1 Resources for Teaching About Computers and Computing (CS/IT) Joe Kmoch Washington HS of IT and Milwaukee Public Schools [email protected] whs.edu/~kmoch/sessions

1

Resources for Teaching About Computers

and Computing(CS/IT)

Joe Kmoch

Washington HS of IT and Milwaukee Public Schools

[email protected]

whs.edu/~kmoch/sessionsMay 1, 2008

mailto:[email protected]

2

Resource List

• CSTA Web Repository (new materials)– CS Unplugged (mainly elementary level)

• Organizations (CSTA and ISTE/SIGCT)• iFair IT and Engineering events• Wisconsin CS Standards and Certification

Committee• Programming• Robotics IPRE, USFirst competitions• CMU CS4HS July Workshop (free)

3

The SourceCSTA CS Web Repository

• Searchable database of classroom and professional development CS and IT (information technology) materials

• Classification is based on the ACM K-12 CS Curriculum Standards

• Grew out of joint project of the College Board and ACM

• Development responsibility assumed by CSTA <csta.acm.org>

• Direct URL access: <http:/csta.villanova.edu>

4


• Intent is to house materials generated by K-16 teachers which support teaching based on the ACM K-12 CS Model Curriculum

• Includes materials for programming topics as well as other IT areas included in the Model Curriculum

5


• Brief Review of ACM CS Model Curr

• Level 1 - K-8– Includes units to develop algorithmic

thinking and problem solving using technologies; based on ISTE NETS-S standards


• Level 2: 9-12Introduction to Computing course - very little

programming, but also includes topics related to the IT CareerCluster document such as interactive media, information systems and database, networking and support in addition to programming

6

7


• Level 3: 10-12– Emphasizes algorithmic development and

problem solving skills development through programming

• Level 4: 11-12Includes a variety of CS and IT topics

including APCS, Networking Support, other topics including certifications

8

ACM Model Curriculum for K-12 CS

9

How? (Using the Repository)

• Browse by classification

• Search by title, author, keyword, or date

• Download

• Free to CSTA members (and first year of membership is free!)

10

Submitting Resources

• Who? CSTA members and other approved individuals (by request)

• New easier-to-user submittal form coming very soon

• All submitted resources will be reviewed by a small team of educators before actual posting

11

The Source

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

csu

npl

ugg

ed.

com

21

http://csta.acm.org

Activities and Benefits• CSTA/ACM K-12 Model CS Curriculum• CS&IT Symposium at NECC (in 2008, June 28, 2008, San Antonio)• The Voice (quarterly publication)• The Source (web repository)• CS/IT Advocacy brochures for middle and high school students

– <http://computingcareers.acm.org>

• Involved with many issues related to CS in K-12 including professional development (JETT and TECS workshops), certification, state leadership development, advocacy

– http://csta.acm.org/About/sub/AdvocacyOutreach.html

• Free for at least the first year of membership

22

CSTA Leadership Workshop• Overall objective: identifying educational leaders at the state level

and working with them directly to develop outreach strategies focused on establishing K-12 computer science as an essential academic discipline.

• Many possible results including a statewide CS/IT organization, state-specific advocacy materials, state-specific website, curricular support network, business and industry support network

23

24

Activities and Benefits• Breakfast Forum at NECC• Monthly SIGCT newsletter• Online Journal for Computing Teachers• Learning and Leading with Technology periodical• Access to other ISTE SIGs including Digital Equity, Teacher Education and

Technical Coordinator sigs.• Reduced NECC registration and hotel costs• Reduced costs for other ISTE publications• Cost is $79 yearly

http://iste.org/sigct

iFair™• Provide valuable, informative, educational experiences

promoting careers in Information Technology and Engineering focusing primarily on students in grades 8-10 (about 400-500 per fair)

• Businesses and post secondary institutions (over 20 booths) staffed by young professionals selling the excitement of careers in IT and engineering

• Have held 4 so far in MPS, 2 more in MPS, others in Racine/Kenosha and Madison areas

• <iFair.pbwiki.com> for info on last November’s iFair

• Also events for counselors

• iExperience coming

25

WI DPI CS Standards and Certification Committee

• This is closer to reality – Come to the session on CS Standards on

Friday at 2:30pm

• Committee topics would likely include– Set of statewide CS/IT standards– Professional Development Model– One or more up-to-date certifications

26


• Possible resources: – Georgia, Texas Standards

• http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_cta.aspx?PageReq=CICTACRComp

• http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/ta/edstd.html

– Being Fluent with Information Technology• http://www.nap.edu/catalog.phprecord_id=6482

27


• Possible resources (cont’d): – IT Career Cluster document

• http://careerclusters.org/resources/ClusterDocuments/itdocuments/brochure.pdf

– CSTA/ACM K-12 Model Curriculum in CS• http://csta.acm.org/Curriculum/sub/

ACMK12CSModel.html

28

Programming

• Scratch, Cricket Logo, Boku, Alice, Gamemaker

• Greenfoot, Karel, Python (and media computation), Ruby on Rails

29

Programming

Languages that matter for the future (in one speaker’s view)– Open Source: Java, Python, Ruby,

Javascript, PHP– Adobe: Air, Flex (updates to Flash)– Microsoft: C#, Silverlight

30

31

SCRATCH.MIT.EDU

32

33

34

Greenfoot Wombat Demo

35

Greenfoot

• Framework for 2-d grid assignments in Java

• Integrated Development Environment

• Aimed at novice programmers

• Object interaction and object visualization

• Simulation and Gaming

36

Sample of other Greenfoot Scenarios

37


38


39


40


41

42

OO Programming Environments to Look At - 1

• Scratch <scratch.mit.edu>• Cricket Logo

– <http://www.handyboard.com/cricket/software/>

• Boku – watch for it at Microsoft.com• Alice <alice.org>• GameMaker

– http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker

43

OO Programming Environments to Look At - 2

• GameMaker– http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker

• Greenfoot <greenfoot.org>• KarelJRobot (just google kareljrobot - it’s 1st entry)

<csis.pace.edu/~bergin/KarelJava2ed/karelexperimental.html>

• Python <python.org> this may be the next pre-APCS language maybe even APCS?

• Ruby <ruby-lang.org> <rubyonrails.org>

44

robo

tedu

catio

n.or

g

45

usfir

st.o

rg

46

47

Some CMU CS4HS Topics

• Games with a Purpose• Computational Thinking• CS Unplugged• Google• Food for Thought• Broadening Participation in CS• Cryptography• Robotics• Computer Music

48

CMU CS4HS

• Great Conference

• You cover several meals and travel

• You pay $25 and the rest is covered