CS Methods: Blog

Erica has been with Waukee Community School District since 2012, and started her teaching career as a Language Arts teacher at South Middle School. She has been passionate about technology and education throughout her years of teaching. In 2018, she transitioned to become the Instructional Coach at Waukee High School,  and closely worked with teachers to enhance instructional practices.

In 2024, she joined the Waukee CSD Technology & Innovation team as a Technology & Innovation Coach, focusing on secondary buildings, particularly grades 9-12. She gets to pursue her passions by supporting learners with best practices of technology integrations and enhancing the learning experience.

As a Technology and innovation Coach, I support teachers across all content areas, including Computer Science. Here are some of my experiences coaching Mrs L., a CS teacher. Mrs. L teaches a class we call Multimedia Applications. This is a hands-on course where students become familiar with a variety of photo editing, sound editing, and video production software programs to manipulate digital files and create multimedia presentations.  

In this 9 week block scheduled course, students complete 6 different projects; Copyright & Fair Use, Photo Editing 1 and 2, Sound Editing, Video Editing, and a final project that showcases all of their skills. 

All of the projects in this course are completed independently, but students have multiple opportunities to collaborate while practicing their skills and brainstorming their final projects. They might brainstorm together and help one another think big and consider the theme, tone, or audience that they are trying to reach and convey. They might also share their storyboards with one another prior to filming or editing to receive peer feedback. 

Both performance based assessments and formal assessments (quizzes) are utilized in this course. For example, on the video editing quiz, we ask students to, "Pick the best definition for the "Ken Burns Effect."

• The process of converting the source material into the final footage.

• A type of panning and zooming effect used in film and video production from still imagery.

• These are used to blend of frames between two clips.

• The person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film.

Each project has an accompanying rubric. 

• Attached is the Video Editing Rubric - Project 2. 

• Term projects (5 total) are worth 30% of the students overall grade and the final project is worth 20%. 

What things did you learn in the interview that you will implement in your classroom?

This interview highlighted the importance of giving students real-world, creative opportunities to explore digital tools. I particularly valued how collaboration was seamlessly integrated into the project’s independent structure through storyboarding and brainstorming sessions. It is important to carve out these opportunities to help students refine their ideas and improve communication skills. The integration of both performance tasks and quizzes demonstrates a well-balanced approach. This balanced approach aims to ensure both skill mastery and conceptual understanding.

How will your classroom differ from this teacher’s philosophy?

I appreciated the blended approach to the project. I know some educators I work with would prefer more independence for students while others might appreciate more structured group projects and sharing the responsibilities. I would like to continue to have different offerings for all and allow differentiated opportunities for learners to demonstrate their learning. 

What kinds of adaptations will you have to make for virtual or distance learning in case of a shutdown?

In a virtual or hybrid model, I would:

• Provide asynchronous video tutorials and screen recordings for instructional supports.

• Utilize Canvas LMS to create a consistent workflow for students to have predictability in their online learning.

• Use collaborative platforms like Padlet, Freeform or even Canvas Discussions for brainstorming and storyboarding.

• Regularly check-in with students whether in small groups, feedback, or formative assessments.

• Provide opportunities for students to create and demonstrate their learning using their authentic experiences and using their own voice.

Overall, this interview provided valuable insights that reinforced my belief in project-based, student-centered learning. It also offered practical strategies to enhance my future collaborative work with teachers and integrating computer science within the classroom.