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Lessons / Health tech

Health tech

Unit of work

5 lessons

MakeCode

11-14 yrs

In this series of 5-6 lessons aimed at students in the first year of secondary school, students learn about 'health tech', the use of technology to improve health. They develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of computational thinking and real-life problem-solving by working in teams to create their own prototype health tech innovation.

Computational thinking:

Algorithms

Design & technology:

Product design

Sciences:

Health

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Lessons created in partnership with Nominet

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Lesson 1 details

Overall key learning

  • understand and apply the fundamental principles & concepts of computer science.
  • gain practical experience of writing computer programs to solve problems.
  • evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies analytically to solve problems
  • be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

Additional skills

Problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking, creative thinking, prototyping, presenting, researching.

Lesson 1: Health of the nation

Students learn about health tech then research, evaluate and present real-life examples to develop their understanding of how technology is being used to improve people’s health.

Key learning:

  • To understand some of the UK’s biggest health challenges
  • To be able to explain ‘health tech’
  • To be research and evaluate real-life examples of health tech being used to address health challenges
Lesson 1 details

Lesson 2: Health tech innovations

Students are given a health tech challenge and work in teams to design and prototype a health tech innovation. 

Key learning:

  • To develop ideas for health tech innovation innovations to meet a UK healthcare need
  • To understand the importance of prototyping
  • To select an innovation idea and begin to develop a prototype
Lesson 2 details

Lesson 3: Prototyping innovations

Students develop their computational thinking skills and complete their prototype.

Key learning:

  • To work effectively as a team to develop a prototype for a health tech innovation
  • To design an accurate, detailed algorithm for at least one prototype feature
  • To use the algorithm to write, test and debug a working micro:bit program
Lesson 3 details

Lesson 4: Preparing presentations

Key learning:

  • To complete your health tech prototype
  • To prepare an effective way to present your prototype
  • To practice delivering your presentation
Lesson 4 details

Lesson 5: Health tech showcase

Students deliver their health tech innovation presentations to an audience, then evaluate their prototype and their learning.

Key learning:

  • To present your health tech prototype to an audience
  • To give and receive constructive feedback
  • To evaluate your health tech prototype, presentation and approach to the challenge
Lesson 5 details

This content is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) licence.

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