Tag:

computer science

Plan Now for Hour of Code

by Jennifer Bergland November 5, 2018

written by Jennifer Bergland

According to Code.org, 93% of Texas parents want their child’s school to offer computer science, but only 40% of Texas schools teach it. Maybe the reason for their interest is because there are 44,972 computing jobs open in the state of Texas in which the average salary is $93,518. The Hour of Code is a perfect event to help drum up support for computer science in your school, district, and community to help meet the demand of your parents and the job market.

The Basics

The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science to demonstrate that anyone can learn the basics of coding. The effort was designed to demystify computer coding and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. The official Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. The 2018 Computer Science Education Week will be December 3-9, but for all practical purposes, you can host an Hour of Code all year round.

Organizing an Hour of Code event at your school or in your community is easy. Their website provides step-by-step instructions on how to pull off the event, complete with activities your participants can use to learn to code in an hour. They also provide ideas to get your community involved and a FAQ page that will answer almost every question you have about hosting an Hour of Code.

Five Easy Steps to Host a Hour of Code

Code.org has made is easy for you to host an hour of code. Here are the things they suggest you need to consider to make your event a success.

1. Logistics

The first thing you need to decide is where are you going to host the event. They have coding activities that you can use for any device, but you need to decide which devices you’ll use and what you’ll need to make sure they have the necessary bandwidth and power. Code.org even has activities to teach computational thinking skills without using a computer so your event can take place anywhere, even a public park! Just make sure you have reviewed what materials you’ll need for these types of “unplugged” activities.

2. Pick a Tutorial

You may be thinking, “This sounds great, but I don’t know how to code, so how could I help teach someone else?” All the code activities are self-guided so you don’t have to know how. You can learn to code at the same time as your participants! All you have to do is select a tutorial to use in your Hour of Code. All teachers can participate because Code.org has tutorials that are related to math, science, social studies, language arts, fine arts, and computer science. You can sort by subject area, grade level, and by the coding abilities of your participants.

3. Promote the Event

Now that you are all jazzed about hosting an Hour of Code, you want to make sure others know about it. Hour of Code has all types of promotional materials for you to use. They have handouts, videos, posters, social media, and different tools you can use to reach certain people in your community, including your elected officials.

4. Host an Hour of Code

Once you have taken care of all the pre-event details, it is now time to host the event. Have your participants go to code.org/learn and choose the tutorial you picked out. If any of your participants finish early, have them either help someone else or find another tutorial to complete.

5. Celebrate Your Success

When your participants complete the hour, be sure and celebrate. You might want to create a photo booth where they could take selfies and post their photos on their favorite social media site using #HourOfCode as your hashtag. You could also create a certificate to be given out at the end of the hour.

Hour of Code events are full of energy and excitement. It is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that everyone can code. Who knows, you may spark an interest in coding for the next Steve Jobs! What are you waiting for? Get busy planning your event!

November 5, 2018 0 comments

Top Three Reasons to Add CS Principles to the Master Schedule Now!

by Guest Blogger November 2, 2018

written by Guest Blogger

This is the season of cool weather, falling leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, and master schedules. This is the best time of year to think ahead and plan for Computer Science (CS) Principles. What will happen in classrooms across the state during the 2019–2020 academic year is being decided now, even before we know who is coming to Thanksgiving dinner in a few weeks. You might be skeptical, but master schedules are complex and serious. Changes and additions can’t be made without evidence and reason. So here are the top three reasons to add Computer Science Principles to the master schedule this November.

1. CS Principles is the best first step to increasing the number and diversity of students taking CS in your school.

While 91 percent of parents want their kids’ schools to teach CS, 60 percent of U.S. high schools don’t offer even one CS course. Every student will need some CS, no matter what career or college major they pursue. The U.S. economy needs more students to choose STEM and CS college majors and careers. For both social justice and economic reasons, students and the economy would benefit if more of these students came from populations currently underrepresented in CS, including girls and minorities.

The CS Principles course is unique because it can be an entry point to computer science for most students. It is based on the College Board’s CS Principles framework, a survey course designed to appeal to a broad range of students. This course is an essential element of a CS program, providing CS literacy for all students and introducing CS to students who might go on to take additional CS courses.

2. CS Principles is the best first step to building CS teacher capacity.

CS Principles is also a good entry point for teachers new to CS. Many teachers have certifications and experience in other subjects before teaching CS. Taking professional development and teaching a CS survey course are good first steps to learning CS content and teaching practices. Teachers can then take more advanced professional development and prepare for state certification, increasing computer science teaching capacity for the school.

3. In Texas, adding CS Principles, and other CS courses, can pay for itself (and maybe even more).

The 2019–2020 academic year is important for computer science in Texas schools. It is likely that a subset of CS courses taught in this year and beyond will receive weighted funding from the state, on average about $7,000 more funding per section of 25 students than in previous years. This increase in funding is well beyond the cost of professional development, curriculum, and support for new CS courses, and it increases with each additional section taught.

That might seem like holiday magic, but here’s how it happened: Two years ago, the Texas Legislature approved weighted funding for a fixed number of CS courses. Since then, the Computer Science Task Force, led by Dr. Carol Fletcher and Rohan Ramchand, delivered a report recommending the courses to receive the weighted funding: Fundamentals of Computer Science, Computer Science I, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A. (Principles of Cybersecurity, a course yet to be developed, would also receive the weighted funding.) The 2019 Texas Legislature is expected to accept this list of courses and apply the weighted funding beginning in the 2019–2020 school year.

In addition to the expected increase in funding for CS courses, the Texas Education Agency has funding available for online Blended Learning + UTeach CS Principles training that includes teacher stipends. The UTeach Institute also has NSF funding that provides free UTeach CS Principles training and teacher stipends in exchange for participating in research activities. (For more information about these programs, email Carol Ramsey at ramsey@uteach.utexas.edu.)

This is the right time to work with your principal, administrators, and counselors to get CS Principles on your school’s master schedule and to begin to promote the powerful learning opportunity to your students. CS Principles can be a key element upon which to build computer science student participation and teacher capacity. It might feel like seeing Thanksgiving decorations in July to start thinking about it now, but ‘tis the season of the master schedule and now is the best time to start. Your students and parents will thank you later!

This is a guest blog by Carol Ramsey (ramsey@uteach.utexas.edu). Ramsey is the manager of UTeach Computer Science, which works to improve computer science teaching and learning in secondary schools, with a focus on access, diversity, and equity. The UTeach Computer Science team delivers curriculum, professional development, and support for the UTeach CS Principles course, first developed by an NSF grant and endorsed by the College Board. She has degrees from both Texas A&M University (Secondary Education) and The University of Texas (Computer Science bachelors and STEM Education masters) and spent many years confused about who to root for on Thanksgiving day.

November 2, 2018 0 comments

Coding/Computer Science CTO/CIO Leadership Libraries Robotics Technology Applications

Find Your Tribe: Join a TCEA Special Interest Group

by Chance McKee November 1, 2018

written by Chance McKee

Are you a TCEA member who wishes to tailor your membership experience and become more involved in certain aspects of educational technology? Join one or more of our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) listed below and find the TCEA members who share your interests, challenges, and career goals. Membership in TCEA SIGs starts at just $10.

Here’s a little more about each SIG and what they bring to the table.

Campus Technology SIG (CAMP-SIG)

Calling all campus instructional technologists, technology coordinators, district trainers, and tech specialists! CAMP-SIG provides you with networking opportunities, tips and resources, coaching and mentoring methods, and more. They also host annual meetings for members to learn, share, grow, and network together.

Free and Open Resource SIG (FORE-SIG)

Are you a big supporter of the role of free and open source software solutions? If so, you’ve found your people at FORE-SIG. The purpose of FORE-SIG is to build and activate a community of educators who promote and support opportunities for technological advancement and a broader educational foundation that these solutions bring to PreK-16 education.

Library SIG (LIB-SIG)

Librarians have such an important roll in supporting the growth of well-rounded, digitally literate students. LIB-SIG brings together librarians who want to increase their technology skills and integrate those skills into the learning environment. They also write a monthly blog series right here on TechNotes.

Robotics SIG (ROBO-SIG)

If you live and breathe bots or if you’re just interested in how robotics can benefit student learning, ROBO-SIG is for you. Their mission is to become a network hub for educators involved in robotics, advocate for robotics as a classroom tool to teach and engage students in STEM, assist members in acquiring classroom robotics pedagogy and knowledge base, and prepare sponsors for the challenges of student competition.

Tech-Apps/Computer Science SIG (TA/CS-SIG)

Do you teach computer science or Technology Applications classes K-12? Welcome to your flock. TA/CS-SIG provides a forum to promote and support technology applications, computer science, and information technology educators and curriculum across the state of Texas.

Technology Coordinators SIG (TEC-SIG)

TEC-SIG is proud to be the largest of TCEA’s SIGs. Since 1989, it has provided communication between CTOs, technology directors, instructional technology leaders, and other administrators throughout the state. TEC-SIG furnishes its members with up-to-date information on legislation, happenings within the Texas Education Agency, grants, and more. Members share their own technology-related experiences at two yearly meetings in an effort to educate and inform each other on what is happening in the field of technology and how they can support staff and student use.

Virtual Learning SIG (VL-SIG)

With digital technology, learning doesn’t have to be contained just within classroom walls. VL-SIG supports collaboration and communication among virtual learning coordinators, online course instructors, and online curriculum developers. It also promotes and advocates for virtual learning to support the modern learning environment.

Joining a Special Interest Group

Each SIG will allow you to network with educators in similar roles or with similar interests to share ideas, challenges, and solutions in order to further enhance your knowledge and understanding of these specific areas of technology. TCEA SIGs also have a dedicated set of members who serve as SIG officers and help to plan SIG-specific webinars and networking events year-round, including at the 2019 TCEA Convention and Exposition.

SIG memberships do require you to be a current TCEA member. These groups allow you to access the private SIG area within the TCEA Social Community to better connect with your fellow SIG members.

Don’t delay. Join a TCEA SIG today to network with your peers and help meet the needs of your individual role or focus.

November 1, 2018 0 comments

Advocacy CTO/CIO Leadership

TCEA Board Sets Legislative Priorities

by Jennifer Bergland October 9, 2018

written by Jennifer Bergland

Every two years, the TCEA Board of Directors adopts their legislative priorities. In order to arrive at these priorities, they survey the members, look at relevant research, and review what other states are doing. These priorities are designed to help school districts provide a more personalized education for their students by enabling teachers to customize the content, timing, location, and delivery of instruction that best meets each student’s instructional needs. This goal has been a laudable goal of educators for years, but the ability to differentiate instruction for each student has been difficult to achieve. Technology has advanced to the point where this is now possible.

Every industry and economic enterprise in the world has used technology to completely transform the way they conduct business. The TCEA board’s priorities address six core areas we feel can assist school districts to leverage technology in the same way.

An overview of the recommended strategies are listed below. You can find a detailed list of the board’s priorities on the TCEA website.

Leadership and Planning

Leadership is critical to enacting a change of this magnitude. This will require a well-thought-out plan that includes student outcomes, professional learning, curriculum and instructional materials, digital devices, broadband, and policies that enable a district to allow students to move at their own pace.

Recommendations:

Create a Digital Learning Task Force that will help implement the Long-Range Plan for Technology.
Establish a grant program to enable districts to reach the goals in the state’s LRPT.

Professional Learning

In order to accomplish the goals established in our priorities, it is imperative that teachers have a supportive environment in which to adapt their teaching strategies to take advantage of empowering technologies. Teachers recognize the benefits of the use of technology, but don’t always know how and when to use the different technologies that are available. This is why TCEA believes strongly that teachers need ongoing, job-embedded professional learning opportunities that empower them to use appropriate

technology tools to meet various educational needs.

Recommendations:

Support educators with ongoing, job-embedded professional development on the use of technology to enhance instruction.
Ensure that teachers who receive micro-credentials for skills that meet the demands of the digital classroom are recognized as continuing professional education requirements by SBEC.

Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment

In 2011, the state legislature created an allotment that provides funding for both instructional materials and technology. This dual purpose fund was designed to help districts transition to an increased use of digital instructional materials. Since the inception of the TIMA, only 13 percent of the allotment has been used to purchase technology (TIMA Expenditure Report). This has made It difficult for districts to initiate and sustain broad-based technology implementations. TCEA is firmly supportive of local-control, which is why our approach has been to provide districts with more information about available instructional materials, support the use of Open Education Resources, and work with the SBOE in limiting the size of the instructional materials proclamations.

Recommendations:

Provide districts with more guidance on the merits of Open Education Resources and continue to allocate funding for OER aligned to state curriculum standards.
Track a district’s expenditures on technology/digital content and tools to identify trends.
The SBOE should evaluate a school district’s needs for instructional content and technology and ensure that any proclamation not exceed 75 percent of the TIMA.

priorities

Technology Proficiency

TCEA was founded in 1980 by teachers who were interested in teaching students how to use a computer. Equipping students with the necessary skills to function in the e-economy is central to our mission. This is why we are alarmed that Texas eighth grader’s technology proficiency has declined by ten percent between 2013-2018 (source: Learning.com Texas – TCEA 8th Grade TA-TEKS Assessment).

There is a false belief that today’s students know how to use technology because they are able to connect with their peers via Snap Chat and Instagram. Students may know how to take a pic and send it to their friends, but may not be able to leverage technology to help them analyze and evaluate information in order to create and produce something new. TCEA believes that all Texas students should have computational thinking skills that will enable them to be both users and creators of computing technology.

Recommendations

Move the high school Technology Application courses into the CTE curriculum, aligning and removing similar courses.
Update the K-8 Technology TEKS to include computational thinking and coding skills.
Increase the number of students taking a course that exposes them to computer science or computer programming.
Provide additional funding for professional development to increase the number of teachers who can teach computer science courses.

Broadband

Texas has come a long way in meeting the FCC’s minimum goal of 100 kbs per student and access to fiber. The average cost of broadband has also dropped in recent years. However, we have not fully reached the goal of having scalable and affordable broadband for all students both at school and home. Students in districts without adequate broadband capacity or who have limited access to digital devices and tools are at a distinct disadvantage today. Not only do they have fewer options in terms of access to content, they are unable to develop the technical skills associated with navigating the internet and creating knowledge online.

Recommendations

Designate a state entity that will identify existing barriers to providing scalable broadband access both at school and in students’ homes and administer a plan to address these barriers.
Provide funding for the state E-rate match and for WiFi access within school classrooms.
Maximize the Technology Lending Grants in order to assist with home access.

Personalized Learning

priorities Every student has distinct learning needs, interests, and aspirations. Up until recently, it was extremely difficult to tailor the instructional strategies to meet each student’s needs. Technology can be an enabler of this type of educational model. It allows students to guide their inquiry as they decide how they will interact with the content, including the time and location. This type of learning requires a major shift in the delivery of instruction and involves teacher professional learning, a robust technical infrastructure, the selection of appropriate content, and strong leaders who know how to manage this type of change. Many of the strategies listed above support the goal of personalized learning; however, there are a few that have not yet been addressed.

Recommendations

Allow students to receive credit based on the mastery of the content, not seat time.
Provide additional funding for blended learning initiatives such as the Math Innovation Zone.
Increase the number of students taking TxVSN courses.

Conclusion

The legislative priorities are designed to give TCEA staff guidance on what legislation the association should pursue. If you are interested in finding out more and you are a member, make sure you join the Advocacy group in our social community. If you aren’t a member, consider joining so that you can get involved and help advocate for our teachers and students.

Credits

Photos of the Texas Capitol by Spencer Selvidge

Computer code photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Student smiling photo by Oluwakemi Solaja on Unsplash

October 9, 2018 2 comments

Coding/Computer Science

Four Apps for Teaching Students Coding Skills

by Guest Blogger July 26, 2018

written by Guest Blogger

Why should we learn coding? All technology that is used in the world has code as the driving force. Students are more engrossed in technology than ever. They’re active on social media or glued to the latest video game. The issue is that our students are simply acting as consumers. How can we transition them to become creators of their own applications? How can we empower students to engage in self-directed learning?

By learning essential programming skills, students will gain significant computational thinking capabilities. They will learn how to analyze problems, break them down into smaller chunks, and create multiple solutions. They will learn to collaborate with peers, communicate their creativity, and gain a broader understanding of the impact coding has on the world.

Recommended Programming Applications

This article shares four coding applications I’ve found to be effective at providing self-guided learning experiences in my classroom. There are a vast number of coding applications out there. One can become easily lost in the forest of options if I were to list them all. I am hopeful that this blog will provide educators enough knowledge to effectively choose which applications they want to implement in their own curriculum.

1. Lightbot: Introduction to Programming Concepts

When I was ready to introduce coding to my students, even those that were not in my programming class, the first activity I had them engage in was Lightbot. Lightbot is an application that is featured as a part of the Hour of Code activities and is designed to serve as a one or two-hour lesson. Lightbot engages students in a game that tests their logic and problem-solving capabilities. It introduces the most basic concepts of coding: iteration, procedures, and loops. At first, my students thought the game was too childish, but they soon realized their own struggle to solve some of the more complex problems. This game is easily accessible on the computer and all major mobile platforms. I have used this program as a recruiting tool to expand my rapidly growing Computer Science program.

2. Scratch: The Block-Based Coding App

After Lightbot, the next logical step is to introduce block-based programming to the students. Scratch is a great program for introducing coding concepts to students. First, Scratch is free. Second, it is known as a block-based program because students literally drag and drop blocks of instructions in the code editor. There is very little typing involved. Scratch is simple, but it can become complex if a student really gets in-depth. During my first year of teaching Computer Science, I had my class complete a project with Scratch to create a visual story or a game. Half of my class chose to create a game while the other half chose a story. The students truly valued the openness of the project, and they enthusiastically created their own applications.

I believe Scratch is one of the easiest applications to implement across the curriculum. Also, Scratch contains a host of freely-accessible, community-built programs that can be used in lessons. As an educator, you can even create your own content or quiz using Scratch. Below are a few examples of projects utilizing the program across the curriculum:

ELA – Creating a visual poem; book report
Math – Probability (dice rolling); fractions game
Science – Formula balancing; report on the brain
Fine Arts – Creating music; animated drawings
Social Studies – Historical biography; quiz game

Eventually, the students grew weary of Scratch and are ready for the next challenge. This is the point when I introduced CodeCombat that gets students more engaged in typing code.

3. CodeCombat: The Coding Game

CodeCombat introduces students to typing code instead of dragging and dropping. They first choose from several characters and are then guided in the lesson content through gaming “quests.” CodeCombat offers a fully-planned curriculum and a grade book. Students can work through at their own pace. The programming languages taught are Python, JavaScript, and HTML. If a student struggles through a level, they are automatically assigned additional practice to complete. Meanwhile, those students who prefer to move at a quicker pace can jump ahead to more challenging levels.

The first set of levels is offered in a free version. I have used this free version to introduce coding to my students in both my programming and non-programming classes. The paid version promises many game development activities, ranging from beginners to more experienced coders. CodeCombat was recently endorsed by the College Board for their Computer Science Principles course. I am hopeful to be able to explore their setup for this curriculum one day. Even though CodeCombat is a wonderful resource, I utilized another coding application known as CodeHS as the primary learning tool for my students.

4. CodeHS: The Individualized Learning Platform

CodeHS is the current driving force in my ever-growing Computer Science program. Like CodeCombat, there are free and paid versions of this self-contained platform. Students can learn a variety of coding languages, including JavaScript, Python, HTML, and Java. The CodeHS paid version provides educators with curriculum, professional development, and an abundance of tools and resources to create an engaging and student-empowered classroom. CodeHS is also College Board Certified for their AP Computer Science Principles course. There is also room for growth for both educators and students as the program offers the AP Computer Science Applications course and additional preceding courses. This is the next step in building my Computer Science program to engage my advanced students further.

My students have loved being able to work at their own pace. They have enjoyed building a website, creating pixel art, and learning the basics of cybersecurity. They love that the content is fully open and that they can perform many trial and error tests. My students were recently actively engaged in creating an application for their AP tasks, and I had the privilege of acting as a coach in the classroom where I actively monitored progress and provided aid where needed. I even had one student excel beyond the scope of the course. He gleefully pressed forward into his own personalized learning.

Examining the Results of These Coding Applications

Each of these programming applications has been a great asset as I took charge of the Computer Science content area on my campus. In the 2016-2017 school year, which was my first year of teaching Computer Science, my total number of students was eight. This number doubled during my second year. As for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year, I am already expecting the number of students to nearly triple in size based on current enrollment data.

I warn my students that coding can be their worst nightmare, but also their greatest addiction. There is much to learn with coding, and I am hopeful that my Computer Science program continues to grow. I truly believe that the students who take a programming class will walk away with more than just a good coding skill set. They will walk away with the knowledge and understanding that they are empowered through coding and are capable of tackling their own learning experiences.

This is a guest blog by James D Turnage. James is a Computer Science and IT teacher formerly at Ball High School in Galveston ISD who will begin teaching Computer Science and Video Game Design at Clear Falls High School in Clear Creek ISD in August.

July 26, 2018 0 comments

Advocacy Coding/Computer Science CTO/CIO

Texas SBOE Moves CS Policy Forward

by Jennifer Bergland May 3, 2018

written by Jennifer Bergland

Texas teachers and districts have been asking for more options for students who want to take computer science courses, as well as asking the state to establish some interoperability standards for digital instructional materials. The Texas State Board of Education responded to these requests at their April 2018 board meeting.

Substitute Computer Programming for LOTE

Donna Bahorich, SBOE Board Chair, Champion of CS.

In 2013, the Texas Legislature enacted HB 5 which provided a new graduation requirement option of substituting two credits in computer programming languages for two Language Other Than English (LOTE) credits. In January 2014, the SBOE designated Computer Science I, II, and III as the courses that could satisfy this new option. At the April board meeting, the SBOE broadened this list to include AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, IB Computer Science Standard Level, and IB Computer Science Higher Level (19 TAC, Subchapter 74.12, b, 5, ii). In addition, the board approved a provision that allows a student who successfully completes AP Computer Science A or IB Computer Science Higher Level to satisfy both one advanced mathematics requirement AND a LOTE requirement for graduation (19 TAC, Subchapter 74.11, k). The student would not earn two credits, but could use one of these two computer science courses to satisfy two graduation requirements.

SBOE These changes will give more options to districts as they decide which courses they can staff. Many districts offer Computer Science I, Computer Science II, and AP Computer Science A. However, because many districts only have one teacher who is certified to teach computer science courses, some districts must choose whether to offer Computer Science II or AP Computer Science. Since AP CS was not on the list of courses that a student could take to satisfy the LOTE graduation requirements, students at these schools were precluded from substituting a computer programming course for a LOTE graduation requirement. This change will eliminate that barrier.

Hal Speed, the past-president of TA/CS-SIG (Technology Applications/Computer Science Special Interest Group), advocated on behalf of TCEA to make this change. It has taken several years to gather the necessary support for it. However, his hard work has resulted in additional options for students. This is an excellent example of the difference one individual can have in changing policy.

Recommended Prerequisites for AP CS

In addition to these changes, the SBOE changed the recommended prerequisites for AP Computer Science A from Computer Science I and Algebra II to only recommending Algebra I. The board enacted these changes upon the advice of the College Board (19 TAC, Subchapter 126.62, a).

Interoperability Standards

The SBOE also took some positive steps toward adopting interoperability standards for digital products. TEA has worked with school districts to create standards for machine-readable TEKS. The board adopted rules on April 13 that will require companies that submit digital instructional materials for Proclamation 2020 to use these new standards. This will make it much easier for districts to import the TEKS into their LMS. Over time, the TEA-created machine-readable TEKS will also be incorporated into digital products purchased by the district, which again will aid a district’s implementation of instructional materials.

sboe In addition, the SBOE is requiring publishers who submit digital instructional materials for Proclamation 2019 to complete The Report on Interoperability and Ease of Use. This report will provide the SBOE with valuable information about what standards the different companies are using, which will help them decide which standards are the most common. This will aid in deciding which interoperability standards they should adopt and require for future proclamations. This has been a huge headache for districts. They have invested countless hours uploading and downloading student information. Each company uses different file formats for inserting and changing student data. Therefore, when students enroll or leave a district, someone has to upload and download many different files just to ensure that the date is accurate. Districts have been clamoring for this type of action for several years. The state is one step closer to adopting interoperability standards, which, I’m sure, will be greeted with much applause.

TCEA applauds the Board on the changes they made at the April meeting. The elimination of these barriers will enable districts to offer students more opportunities, both in the field of computer science, but also in the ease of use of digital materials.

Photo of man on the floor typing on a computer taken by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash. Photo of two laptops on table taken by Marten Bjork on Unsplash.

May 3, 2018 0 comments

Coding/Computer Science Robotics STEM/STEAM

Collaboration, Creativity, and Teamwork at State Robotics Contest

by Joe Vasquez April 10, 2018

written by Joe Vasquez

Students from across the state gathered this past weekend to participate in the annual TCEA State Robotics Contest. Teams had the opportunity to put their collaborative critical-thinking skills to the test as they showcased their inventions and went head-to-head with other state finalists in the Arena division. Two hundred teams of up to four students each gathered in Hutto to test their skills. Each team had already competed at the Area level against more than 1,400 teams.

Arena Contest

This year’s challenge, Mastering Mars, allowed students the opportunity to task their robots to prepare the Martian environment for human settlement and iron mining. Each team’s robot had to complete as many tasks as they could within the two-minute time frame. Teams were allowed to use one LEGO Mindstorms programmable processing unit, LEGO-branded motors and sensors, other LEGO-branded devices, and non-LEGO parts not to exceed the five dollar limit.

It was impressive to see both Intermediate (grades 4-8) and Advanced (grades 9-12) state teams put their problem-solving skills to the test as they attempted to complete each task on the game field. Anticipation mixed with excitement filled the room as teams watched in awe as their robots performed. One contestant in the Arena Pit mentioned being able to test the robot’s capabilities and see what it can and can’t do as part of the thrill of competing. Overall, a great sense of teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity radiated throughout the groups.

Inventions Contest

As Arena contestants battled it out for the top spot, Invention participants exercised their creative-thinking skills by designing a robot to solve a real-world problem of their own choosing. From iPotty toilet assistance for the elderly to oil pipe sealing robots, students of all ages let their imaginations run free to create exciting solutions to make the world a better place. Other solutions offered to save lives, assist entomologists to gather insect specimens, and collect dangerous metal objects, among others.

In addition to providing functional prototypes of their creations, Inventions teams had to keep a detailed logbook of their progress and come up with polished presentations and marketing plans for their ideas. When asked what was their favorite part of competing at the state level, an intermediate team agreed it was the ability to create new initiatives through their inventions while being able to assist others in the process.

I hope this insider’s look into this year’s competition encourages you to incorporate robotics into your classroom while allowing your students to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills further. If you’re interested in learning more about our program and how your students can join other robotics teams next year, click here. You might also want to check out the amazing EV3 robotics workshop TCEA is offering July 16-20. This five-day robotics workshop will show you how to use LEGO MINDSTORMS to help your students develop a love of STEM along with valuable critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Whether you’re an educator, librarian, or administrator, this week-long learning opportunity will give you the knowledge, resources, and best practices to introduce a successful robotics program at your school this fall.

April 10, 2018 0 comments

Coding/Computer Science STEM/STEAM

3D Printing Projects for Micro:Bit

by Miguel Guhlin March 26, 2018

written by Miguel Guhlin

Ready to explore 3D printing projects for the incredible micro:bit mini-computer? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Learn about micro:bit 3D printed peripherals. Before we jump into 3D printing, let’s take a moment to revisit what a micro:bit is.

See main features

Meet Micro:bit

“The Micro Bit (under $24 to start) was designed to encourage children to get actively involved in writing software for computers and building new things, rather than being consumers of media,” says Sebastian Anthony. The process is simple. You could summarize it in this way:

Create code
Save code
Get (a.k.a. download) code
Copy code to the device

You can watch a getting started video series from SparkFun on the device. SparkFun has tons of activities, such as this weather:bit example. Since the micro:bit has been available since 2015, there are many exciting projects and video tutorials available already. The device features its own website, so if you get stuck, you can find assistance. Get the free Microsoft Micro:bit curriculum shared April, 2018.

Want to see a simple project idea? See this Rock-Paper-Scissors game via Matt Moore:

micro:bit

Ready to go bananas over micro:bit? Try this next. As you may have noticed, you will need to learn some coding. Wait, wait, don’t hyperventilate.

The web-based MakeCode editor open on a GNU/Linux computer. See? The editor is cross-platform.

Make Code, Create Magic

Micro:bit is a test kit for various types of coding. Although there are various code editors that work with micro:bit, an excellent choice is Microsoft’s MakeCode. Note that you can use MakeCode, a web-based code editor, on Chromebook and iPad (for iPads, you can use the Bluetooth connection to copy code to the device). MakeCode works in a variety of settings and relies on both block and text editors. As I mentioned in my Codeate with Minecraft Coding Projects blog entry, MakeCode can be used to build and execute actions in a virtual world. The implications are awesome.

Minecraft’s MakeCode window

What your students learn in one environment (e.g. micro:bit) are transferable to the other (e.g. Minecraft). For teachers getting started with Minecraft and MakeCode, there’s a course (get the HTML version or OneNote Notebook) written for teachers new to computer science or those who have never taught it. Students learn about events, coordinates, variables, iteration, conditionals, functions, arrays, and more.

Join a BBC:Microbit Community? Are you a teacher and interested in connecting with a vibrant community? Join the BBC micro:bit Facebook group (Hint: The micro:bit has 25 programmable LED lights).

Make Games

“Dad, when I grow up, I want to be a game programmer,” said my son. If micro:bit had been around, the journey might not have ended in failure. From games like FlappyBird to LEGO to Traffic Lights, there are many opportunities for students to succeed (and fail) while making games. Won’t you consider introducing students to coding and making with MakeCode and micro:bit? There are many benefits and the research is just starting to come in.

Photo of Deepah Gandhi’s micro:bit emoji character. This was made at the Microsoft E2 Conference.

Micro:bit and Coding Research

Wondering why even do this? Check out this research from the BBC, which deployed one million devices in the United Kingdom at the seventh grade level:

Get the full infographic here via Microsoft’s blog, What’s New in EDU?

70% more girls said they would choose Computing as a school subject after using the micro:bit.
90% of students said the micro:bit showed them that anyone can code.
86% of students said the micro:bit made Computer Science more interesting.
85% of teachers agree it has made ICT/Computer Science more enjoyable for their students.
Half of teachers who’ve used the micro:bit say they now feel more confident as a teacher, particularly those who say they’re not very confident in teaching Computing.

Creating with the micro:bit and coding editors is possible. You can combine it with other inexpensive technologies like 3D printing.

Micro:bit 3D Printed Peripherals

Now that you’ve had a chance to revisit all the awesomeness that is micro:bit, let’s take a quick look at 3D printed peripherals. Like a naked baby, in its raw form, the micro:bit can be a bit awkward to handle. Wouldn’t it be neat to 3D print a case for the micro:bit? Take a look at some examples below.

Curious about these MyMiniFactory creations? Get the STL file for 3D printing online

You can find these examples online at the MyMiniFactory. Per their website, “MyMiniFactory is a community platform for the sharing of 3D printable files and is the official 3D printing partner for the micro:bit.”

One of my favorite examples includes the egg timer for hard boiled eggs. Like the other examples, you get access to the STL file needed for 3D printing as well as the hex file needed for your micro:bit. Consider these instructions, abbreviated for space.

Step 1 : Print your egg timer

Simply download the STL file of the timer on this page.

Step 2: Flash your micro:bit !

You can download the code by clicking on the link below or on the zip file on this page. Click on the button “Compile” to download the code on your computer. Then, drag and drop the file into the micro:bit icon on your computer section.

microbit.co.uk/lwphmuidyq

Isn’t that amazing? Not to be left behind, Thingiverse also features a micro:bit collection.

micro:bit

You can save and open these designs in child-friendly tools like Tinkercad, LeoCAD, or, for older students, AutoDesk’s Fusion 360 or SketchUp Pro (available free via TCEA to public schools). Other tools are available that rely on block coding (just like Scratch and MakeCode), such as BlocksCAD.

Get Started Now

What are you waiting for? The convergence of cheap mini-computers like the micro:bit, web-based code editors like MakeCode with free tutorials, and 3D printed peripherals make classroom learning engaging, educational, and exciting. Perhaps your classroom or school might be interested in creating a smaller version of the micro:bit display shown below?

Featured Image Source

Curious about the 3D printed micro:bit watch case? Learn more here.

Updated: Note that this blog was updated with new resources on 04/05/2018.

March 26, 2018 0 comments

Coding/Computer Science

Hour of Code at the Texas Capitol

by Jennifer Bergland December 17, 2017

written by Jennifer Bergland

On December 4, 2017, students came to the Texas State Capitol for the first Hour of Code held on the floor of the Texas Code House of Representatives. Students from Richardson, San Antonio, Austin, Pflugerville, Spring Branch, Leander, Hays County, and Lufkin came to the Capitol to demonstrate the different ways students gain coding experience in their elementary, middle, and high schools. They also came to teach state legislators and their staff members how to write their first line of code.

Code The Hour of Code is a national effort to help demystify computer coding and broaden participation in the field of computer science. The official Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week, which is held December 4-10. The Hour of Code at the Capitol was hosted by the University of Texas at Austin’s WeTeach CS project, TCEA, TechNet, and CS4TX to help promote the need for more support for computer science education in Texas schools.

Hands On Coding

The legislators and their staff had great fun learning how to program a robot from Pflugerville ISD middle school code students and listened to some San Antonio elementary students read a story they wrote, as their pre-programmed robots acted out the plot line. In fact, there were a variety of different robots roaming about the floor of the chamber, including: Lego, Sphero, Dot and Dash, Makeblock, Mircobits, and Ozobots. One of the participant’s favorite activities was test driving the code written for a virtual reality experience by the Richardson ISD high school students.

Several teachers who brought students to the event had recently participated in the University of Texas’ We Teach CS program which is aimed at assisting inservice teachers in obtaining a computer science teaching certification. These teachers currently teach science, view computer science as a natural complement to their curriculum, and are looking for ways to help students learn to code as they learn science.

Exploring the Job Market

Code The students also got to hear what it takes to work at Facebook, Google, and Uber. Representatives from these companies spoke to the students over pizza and soft drinks. They highlighted the benefits of working in the tech industry and what it takes to land a job at one of these three companies. It won’t be long before these students will be polishing their resumes and knocking on their doors. The likelihood of these students getting jobs is strong since there are currently over 40,000 unfilled high-tech jobs in Texas. And yet, only 3 percent of high school students took a computer science course last school year.

Strategies to Increase Enrollment in CS

Code This is why this day was so important. Educating policy makers on the benefits of computer science is critical to enacting policies that can effectively change the dismal statistics. Some of the strategies to increase the opportunities for students to gain computer science skills are:

Develop a comprehensive plan to expand K-12 computer science education statewide.
Incentivize school districts to offer computer science courses. Computer science and technology applications courses should be placed under the umbrella of Career and Technical Education (CTE) to unlock weighted funding through the CTE allotment.
Invest in professional development programs to train a corps of teachers to lead these courses. The key to this effort will be providing additional funding for computer science certification grant programs.

Code

For more information about hosting an Hour of Code at your school or district (or city hall, county court house, etc.), check out this blog post. You can host an Hour of Code anytime. Happy coding!

December 17, 2017 0 comments

Coding/Computer Science

How to Host an Hour of Code

by Jennifer Bergland November 27, 2017

written by Jennifer Bergland

The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science to demonstrate that anyone can learn the basics of coding. The effort was also designed to demystify computer coding and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. The official Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. The 2017 Computer Science Education Week will be December 4-10, but for all practical purposes, you can host an Hour of Code all year round.

To assist you in your efforts, I reached out to several school districts who have participated in the event in the past to discover the best practices to follow when hosting an Hour of Code.

Strategies to Increase Participation

Photo courtesy of K.W. Barrett via Flickr.

Spring Branch ISD sends emails to district and campus leadership, posts planned Hour of Code activities on their website, and encourages community members to be “code buddies” with their students. They also use the #SBHourofCode hashtag to promote their efforts. To create some extra excitement, Karen Justl of SBISD, dresses up during the week as a Storm Trooper and visits several sites handing out stickers. How cool is that?!

Seguin ISD incorporates coding activities into all of their elementary and middle school technology application classes. And while students engage in coding lessons all year, there is a special emphasis during Computer Science Education Week.

Strategies to Involve the Community

Randy Rogers, Director of Digital Learning Services at Seguin ISD, invites numerous district and community leaders to come to campuses and participate in coding activities with their students. To facilitate this, elementary campuses submit a schedule of times that visitors can join students, and the dignitaries are assigned to various schools based upon their availability. In the past two years, SISD has had their state representative, mayor, city council members, county judge, chamber of commerce president, school board members, and more participate in an Hour of Code with one of Seguin’s students. What a great way to educate your elected officials about the need for more computer science!

How the Hour of Code Highlights Your District

Photo courtesy of K.W. Barrett via Flickr.

Spring Branch ISD includes pictures and stories about their Hour of Code activities on their district’s blog. Seguin sees the Hour of Code as an opportunity to have community members see and experience what their students are learning and a valuable opportunity to build relationships within the community. Rogers made clear the value he places in the Hour of Code when he said, “Our students are our best advertisement, and the interactions as our kids teach our community leaders how to use Scratch or Code Combat or Code.org is priceless!”

Computer science is foundational. It is changing every industry, which means every student should have the opportunity to learn how to create technology, not just use it. Participating in the Hour of Code will enable your students to experience the fun of creating a simple computer program and possibly encourage them to want to learn more. The sky is the limit!

November 27, 2017 0 comments

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