Taking Computing Back to School

In this paper, we discuss the use of a kind of videoconferencing technology generally referred to as an “Access Grid” to connect universities with local schools and colleges. We report on successful trials of the Open Source form of this videoconferencing technology that are part of the “Taking Computing back to school” project due to be completed in July. The project is part-sponsored by both the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences, and the University of Surrey’s Widening Participation initiative. We identify the importance of improving engagement with the computing curriculum to avert a potential skills crisis in the IT industry and discuss the technology, the challenges of deployment and testing, and some of the early successes.