Refreshing the CAS Wales Committee

We have seen significant reform of computer science education across the UK over the past five years; Computing At School (CAS) — the subject association for computer science and formally part of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT — has been at the forefront of many of these changes, shaping policy and changing the wider perceptions of the discipline, but more importantly supporting teachers and practitioners.

Since 2010, CAS Wales has been active across Wales: supporting teachers by running a number of CAS Regional Hubs, involved in the independent review of the ICT curriculum in 2013, which has led to the development in 2016 of a new Digital Competence Framework for all schools, supporting ongoing ICT qualification reform, as well as the emergence of a strand of computer science in the new Science & Technology Area of Learning and Experience. CAS Wales has worked closely in partnership with Technocamps at Swansea University, supporting teachers and schools, running annual conferences, and promoting curriculum and qualifications reform.

As we move into this important period of curriculum reform in Wales, CAS Wales needs to formalise its governance and refresh its committee, to reflect the diversity of challenges (and opportunities) for computer science education in Wales. I have been Chair of CAS Wales since 2010, sitting on the main CAS Board (ex-officio), with a de facto group of committee members composed of Hub leaders, active CAS members and academics. However, it is important to improve openness and transparency and better engage with a diverse range of stakeholders from across Wales to ensure that CAS Wales can scale and expand its activities and partnerships going forward.

Reflecting on the new CAS Wales terms of reference (revised October 2017), we are calling for applications to join the new CAS Wales Committee. Criteria for committee membership requires that normally a nominee:

• is an active and established member of the CAS Wales community.
• understands and demonstrates a proactive commitment to the ethos, vision, and mission of CAS Wales.
• is able to commit sufficient time for meetings and other events.
• is respected by peers for activities that are consistent with the CAS Wales ethos, mission and values.
• has a proven contribution to supporting Computing education in Wales.
• does not pursue any public activities that are incompatible with the above items.

We are now actively seeking nominations from key stakeholders and participants from across Wales, including teachers (primary, secondary, special and further, across English and Welsh medium provision), university academics, industry, awarding organisations and local education authority advisors. In particular, we would welcome applications that would improve the gender, diversity, Welsh language and geographical representation of the CAS Wales Committee.

If you wish to nominate yourself for the CAS Wales Committee, please submit a short written statement of how you fulfil the above criteria (also see the terms of reference) and a current CV. For further information, or if you wish to discuss a potential nomination, please contact me on tom.crick@computingatschool.org.uk.

Deadline for applications: Sunday 5 November 2017, with the first formal committee meeting planned for late November or early December.