A dedicated group of Computing Science teachers who set up a self-help group shortly after computers first entered the classroom have celebrated the group’s 30th birthday.

The Ayr Division Computing Studies (ADiCoSt) Self Help Group marked the occasion with a special celebration on Friday, September 1, at Taylors in Kilwinning, also attended by retired members.

The members have held monthly meetings ever since and is now the longest running group of its kind in Scotland.

Meetings are held in Greenwood Academy where members discuss recent developments and issues before a member or guest speaker delivers a talk.

Janice Ramsay, who is the chair person of ADiCoSt, said: “In the early 1980s, every secondary school in Scotland was given a BBC computer. In each school, there were typically one or two teachers with a mild interest in computing and, over the years, their enthusiasm grew.

“By the mid-1980s, most schools had a set of ten BBC computers and the self-taught devotees thought that it would be good to share their knowledge with pupils.

They ran familiarisation courses then progressed to certificated courses through Scotvec modules and Ordinary Grade Computing.

“In 1986, a few brave souls started teaching Standard Grade Computing Studies. Teaching a new subject for the first time with limited resources and support is a daunting prospect so the ADiCoSt Self Help Group was born.”

About a dozen teachers of Computing Science gathered for the very first meeting of ADiCoSt in September 1987 in the Microcomputer Resource Centre, Ayr, where they shared problems and solutions associated with the delivery of computing courses.

Janice added: “The acronym ADiCoSt is so well known in Scottish educational computing circles that it has continued to be used even after the demise of Ayr Division.

“Teachers value the group and use it as a means of sharing lesson ideas, good practice and expertise as well as a Career Long Professional Learning opportunity. It is a strongly-held view among members that examination results would not be so good without the existence of ADiCoSt.

“In the group’s 30-year existence, more than 150 teachers have been members. Currently, we have members from North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and extended outreach.”

Councillor John Bell, Cabinet member for Education, congratulated the group on reaching the landmark...as well as the positive impact it has had on thousands of pupils. Teachers of Computing Science who are interested in joining the group should contact Janice Ramsay, Faculty Head Computing Science with Business and IT, at Ardrossan Academy