Notes from Day 3 of CS4HS Chicago 2012
If you are not already a member, consider signing up for CSTA Chicago membership on the Ning site.
Cups-and-String Networking activity (MS Word file, by Baker Franke)
Following are the various ideas from our "Best Lessons / Practices" session (also available here online, Kindly recorded by Joan Giroux):
Problems We Encounter in Teaching:
see Ideas for possible solutions/approaches/resources
Explaining the difference between parameters vs. arguments (scope)
Relating to students’ real life experiences (relevance)
Expectations that all teaching and learning has to occur during F2F class time
Access to computer outside of schools cannot be assumed
How to teach problem solving
How to get around the “abstraction gap”
How to motivate students to:
problem solve
like the project
develop independence
try it out
use intuition
“play” productively, think outside the box
overcoming “road block” to learning
step outside their comfort zone
get through fear of failure
help other students without candy coercion
How to temper desire for instant gratification
Students (and us) forgetting resources available to them
Teaching software that is not open source, need to buy materials
Slow emulator
Device funding for testing
How to manage mix of hi-end/low end students, maintain motivation across gender and skill level
RE: peer mentoring hi- and low-end students, hi-end may just tell low end students the answer, want them to model/teach
Problems with backing up work
How to keep students focused
Ideas:
Teaching ideas/methodology/philosophy
Use tools with LF HC WW (low floor high ceiling wide walls)
Have students “build it right, build it wrong”
Use IPOS algorithm for problem-solving: Input Processing Output Structures
Show relevance, make the abstraction tangible
Go slow to go fast
Introduce journaling as a tool for students to document activity, including roadblocks or mistakes (give credit for reflection)
Talk aloud: modeling, vocalize what you know
Model failure (but don’t freak out)
Live coding (model failure), write code from scratch, leave something out (have an error and have students figure out the error/solution)
Teach students to teach others: peer mentoring
Teach students to ask each other for help
Tailor projects to student interests
Clickers: use peer discussion for students to identify correct answers through persuasive reasoning
Bring in current events
Find out what technology is and what it does, use info to tailor instruction for current unit and future units
Flipping, use class time for doing projects, record lectures for teaching outside of school online (like Khan Academy)
Individually paced curriculum
For example see: http://dwheadon.net/ (first unit wasn’t done because our webserver wasn’t set up yet)
include check in at end of class to see what the students did that day
include oral assessments of knowledge
Access for resources, thinking about teaching:
ECS (great resource for inquiry-based lessons)
Mark Guzdial education blog http://comutinged.wordpress.com/
Low floor high ceiling wide walls: fritzing.org
Access for software, hardware, instructional materials:
CSTA has some lending kits: phones, PicoBoard
freegeekchicago.org
freecycle.org
pcrr.com/pcsforschools (donations of PCs for schools from industry)
Comcast. Internet access for $9.95, computer access
donorschoose.org [Post at beginning of school year, tax time, keep an eye out for corporation matching funds]
vendor direct donations: industry recycle programs
Raspberry Pi http://www.alliedelec.com/RaspberryPi/
(UK not for profit $25/$35 computer, TV hook up, USB mouse, keyboard)
shapeways.com (ordering stuff printed with 3D printer, case for RaspberryPi)
Learning/Teaching Tool, Online Resources:
Google docs (document sharing and interaction)
www.prezi.com (Prezi presentations, produces embed code)
framethief.com (hook up camera to computer, grab images: Claymation, etc.)
lightbot.com (free Flash game)
sparkfun.com (electronics for projects, including Arduino)
http://picocricket.com/
Pivot stickman (animation, frame rate, multiple frames)
pivot-stickfigure-animator.en.softonic.com
appinventor.com
Microsoft https://www.dreamspark.com/
Clickers: http://www.polleverywhere.com/
testmoz.com (test generator)
Communications: piazza.com
Learning Management Systems for centralizing resources (Moodle, etc.)
Mozilla’s newly released free web design tool Thimble
Other:
Visit from Dale Reed (UIC) and Dr. R [Ron Greenberg (Loyola)]
Industry engagement: field trips or in-class visits from industry folks
Cotton Candy
Open source 3D printer
Sparkfun offers workshops in electronics/arduino.
Fabrication Resources:
Pumping Station One - hackerspace in Chicago located at 3517 N. Elston. Monthly membership starts at $40. Open meetings Tuesday nights at 8pm.
Museum of Science and Industry’s Fab Lab offers free 45 minute workshops on cutting edge fabrication techniques, participants make a keychain using a laser cutter.