This week we are taking a deep dive into our Max Computing series of books we have produced with Macmillan Education.
To see how we ended up producing a self-contained curriculum for Grades 1-9, we first have to look back, with our Programme Director Shahneila Saeed recalling her work in the early 2000s in shaping the Computing Curriculum the UK still uses today.
So why did the Max Computing book series come about?
Initially, Programme Director Shahneila Saeed was approached by Macmillan Education due to the work she had done on the UK Computing Curriculum.
As Shahneila had spearheaded the UK's successful Computing Curriculum, they thought she was in a good position to draw up a series of books to apply the same development of Computing, ICT and Digital Skills to an international audience.
The books were targeted at the Caribbean, and Shahneila began to draw together a team to create the series.
How did the Max Computing book series come about?
As the series was written, more territories came on board and expressed interest in wanting it.
Digital Schoolhouse Curriculum Resource Manager Estelle Ashman wrote 3 chapters, which were used as samples for further territories, and a group of Digital Schoolhouse's Lead Teachers also writing units.
The whole series was developed around the pedagogical approach of Digital Schoolhouse, with the lessons being cross-curricular, playful and creative.
The series was entirely written around benchmarking for curricula, with the progression across books mapped to grades 1-9, meaning teachers know the lessons are meeting the targets they need to while also developing the digital skills their pupils need in a fun and playful way!
What is the Max Computing Book Series?
The books have been launched globally in the Middle East, Libya, India and the Caribbean.
It is a complete Grade 1-9 curriculum with a very detailed teacher guide, allowing the teaching of computing without needing any other lesson plans or resources. A one-stop shop for teachers to teach playful, curriculum-mapped computing!
You can get a taster of what the series is here.
Now and what's next for Max Computing.
The scope of the international appetite for Max Computing is unique even for MacMillan.
After launching a pilot in Nevis, the Max Computing scheme will be expanded across the Caribbean, with 20 schools piloting it with the support of Digital Schoolhouse. We are also in talks with the Office of Eastern Caribbean States to further spread the use of the Max Computing book series.
If you want to learn more about the Max Computing book series, the authors and will be exhibiting at the Playful Computing Conference on 24th June - grab a ticket and come and see them!
