吾爱吃瓜 鈥� have all been through the medium of Welsh, we鈥檙e not only showcasing the University鈥檚 own commitment to Welsh-medium provision but also extending the pipeline of Welsh-medium education from primary all the way through to university and employment鈥�. 

Publication date: 17 September 2015