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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
Raising our Learned Society Profile
BCS@ nearly 50
Created a dynamic Thought Leadership ProgrammeExpanding our work with business, government and academiaImproving our infrastructure - physical and digital52 Specialist Groups6 Forums55 Branches…
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
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
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
Reasons advanced include…
The public doesn’t care
The IT school curriculum
The media
The technology
Us
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
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
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 usWork at all levels exploit our connections and networks
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
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Example activities
Crisis in Computing
Celebrating the future through the past
Inspirational role models
The power of computational thinking
The caring digital society
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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
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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
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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
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...
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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
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This is not just a BCS problem ...
Is it...?
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