Year 10 Computer Science Trip to Bletchley Park
Our Year 10 Computer Science students represented RMS with excellent behaviour, polite appreciation, whilst demonstrating real interest in the historical roots of the site as well as how it is impacting them and their futures.
Bearing this in mind, we were pleased to visit the new AI exhibition on the site, with all students showing their programming expertise by recognising the neon life size function on the entrance 'Def function ():'! Some students showing me in good humour, reiterating my dialogue to them in most lessons - "Miss - I say 'function', You say 'Def function name (parameters) do this'." , whilst pointing to the large neon sign! Incredible for them to see what they are completing in lesson ie the functions, are paramount to the sophisticated tools of AI and the future...
Students began the day participating in an engaging encryption workshop, focusing on the incredible feats of Alan Turing and the lesser but equally known aspirational computations of Bill Tutte, including the cryptanalysis of the Lorenz cipher - which all students attempted! A real brain teaser to start the day after a long coach journey! However, I am proud that they were all able to reflect upon their RMS character values and patiently connect and put into action their recent lesson taught boolean logic learning and the xor operation for these activities.
We explored the site with lots to investigate, many students surprised at the working conditions of the time, as well as the tangible artefacts that gave a sense of reality to the cipher machines used in World War II. Together with the tour guide, referencing not only the magnitude of the Bletchley Park mansion itself, but the nuances, such as the contributions of other cultures (see Polish memorial image) to the future of Britain.
All participating teachers agreed this trip had been an absolute pleasure, thank you Year 10. I am pleased we have several enquiry questions from this trip! Linking directly to our essay style questions as well as our understanding of AI in the modern world next week you can choose from what we have seen here 'Exploring AlexNet -deep learning revolution', 'the problem of ownership', 'If AI is it really art?' (see images from the AI exhibition').
