Our mission is to provide hands-on, high-powered, integrative learning experiences for students of all ages.
You and your children are curious innovators and problem solvers. You are engaged by projects, not just learning coding, maths, communications and programming by rote. Designing, engineering and building projects from games to robots gives you the advantage in a changing and competitive world.
Learning is fun! It doesn’t require a traditional classroom or lonesome work on a computer.
Creating environments to inspire
never-ending learning
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover. –Mark Twain
Power Learners was conceived and created by Connie Rothman as a way to share her love and enthusiasm for teaching. Her positive, upbeat personality, insatiable curiosity and love for learning inspires our workshops. We emulate her friendly, inclusive and humorous approach to teaching. Connie passed away from cancer in 2015 and the team takes her never-ending energy as inspiration, knowing she would be thrilled to see our powerful learners cracking problems and thinking outside the box.
Ian Stephenson is a lecturer at Bournemouth University’s National Centre for Computer Animation, where he teaches computer programming to animators. He also develops computer graphics software and techniques, which have been used by animation and special effects studios around the world. Though his background is in engineering, his long experience of working with artists and animators has led to an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to computing and problem solving. He can also be found playing bass in local bands, with regular gigs in the area.
Edward Rothman has multiple degrees including a masters in higher education. He has worked in diverse fields, including health care, health care fraud investigation, and a senior lecturer and administrator in higher education. Avidly curious and a staunch sceptic, he is drawn to science. He always struggled as a student; therefore, he gets the greatest joy from helping students of all ages.
Armed with a degree in Computer Science, Phil Wilkinson stepped forward into the world of education. A geeky educator at heart, Phil can be found at Bournemouth University teaching Web Development, Digital Business Practices, and Media Psychologies, or running Coding Clubs at various schools. His soothing northern tones lends itself to his current research projects supported by Samsung UK, Dorset County Council, and the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy looking at the role of digital technologies in children’s development at home and at school. He is always more than happy to chat about the challenges of raising digital natives; the negative and positive impact of technologies; and anything related to video games.
Sniff is a beginner programming language which follows on what many of kids are learning now. Ian, our computer teacher, wrote the programme for Sniff! The site also has links to some of the projects he has done.