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What's It All About?
What's It All About?
The Hour of Code began with the vision of Hadi and Ali Partovi after creating their non-profit, Code.org in January of 2013. Their goal is to make computer programming accessible to all. I learned about this event and many others from attending the Computer Science Teachers Association Boston Chapter meeting where I connected with many amazing educators. Kelly Powers and Padmaja Bandaru were the co-presidents of the CSTA Boston chapter at this time. The following year, Kelly Powers nominated myself and several other Massachusetts educators for the 100 Teachers Meeting. Educators from across the United States traveled to the 100 Teachers Meeting in Washington D.C. for a 2 day workshop thanks to the National Science Foundation, NSF, and National Center for Women & Information Technology, NCWIT. Take a look at the NCWIT Aspirations and Counselors for Computing (C4C) programs. One of the many highlights of this event was meeting Hadi Partovi at the Eisenhower Executive Office at the White House. Have a listen to Hadi's powerful Ted Talk and you will see why he is so passionate about providing computer science opportunities for all.
The Hour of Code began with the vision of Hadi and Ali Partovi after creating their non-profit, Code.org in January of 2013. Their goal is to make computer programming accessible to all. I learned about this event and many others from attending the Computer Science Teachers Association Boston Chapter meeting where I connected with many amazing educators. Kelly Powers and Padmaja Bandaru were the co-presidents of the CSTA Boston chapter at this time. The following year, Kelly Powers nominated myself and several other Massachusetts educators for the 100 Teachers Meeting. Educators from across the United States traveled to the 100 Teachers Meeting in Washington D.C. for a 2 day workshop thanks to the National Science Foundation, NSF, and National Center for Women & Information Technology, NCWIT. Take a look at the NCWIT Aspirations and Counselors for Computing (C4C) programs. One of the many highlights of this event was meeting Hadi Partovi at the Eisenhower Executive Office at the White House. Have a listen to Hadi's powerful Ted Talk and you will see why he is so passionate about providing computer science opportunities for all.
While at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School from 2013 - 2017 students participated in Hour of Code events. Not only did students participate but some helped to organize and run events, some even ran in Spanish. Thanks these students and many teachers we were able to offer activities in 15 different locations within the school. Some teachers had so much fun they continued the program and shared activities with their other classes. Other teachers less comfortable with running an activity opened their doors to let student presenters into their rooms. As you can imagine, this was such a win win on so many levels. No one was forced to participate but we had over 400 students take part in this voluntary kick off event. In fact it was so successful this first year that I was able to expand these efforts across the district with the help of some wonderful teachers and students. We stepped it up a notch, student ambassadors from the high school were tasked and if needed, trained to lead and assist in breakout sessions across the district from kindergarten to grade twelve. Students and teachers prepared, tested, and tweaked a series of age appropriate activities before the high school ambassadors traveled to the elementary and middle schools. These students presented or assisted with coding activities like Relay Programming an unplugged activity, Hopscotch a block programming app we used on the iPad, and many more advanced programs that use text based coding, like Khan Academy.
While at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School from 2013 - 2017 students participated in Hour of Code events. Not only did students participate but some helped to organize and run events, some even ran in Spanish. Thanks these students and many teachers we were able to offer activities in 15 different locations within the school. Some teachers had so much fun they continued the program and shared activities with their other classes. Other teachers less comfortable with running an activity opened their doors to let student presenters into their rooms. As you can imagine, this was such a win win on so many levels. No one was forced to participate but we had over 400 students take part in this voluntary kick off event. In fact it was so successful this first year that I was able to expand these efforts across the district with the help of some wonderful teachers and students. We stepped it up a notch, student ambassadors from the high school were tasked and if needed, trained to lead and assist in breakout sessions across the district from kindergarten to grade twelve. Students and teachers prepared, tested, and tweaked a series of age appropriate activities before the high school ambassadors traveled to the elementary and middle schools. These students presented or assisted with coding activities like Relay Programming an unplugged activity, Hopscotch a block programming app we used on the iPad, and many more advanced programs that use text based coding, like Khan Academy.
The Hour of Code event runs every year during National Computer Science Education Week which falls on Grace Hopper's birthday, December 9. Many states and other countries now recognize the importance of computer science and how it connects to just about everything we do today. If you're reading this post, thank a computer scientist. If you just ordered a Chai Latte from your phone so that you don't have to wait in line, thank a computer scientist. If you're learning something from a free online course like a MOOC, thank a computer scientist. You get the idea! Let's not forget the other people involved in these tools that we have access to, like the barista that made the drink or the educator that built the online course. Computer science impacts our lives on a daily basis. It is our duty to provide opportunities for our students and children so they understand the basics of computer science and how it impacts our lives and our world.
The Hour of Code event runs every year during National Computer Science Education Week which falls on Grace Hopper's birthday, December 9. Many states and other countries now recognize the importance of computer science and how it connects to just about everything we do today. If you're reading this post, thank a computer scientist. If you just ordered a Chai Latte from your phone so that you don't have to wait in line, thank a computer scientist. If you're learning something from a free online course like a MOOC, thank a computer scientist. You get the idea! Let's not forget the other people involved in these tools that we have access to, like the barista that made the drink or the educator that built the online course. Computer science impacts our lives on a daily basis. It is our duty to provide opportunities for our students and children so they understand the basics of computer science and how it impacts our lives and our world.
Check out Douglas Rushoff's point of view in Program or Be Programed: Ten Commandments in a Digital Age.
Check out Douglas Rushoff's point of view in Program or Be Programed: Ten Commandments in a Digital Age.
Programming is not just for techie nerds or “smart” people. Skills needed for programming are skills that we begin to teach and developing in our students and children from day 1. These skills include collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking to name a few. The Hour of Code helps to demystify the belief that coding is for rocket scientists by providing an array of opportunities for students to sample a programming language, or test their problem solving skills through exploration, trial and error, and having fun. Below are a few videos that will tell you more about the Hour of Code, HOC, and how to run an event.
Programming is not just for techie nerds or “smart” people. Skills needed for programming are skills that we begin to teach and developing in our students and children from day 1. These skills include collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking to name a few. The Hour of Code helps to demystify the belief that coding is for rocket scientists by providing an array of opportunities for students to sample a programming language, or test their problem solving skills through exploration, trial and error, and having fun. Below are a few videos that will tell you more about the Hour of Code, HOC, and how to run an event.
Look at how much fun the kids are having during some Hour of Code events.
Look at how much fun the kids are having during some Hour of Code events.
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