On behalf of Computing At School and the Network of Excellence

Theoretical computers for KS3 computing teachers - Fun With Finite State Machines

Wednesday Mar 8, 2017 from 2:00PM to 6:00PM

Topics and activities included: state diagrams, abstraction for programming and understanding the Turing machine.

In this Unit, through a number of classroom activities, we introduce some theoretical models of computation that were developed by early computer scientists to try to formalise the notion of an algorithm. This goes right to the heart of Computer Science, encouraging learners to reason about what it means to compute something.

Training event using the CAS Tenderfoot resources http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/Tenderfoot

Introductory video for Theoretical Computers: https://goo.gl/2rqZcB

Please note/ Important information/ Pre-Session items for the Theoretical Computers session

The host of this event has asked that prior to attending the Theoretical Computers session it will help if you do the following:

Take a look at the CAS Tenderfoot introduction video (4 minutes) http://goo.gl/glyhQk

Download the Hexaflexagon template (A3) and make yourself a finite state machine. (Or bring along the folded paper and we’ll make it together.)
Instructions: https://goo.gl/JZdy61
The template (A3) https://goo.gl/XnQ6VT

Take a look at the Theoretical Computers video (4 minutes) https://goo.gl/zyv0IZ

Take a look at a very straightforward video (9 minutes) explaining a finite-state machines can be found at http://youtu.be/vhiiia1_hC4 This is one of the Computerphile videos recommended in the presentation and is an excellent introduction to the basics.

HOST

victoria.ellis@ntu.ac.uk / john.woollard@computingatschool.org.uk

Lincoln Castle Academy

For further information: Victoria Ellis (victoria.ellis@ntu.ac.uk)

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