How to Teach Computer Science
It’s here! HTTCS the podcast. Listen to extracts from the book ”How to Teach Computer Science” read by me, the author Alan Harrison. I’ll discuss the thinking behind the content, bring it up to date with the latest news and research and help you understand how to use the knowledge in your classroom. See https://httcs.online for more info.
Podcast Description
It’s here! HTTCS the podcast. Listen to extracts from the book ”How to Teach Computer Science” read by me, the author Alan Harrison. I’ll discuss the thinking behind the content, bring it up to date with the latest news and research and help you understand how to use the knowledge in your classroom. See https://httcs.online for more info.
Episodes
Apr 11, 2024
How Hard Can it Be?
Apr 11, 2024
Apr 11, 2024
49 min
Rachel Arthur from Teach First joins me to talk all things Initial Teacher Training. We discuss the joys of teaching computing, routes into teaching, what to expect from your placements and why we need more recruits for the robot apocalypse! And find out if Rachel and I are even human or perhaps just deepfakes. Confused? You will be in Episode 7!
Transcript at httcs.online/blog
Buy me a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs
Buy my books at httcs.online
Thanks!
Mar 28, 2024
How do we prepare for exams?
Mar 28, 2024
Mar 28, 2024
50 min
Miss Tough joins me to discuss exam preparation: revision techniques, retrieval practice, making mind maps (or not!) answering exam questions. Playing Taboo! and corny computing jokes. I tell you what happened in the 80s when I swung on my chair and we discuss teacher cliches like "it's your own time you're wasting!"
Transcript on my blog at httcs.online/blog
Listen for a discount code for 20% off at johncattbookshop.com
Buy me a coffee at ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs
Thanks!
Mar 16, 2024
How Do We Teach Programming?
Mar 16, 2024
Mar 16, 2024
41 min
I meet the teenagers behind "Mission Encodable", a Python tutorial website, hear their stories of learning to code and why they made the product. I reminisce about my classroom days when I wrote "10 PRINT "MY TEACHER IS AN IDIOT" / 20 GOTO 10" and I share a promo code for my books and more at johncattbookshop.com .
Mission Encodable is here missionencodeable.com
The full Transcript is here and my podcast page is at pod.httcs.online
Buy me a coffee at ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs thanks!
Mar 7, 2024
How DO we teach Computer Science?
Mar 7, 2024
Mar 7, 2024
43 min
In this episode I explore pedagogy, the art of teaching, with the help of highly experienced computer science teacher Andy Colley. We talk explicit instruction, cold calling, checking for understanding, PRIMM and much more, and agree that lots of computing-related jokes are not very funny. I wrestle with a printer and Andy goes off on a tangent more than once. A bumper 43-minute episode you cannot miss!
Transcript here: httcs.online/pod004
Buy my books here: httcs.online/books
Buy me a coffee here: ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs thanks! Enjoy :)
Feb 29, 2024
Feb 29, 2024
31 min
What have Braille and Burger Emojis got in common? I take a deep dive into the subject of Data Representation with the help of my special guest Andrew Virnuls of advanced-ict.info, we demystify binary, bit depth and sample rate, talk about cross-stitching, and I reveal the winners of recent competitions!
Transcript at httcs.online/blog. If you enjoyed this episode, buy me a coffee at ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs or buy my books at httcs.online/books. Thanks!
Feb 22, 2024
HTTCS Episode 002: What IS Computer Science?
Feb 22, 2024
Feb 22, 2024
29 min
How to Teach Computer Science episode 2, "What IS Computer Science", in which I attempt to cover the whole spec in 30 minutes, from Data Representation through Programming and Algorithms to Issues and Impacts: a whistle-stop tour of the core and hinterland.
Transcript at httcs.online/pod002
Full episode list at pod.httcs.online
Buy me a coffee at ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs Thanks!
Feb 12, 2024
HTTCS Episode 001 What's All This About Then?
Feb 12, 2024
Feb 12, 2024
24 min
Hello and welcome to "How to Teach Computer Science", the podcast. I've had a lot of people say to me, Alan, your book has been recommended to me and it looks fantastic, but I just don't have time to read it. So if that was you, here it is. Here's the pod.. And welcome to the opening episode. There are jokes, a competition and lots of pedagogy.
Transcript is available on your podcasting app and on my blog here
All episodes can be found at pod.httcs.online

How to Teach Computer Science
Hello and welcome to "How to Teach Computer Science", the podcast. I've had a lot of people say to me, Alan, your book has been recommended to me and it looks fantastic, but I just don't have time to read it. So if that was you, here it is. Here's the pod.. And welcome to the opening episode. It's just me and the crazy stories in the books. If you like what you hear, why not drop me a few quid at ko-fi.com/mraharrisoncs Thanks!






