Technology ecosystem review - Towards the Tipping Point: progress report

1. Education

We know education is vital if the Scottish tech ecosystem is to reach its tipping point. STER draws a simple correlation between young people learning programming knowledge and skills at school and start-up businesses having the talent they need to draw on in future, to ensure they can flourish and grow.

Through our education work-stream, driven by a Senior Steering Group led by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and comprised of senior leaders from the Scottish Qualifications Agency, Skills Development Scotland, Education Scotland, and the Scottish Funding Council – we have delivered key interventions to improve participation in Computing Science in schools all over Scotland. This includes:

• A new teacher-led organisation called STACS (Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science),
• A national upskilling plan for computing science teachers,
• A new teacher resource repository,
• More than £1 million of investment in computing science hardware for schools, and
• Resources to bring the tech industry into schools, so pupils can learn first-hand what the subject and a future career in tech has to offer.

Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science (STACS)

In partnership with the University of Glasgow, two of Scotland’s leading Computing Science teachers (Toni Scullion and Brendan McCart) are putting teachers at the heart of delivery by acting as critical friends to the STER programme and leading the teacher upskilling agenda through the development of a new repository of teaching resources and a new national upskilling plan.

A first priority for STACS was to form a Computing Science Teacher Reference Group made up of current teachers with a variety of backgrounds and experiences, ensuring that their voices are heard throughout the development of initiatives to improve the discipline.

STACS is also working to promote Computing Science to pupils and their parents as a desirable subject choice and career option while also analysing trends in provision including course uptake and gender participation to help inform future projects.

Upskilling Scotland’s Computing Science teachers

STACS are leading the development of a national upskilling plan for Computing Science teachers in Scotland, which will help transform how the subject is taught by building teachers’ confidence and helping them keep pace with change. Content will be delivered through ‘bite-sized’ videos, tutorials led by experienced teachers, and in-person events. An initial pilot will be delivered this year, before a full scale roll-out in 2023.

New teaching resource repository

STACS’ website will enable teachers to access a new suite of teaching resources which is due to launch this year.

These resources, which include materials for S1 to S3 classroom use, will upskill teachers while also encouraging best practice, saving teachers’ time in creating classroom resources and making lessons more engaging for pupils.

STACS will support teachers, helping them make best use of materials which are currently being tested by our Teacher Reference Group.

New Computing Science equipment for schools

Through our investment in computing science equipment, we aim to inspire young people with the ‘magic’ of Computing Science, encourage wider and deeper study of the subject, and equip the next generation with digital skills for the future.

We have invested over £1 million to add to schools’ existing stocks of computing hardware, putting more kit into classrooms and into the hands of teachers and pupils.

We established a fund for all secondary schools to bid for grants of up to £2,500 each, giving them the flexibility to choose equipment that would best suit their needs. Around 300 secondary schools benefited from this funding and purchases included devices, software and teaching resources.

Miss Mutter, Falkirk High School

“We purchased Sphero’s and Meobit’s and have developed courses for our S1 and S2 pupils which we will be running this year. We wouldn’t have been able to buy all of these without the funding.”

Mr Brown, Inverness High School

“We have bought 12 top end Raspberry Pis and hoping to be able to do some proper Ethical Hacking in Cyber Security.”

Mrs Swan, Carnoustie High School

“We bought Kitronik Arcade packs which will allow the pupils to play the games they make in S3. We have also bought Kitronik :Move kits so that we can do more physical computing with our S2-3s using Microbits and the :MOVE buggies.”

Ms MacDonald, Pitlochry High

“I used my Raspberry Pi Cameras to roll out a stop-motion animation project for S1/S2 in May/June (S3 crash tested it for me beforehand). It was a nice little introduction to using the Raspberry Pi as well as animation and the classes enjoyed it. I also bought some sensors for growing plants that I thought might be interesting since our school has a thriving rural skills ethos!”

Mrs Ezziane, Uddingston Grammar School

“We purchased a few iPads to allow us to do some coding with Lego Mindstorms and allow us to teach some of the Cyber courses where pupils can connect a device to routers. The iPads will open up some other opportunities like stop-motion animation and much more.”

In addition, we delivered 20 Micro:Bits (pocket-sized computers that introduce pupils to how software and hardware work together) to every primary, secondary, and additional support needs schools in Scotland.

In May 2022, the Cabinet Secretary for Education visited Methilhill Primary School in Fife to see first-hand the difference that this additional equipment was making in classrooms.

We provided additional funding to expand the FIRST® LEGO® League class packs with additional hardware and workbooks, to extend the project to more pupils. The FIRST® LEGO® League, provides programmable robotic equipment to classes to give young people hands-on coding experience.

We have funded the University of Edinburgh to extend the Notable platform across all secondary schools in Scotland. Notable is a flexible, easy-access learning environment which allows users to experiment with multiple programming languages and to see code running in real-time.

Supporting the curriculum: tech industry into schools

Exposing young people to the tech industry is a vital part of improving participation in computing science – and the tech community has been forthright in offering up this help to schools.

Working with partners including Developing the Young Workforce, Digital Technology Education Charter, ScotlandIS and Education Scotland, our national skills agency, Skills Development Scotland, have developed a Tech Industry In Schools Toolkit which brings together resources and programmes like Tech Industry in the Classroom.

The Toolkit also includes materials to help employers prepare for their classroom experience such as Classroom Fundamentals which provides guidance on being a role model in the classroom, tips on talking about their job and how to work with young people in groups.

The participation of girls in Computing Science

On average, 84% of students studying higher Computing Science in any given year are male. This represents a loss of talent for future generations as well as a barrier to opportunity and success for women in tech.

That is why, we are taking actions to raise awareness of gender bias with parents, families and teachers at all stages of the education process.

This includes providing resources to help teachers tackle gender stereotyping and unconscious bias, improving career advice and preparation for work within schools, and working with colleges and higher education institutes to narrow gender gaps in participation in courses.

We are building on this by working with the Improving Gender Balance and Equalities team at Education Scotland who support long-term sustainable work in schools to address gender imbalance and promote equalities.

Investment in extracurricular activity

STER identifies the important role that extra-curricular organisations play in encouraging the participation of underrepresented groups and highlights the lack of support available for these organisations.

In February 2022, we awarded £100,000 to Digital Xtra to provide grants to organisations delivering extra-curricular computing and digital technology activities for young people across Scotland.

Broadening the digital talent pool

We know that we need 13,000 new recruits to fill digital technology roles every year to meet demand.^[3]

We cannot rely on our traditional education pipeline to provide these recruits, which is why we have invested over £4 million since 2020, via Skills Development Scotland, to broaden the digital talent pool.

This has included the delivery of reskilling programmes such as the Digital Start Fund, a programme which supports people on benefits or low incomes, and the Digital Skills Pipeline, a modular set of courses running from beginner level all the way through to advanced coding.

By giving grant funding to Code Your Future, another training organisation, we have also helped vulnerable people, including refugees, with the skills and networks necessary to progress in education and employment.

Going forward, a new Digital Economy Skills Action Plan for Scotland, which is being developed in partnership with industry and stakeholders, will identify the activity that will best support the needs of the digital economy going forward, aligning with the recommendations from STER and NSET.

STER Grant Recipient Case Study: Code your Future

Colette grew up in a housing development in Linwood in the 1980s. She only discovered in adulthood that she had dyslexia and as a result of this the challenges that came with her circumstances, she did not receive any secondary qualifications.

At first, Colette tried to get a job in design. She compiled a portfolio and secured a place on a HND Graphic Design course but could not find work in her chosen field.

Colette found a temporary job in IT and discovered she enjoyed the industry.

“Life carried on and I got married and had my two daughters. I stepped away from IT in order to be a part-time working mum with jobs that worked around my family’s needs.”

Colette eventually returned to education and earned a degree in IT, but she faced a new obstacle. She was rejected at every interview because she wasn’t proficient in any coding language.

She heard about CodeYourFuture and after some initial struggles, made it onto the CodeYourFuture Software Development course. At the same time, she secured a full-time job just as COVID-19 was becoming a frightening reality. It was extremely challenging for her to manage a full-time job and a full-time course while looking after her family.

With perseverance, and the support of her family and CodeYourFuture, Colette overcame her challenges. She says, “with the amazing volunteers at CodeYourFuture, who encouraged me to continue with the course, I successfully graduated in March 2022.”

“I learned that doing my best was good enough. I am valued and have a very varied unique skill-set. Not to give up trying to reach my potential.”

More success followed her graduation and newfound self-belief when Capgemini, an international IT company, offered her a full-time position as a Test Analyst.

Next Steps

• STACS launch of the new teaching resource repository
• Pilot the national upskilling plan for Computing Science teachers in Scotland, with the full roll out in 2023
• Continued working with the Improving Gender Balance and Equalities team at Education Scotland
• Publishing a Digital Economy Skills Action Plan