5. Getting it all Done - Project management

As early as possible or appropriate in your course, have an engineer, designer, scientist, doctor, musician, student, or any other person who utilizes Computer Science make a virtual or in-person visit to your classroom. Connecting computer science to people outside of the classroom helps students to make connections between Computer Science and their own lives and aspirations. 

Links:

Slide Deck - Unit 2 Speaker Classroom Opportunities

Activity  - https://www.amazonfutureengineer.com/classchats

Activity - https://www.amazonfutureengineer.com/  

Activity - https://www.skypeascientist.com/

Activity - https://code.org/csjourneys/myjourneychats#chat10 

Activity - https://code.org/volunteer/local

Activity - https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/code-with-google/csedweek/ 

Overview

Pair Programming is an approach to writing code where two programmers work side-by-side. Students can pair program on module activities and individual projects. 

• One person is the "driver" and controls the keyboard and mouse and does the typing.

• Their partner is the "navigator" and follows all the work and makes suggestions and thinks ahead.

The pairs exchange roles at regular intervals.

Watch the video below. 

Students and (teachers) find partners, and try it with an app one is working on.

Discuss:

• Why might this be a good idea?

• What might be some challenges to this in the classroom?

• Do you think professional programmers work this way?

Purpose

Pair programming allows students and teachers to practice different aspects of programming separately. Students can both take advantage of their strengths and practice less familiar skills.  

Links:

Slide Deck - Pair Programming

Lesson Plan - Pair Programming

Video - Pair Programming

When developers work in teams, they can divide up the work. But they need ways to keep themselves organized. You can copy and use the slide deck below to help keep your team organized.

Collaboration Template and Tips

App design takes planning and, well, designing. Unit 3 in Code.org's Computer Science Principles course (CSP) is an Intro to App Design aimed at older students. It can be modified for your age group. Lesson 3 and Lesson 4 from the unit address designing an App. Below are activities and tools from that unit and others that teach and support the app design process.

Links 

Lesson Plan - CSP 20-21 App Development Planning Guide

Activity - Project Designing an App Part 1 

Activity -  Project Designing an App Part 2   

Resource -  CSP App Development Planning Guide; Teachers should decide how and when to implement and scaffold activities in this planning guide.

Resource - App Lab Final Project Proposal  

Resource - App Design Worksheet  

Resource - Free printable sketching and wireframing templates tripwire magazine worksheet template  

Resource -  Iphone sketch templates

Resource - iphone-wireframe

Activity - EdPuzzle. App Lab: Making a Simple App 

Activity - Edpuzzle. Code.org Semester Hackathon Project - Beginner App Tutorial  

Activity and Resources - Soundboard App Instructions; Instruction for a simple and fun app; Students and teachers can be remix the app or borrow code to suit their own projects.

Overview

In this lesson, students will learn about accessibility and the value of empathy through brainstorming and designing accessible solutions for hypothetical apps. This lesson can be used as mini-lesson at the beginning of a session when students will be working on projects.

Purpose

Through learning about accessibility, students recognize the impacts of computing beyond their own lives. Accessibility might not seem like a relevant CS topic, but creating technology that is accessible for underserved users helps make tech better for everyone else as well.

Links

Slide Deck - Unplugged Activity

Lesson Plan - Designing for Accessibility