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Inspirational IT

Inspirational IT. Public Engagement a Global Challenge Professor Nigel Shadbolt BCS President. BCS@ nearly 50. Record membership Sound finances New products and services Increasing numbers of candidates taking our exams Leading a successful Professionalism Programme

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Inspirational IT

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  1. Inspirational IT • Public Engagement a Global Challenge • Professor Nigel Shadbolt • BCS President

  2. BCS@ nearly 50 • Record membership • Sound finances • New products and services • Increasing numbers of candidates taking our exams • Leading a successful Professionalism Programme • Raising our Learned Society Profile

  3. BCS@ nearly 50 • Created a dynamic Thought Leadership Programme • Expanding our work with business, government and academia • Improving our infrastructure - physical and digital • 52 Specialist Groups • 6 Forums • 55 Branches…

  4. And yet… • We face a real problem • Whilst IT is a vital part of society and culture • IT cannot flourish without support of wider community • This requires public engagement • We have not been effective here

  5. We are not unique… • Science, Engineering and Technology have changed the world • Scientists, engineers and technologists feel unappreciated and undervalued • In our discipline the problem is, if anything, even worse

  6. The public image is… • A poor one • Bored at school • A world of geeks and nerds • Profession associated with IT failures • Falling numbers at University • This varies from country to country; interesting differences in emerging economies

  7. Reasons advanced include… • The public doesn’t care • The IT school curriculum • The media • The technology • Us

  8. Reality check… • Public appetite for SET exists • Urgent need to review IT in schools • We need to engage with the media • We are in possession of inspirational technology • The challenge lies with us

  9. What can we do? • Defy expectations • Understand the nature of the problem • Confront the challenge of our subject in schools • Foster media engagement • Evangelise computational thinking • Embrace the breadth and variety of our discipline

  10. How do we do it? • Invest time, effort, energy and enthusiasm • Top down and bottom up • BCS has appointed a Public Engagement Manager • Change Public Opinion • Reach the opinion formers • Engage more aggressively with mainstream media • Select targets • Find the issues, the debates, future possibilities that affect us • Work at all levels exploit our connections and networks

  11. The emerging approach • Using the 50th as a platform to engage • Focus on the future externally, while celebrating the past achievements • Select areas that can be made accessible, interesting and engaging to wide and various audiences • Contextualise breakthroughs

  12. Example activities • Crisis in Computing • Celebrating the future through the past • Inspirational role models • The power of computational thinking • The caring digital society 12

  13. Crisis in Computing • Significant downturn in students entering computing/computer science degrees • Government does not yet fully recognise the problem • Media strategy • Pallab Gosh • Edelman • Timing • Week after I became President interview became the most viewed and emailed on the BBC Online • And then you have to deal with the consequences

  14. Inspirational Role Models • Recruit those who have made a difference • Look for the next generation • Cultivate our own skills • Working with other Professional Bodies and Learned Societies

  15. Celebrating the Future though the Past • UK has a somewhat unique tradition in this regard • Illustrates both strengths and weaknesses • The Bletchley Park Story • Codes and Cyphers Heritage Trust • Computer Conservation SG • Bombe • Colossus • BCS support Cypher Challenge

  16. Computational Thinking: A revolutionary paradigm • A large part of modern STEM is all about; computational models, representations, abstractions • But it goes wider into social sciences and humanities • This is a well kept secret and we need let it out...

  17. The Caring Digital Society • Issues of societal interest • e.g. Privacy - surveillance and sousveillance • Putting forward the benefits and not always focusing on the disbenefits • e.g. Improved citizen services • Informed dialogue is essential • e.g. HFA and GM Crops 17

  18. This is not just a BCS problem ... • Is it...? 18

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