iPads, MakerEd and More in Education

Exciting space-themed coding adventures by Tynker in collaboration with NASA!

During CS Ed Week, countless teachers and students experienced computer science for the first time. Whether it was their first, second, or hundredth time, I hope that this taste of CS left them hungry for more. Code.org has created a great compilation of resources for how students can continue learning. In this post, I’d like to suggest some ideas for how teachers who are new(ish) to CS can go beyond the Hour of Code.

Ozobot's special lessons for Hour of Code 2018 are here, including different activity options for your grade, subject, and experience level in coding!

``Computer Science Education Week is once again on the horizon, taking place this year on Dec. 3-10, 2018. Many students and teachers will sign up for the Hour of Code, a global movement that invites pupils and educators to try programming exercises—many for the first time.

But what happens after those 60 minutes are over? All the excitement around computer science education will come to naught if teachers are ill-prepared to take the next step, and know how to channel the excitement into teachable moments.

Most teachers have not taken a computer science course in college, and will need professional development support. Citing data from a Google/Gallup survey, Code.org, a nonprofit advocating for computer science education in schools, writes that “principals in rural and small town schools say the biggest obstacles to increasing access to K-12 computer science are the lack of teachers with the necessary skills and funding to prepare or hire teachers.”

To go beyond the Hour of Code, we need to train teachers to teach computer science. But what should this computer science professional development look like?``

Coding is the ability to write step by step instructions (programs) for a computer to understand to complete a task. The Hour of Code website has tons of ready to go online activities that get students to write code that results in a number of cool outcomes, such as making a monster dance, creating avatars, remixing music or making a game. When students complete these easy tutorials they learn these important skills- logic, problem solving, fitting puzzle pieces together, selection, instructional writing, editing, revision, and creation. Below are some great websites to find engaging coding projects that take an hour or less. Most require no registration! Just provide students with a quick introduction to the task on the projector and the link for them to get started. I would highly recommend doing the activity first. In the next post I will introduce you to unplugged activities, which get students to focus on specific coding skills you will notice in these activities, which include working with puzzles, providing good instructions, problem solving and algorithms.

Hour of Code week (err….Computer Science Education Week) is quickly approaching and the number of participants continues to grow rapidly. Social media is full of smiling faces, glowing screens and happy teachers engaged in wonderful coding tutorials.

But this is where it falls apart. Tutorials. The end. Done. Finished. The box is checked. Next!

Like any kind of learning, students need to develop an understanding before they can use these tools to create content. We learn to spell before we write. We learn to count to do math. We learn multiplication tables before we find the area of shapes. We do the Hour of Code so we can …..

Learning to code without a computer may seem illogical, but it makes perfect sense.  Unplugging the computer and teaching coding through more familiar mediums such as hands-on activities, can make the subject less intimidating and more interactive.

In the grand scheme of things, the basic principles of coding teach metacognition, problem-solving, and abstract thinking.  These are valuable skills to have even if a career in computer programming isn’t in the immediate future.  We’ve compiled a list of our favorite hands-on coding activities from our Pinterest Board, Coding Unplugged, so you can have fun coding in a variety of ways!

Got robots or physical computing kits? Use them with the activities below and make a tangible Hour of Code for students of any age! Some activities even offer a simulator so you can get started without any hardware.

While this week and the Hour of Code are great ways to spark awareness, educators should also look for long-term ways to keep computer science in their classrooms.

In an Education Week blog, experts note that while Hour of Code activities are great for building momentum, educators should look to foster a broader knowledge of computational thinking and problem solving. While reading and writing code is a great way to teach this, teachers can also focus on the underlying thought process.

 
“… students don’t need to be future computer science majors to benefit from computational thinking skills. Solving puzzles, splitting up large problems into small ones, getting stuck and then figuring out how to get unstuck, will help future designers, writers, artists and makers just as much as our future engineers.”
 
Computer science should not be relegated to just one week per year, either. Educator Steven W. Anderson writes on EdTech that choosing Hour of Code projects that can be continued throughout the year is a great way to allow students to continue to explore their skills. He cites MIT App Inventor as a great tool for letting students step outside their initial activity.

App Inventor is a free, cloud-based service that you access using a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari). With these beginner-friendly tutorials, you will learn the basics of programming apps for Android devices.

You will need:
     • A Mac or Windows computer (see system requirements)
     • A free Google account (Gmail or school email tied to Google
     • An Android mobile device (phone or tablet). If you don't have a mobile device, you can still use App        Inventor with the on-screen Emulator

To see your app on your phone as you build:
     • Follow the instructions to connect your phone to App Inventor on your computer
     • If you hit any snags, we're here to help!

Teachers: Get support and tips for preparing for App Inventor hour of code with your students.

Hour of Code season has arrived, and we’re excited to unveil new activities from our partners!

It's that time of year again! Between December 3-9, celebrate CS Ed Week 2018 by sharing how you are making CS a reality for all. Whether your 1st graders are trying an hour of code or your seniors are pair programming, post a pic on Instagram or Twitter using #CSEdWeek2018Photos or upload below to enter. Please secure parental permission for those featured in your photo before posting.

The inspiration behind Hour of Code is to "demystify" computer science, to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science.

In launching this lesson, you might share this slide show, which includes images and definitions of key words like automation,algorithm, variable, control structure, parameter, and count-controlled loop.

Your students can create more playful computer programs (which also build their knowledge about how algorithms can be used to make things) by incorporating control structures. Students can also make their algorithms more powerful and interesting by adding components like count-controlled loops.

The Codeblocks scripts for making snowflakes included in this lesson can lead your students through this type of iterative design process. And the best part is that they'll make a cool artifact of their learning when they're done!

With more than 140 new tutorials, and the ability to filter by grade, experience level, and classroom hardware, everyone can find the perfect activity. We even have new activities that work offline or without computers. (And, your favorites from last year are still here.)

But that’s not all — in a few weeks, we’ll announce a very special new Code.org tutorial. Stay tuned (and get ready to groove)!

And, today we’re unveiling a brand new activity from Code.org and Microsoft: Minecraft Voyage Aquatic!

This fall around the globe, hundreds of classrooms will participate in the Hour of Code, a celebration of all things computer science and programming. Traditionally held in December during Computer Science Education Week (December 3–9 this year), the hour can be adopted anytime of year that works for your classroom. The best part? It doesn’t matter if you’re a coding newbie or an expert in order to bring it all to life. Here are some of our favorite Hour of Code activities for students and teachers at all levels. 

This year the Hour of Code will be the biggest and best ever. There is so much I can’t wait to share, and it starts with a special video!

Creativity is our theme for the Hour of Code this year.

From robots to Minecraft, there are thousands of different ways to introduce programming to your class in fun and interactive ways for the upcoming Hour of Code (December 8-14). While most apps and tutorials do require internet connected computers or mobile devices, it does not mean that schools without this level of technology cannot get involved. In fact, coding with paper can be an even more engaging and meaningful way to introduce students to early programming concepts.

This week (December 4-10), tens of millions of students across the globe will participate in the 2017 Hour of Code Challenge. This global movement, which is now in its fifth year, is an opportunity to introduce students to the ever-growing world of computer science. Whether at school or at home, anyone can participate. No experience is needed!

Check out these 7 activities to get your students started:

Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code are nearly upon us. How are you planning to participate in your classroom? Read this Q & A about coding and young children to help you get started! 

What is coding?
-basically, coding is computer progamming. It is when we give directions to a computer to make it do something. Computers exist in many forms (your mobile phone, iPad, washing machine, thermostat, etc) and they all use code to function. 

Why do you teach coding to kindergarten students?
-fun coding apps and activities introduce children to computer science at a young age, before they are intimidated by the idea of "programming a computer"
-coding exposes children to many exciting future career opportunities
-coding develops important skills such as problem-solving, creative thinking, ability to sequence, follow directions, and give directions. These skills transfer over to other subject areas and positively impact young children's overall development. 
-coding promotes tenacity, as children often experience failure and have to persevere to solve coding challenges