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Students show computer prowess

Friday, 04 April 2008

TWO Northside Transition Year students used their computer skills to great effect to win prizes while on a computer course at DCU before Easter.
Joseph Harkins (16), from St Joseph's Secondary School, Rush, won the first prize of a Dell laptop computer for the best website on DCU’s Transition Year computing course, Compute TY.
And Clare Maher, from Manor House School, Raheny, won the runner-up prize of an Apple iPod Shuffle.
Compute TY is now in its fourth year at DCU’s School of Computing and its popularity continues to grow. The intake was up 50 per cent from last year to 750 students.

It is a week long course where Transition Year students learn to create and design their own websites on a topic of their own choice.
Lero - the Irish Software Engineering Research Centre, Dell and Microsoft all sponsored Compute TY.
Joseph hopes to study computing at Third Level in DCU and actively pursued the Compute TY course for himself and his friends.
“The first thing I heard about Compute TY was from my friend,” said Joseph.
“He had just finished a week’s course and had really enjoyed it.
“From there I checked the website, found out contact details and asked my teacher would she mind making contact to possibly book my TY class.
“Unfortunately, all the places were booked out so our class was unable to go, but we were in luck when another school passed out of the course and so the whole class was able to go.”
Joseph and his class were given a week to design and code a website of their choice.
“We could pick anything, from football to fashion,” he stated.
“The tutors were there to assist should we get stuck on any piece of code.
“I had an excellent time at Compute TY and would recommend it to all TY classes.
“I have come a long way since receiving my first toy computer at the age of eight,” added Joseph.
Meanwhile, Clare said she loved the experience of being on campus and the fact that she was going to college, albeit for a week.
“The facilities were great and the campus had a really friendly atmosphere,” she stated.
“The course was a real hands-on experience with tutors available to lend a hand at any time.
“When I viewed all the other websites and saw what other students had achieved, I was genuinely surprised and delighted with second place.
“Compute TY is certainly an experience you don't want to miss, that's for sure,” added Clare.
Dr Stephen Blott, Head of the School of Computing at DCU, said it was very encouraging to see so much enthusiasm for Compute TY and a growing interest in studying computing.
“This is in part due to the excellent prospects that are available for our graduates,” stated Dr Blott.
Every week a different group of students from a total of 15 schools from DCU’s surrounding area attended the course and included: Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf; Colaiste Choilm, Swords; Donahies Community School, Donaghmede; St Paul’s College, Raheny; St Mary’s HFC, Glasnevin; St Michael’s Holy Faith, Finglas; Mercy College, Coolock; St Aidan’s CBS, Whitehall; Manor House School, Raheny; St Joseph’s CBS, Fairview; Mount Temple Comprehensive School, Clontarf; St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rush; Scoil Chaitriona, Glasnevin; St Declan’s Secondary School, Cabra, and St Vincent’s CBS, Glasnevin.
Joseph’s and Clare’s websites, and all the participating students’ websites can be viewed at: www.computing.dcu.ie/
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