Computer Science inspirations & ideas @ #CS4PS

After a day of travelling (thanks to the Christchurch fog) I finally made it to the #CS4PS workshops in Christchurch.  I'm excited for a full days of networking and learning.

Computer Science in all curriculum areas .... 

Computer science can be used to reinforce learning in all curriculum areas - it doesn't have to be an extra!

Debugging 

What is debugging?  Locating a problem and fixing it

• What language are you going to give your students when they have a coding problem? 
•  Often there are different ways to achieve the same thing - not a bad thing, just an opportunity for learning.

Three questions to ask your learners:
What did you expect to have happen?
What is actually happening?
What does your code say?

Encourage students to critically think and debug together.

Using Raspberry Pi, circuitry, robots

Littlebits - really good for inputs and outputs
Arduino - using the specific arduino language but through purchasing a book called Sik Guide you are able to get many codes online.  Uses a breadboard to house wires (prevents soldering). Teach learners the first 12 projects and then ask them what they'd like to make?
Raspberry Pi - recommended for older students - takes about a week to set up but needs a time commitment
Spheros - use an iPad app to move a robot around the classroom
Edison robots

For teachers with iPad classes (which can't used Scratch) these options will both work on iPads and are very similar to Scratch

Picaxecloud.com
snap.berkeley.edu

Kidbots and Fitness UnPlugged

Have learners draw one exercise on a card.  Laminate and keep the cards so learners can program their fitness each week.  Use whiteboards to put each card on so you can write the number of times for each card.  Select a child to be a programmer - use a lanyard.  Reinforce that there is no wrong answer - programming language can be different.

Ideas and ways to use programming in the classroom

Use Scratch to program and say your Mihi
What is a noun/adjective etc - join them together to create a sentence
Site to explore:  Madlibs
Use Scratch to explore your school values - clickable and interactive for the learners to communicate. Learners create the project - when you half make the project, learners will be more creative.
Codeclub.nz - projects learners can work through easily with check boxes so they are extremely learner friendly

Statistics unit - Searching algorithms

Organise your data in a way that it can be easily searched and you can find what you need easily.

Sequential search

An efficient way to search?  Use paper shot glass cups with a number inside each.  Teacher becomes the computer and children guess a number - how many guesses could it take?  What is the largest amount of guesses?  What is the least number of guesses we need? Sometimes it is good to have things out of order.   Use a range of numbers which are mixed up so learners can't just "count" the number of containers.

Binary search

Halve the search criteria by using a binary search.  Use "I'm thinking of a number" to demonstrate a binary search using only 7 guesses if they are in order.   Could use Scratch to make a teaching algorithm using the "higher/lower" game.

Game - find a treasure chest.  Start with a randomized sheet.  Graph the results.  Second time, use binary guessing system and sheets that are in order - most should guess within 5 guesses using this system.  Talk about the differences in the graphs.  Could lead to discussions on probability and validity of the data.

Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking is the thought processes involved in formulating problems and their solutions so that the solutions are represented in a form that can be effectively carried out by an information-processing agent.  -  Cuny, Snyder, Wing 2010

Thinking computationally is about solving problems, by creating solutions that teaches students how to:

• describe a problem
• identify the important details to solve the problem
• break the problem down into smaller, logical steps
• use these steps to create a process (algorithm) that solves the problem
• and then evaluate the process

All of the skills are strongly linked.  There is often an overlap in descriptions and in examples.

Algorithmic thinking

• is the process of creating algorithms
• is a step by step process that solves a problem or completes a task
• when we create an algorithm to solve a problem we call this an algorithmic solution

Abstraction

• is about simplfying things to help us manage complexity
• it requires identifying what the most important aspects of a problem are and hiding the details/information we don't need to focus on

Decomposition

• breaking things down into the smaller and simpler parts
• it helps to make large problems less intimidating!
• we can break problems down into smaller subproblems and then break these down further and further
• the solutions to each are smaller and simpler and built up to a solution

Generalising and Patterns

Logic

Evaluation

The Barcode challenge is a great way to challenge your learners using computational thinking.  In the classroom you could amaze your students the first time and then teach them how to do it.  The same concept (check sum) can be used with books.

Internet of Things

Relevant learning through problem solving local issues using the internet of things.  How can you extend past Scratch - coding something for a purpose or to make it 'real' for the learners.  One group of Dunedin schools is working on an issue and using this as the motivation for learning - Picaxe.co.nz.  The project aims to create a website were all the setup and resources are available for teachers to use in their classroom.

#SYD17 ... let the journey begin!

Totally excited to have been accepted into the Google Certified Innovator program in Sydney next month.

My project focuses on my passion of Personalised Learning.  In order to apply, you need to create a Project Slide deck and one minute video.  It only seems fitting at the start of my journey to begin with these:

Explain Everything Classic - navigating the major changes

With the recent Explain Everything update, some of my learners are not sure where to locate features that they use frequently.  I've made some easy help cards for them which I have displayed around the room as a visual reference.  They were all created using Google Draw and they may help other teachers who also use Explain Everything in the classroom.  I've shared some of them below, and they are available to be used by other teachers from this Google Drive folder.

The ones I have so far created are:

• adding new slides, deleting, moving between slides
• exporting a project to Google Drive (or similar)
• opening a project from Google Drive (or similar)
• saving and exiting from a project
• deleting audio/video recordings
• changing colours

Exciting changes in Explain Everything 4

I've been a huge fan of using Explain Everything since I started teaching and have definitely enjoyed the new features after installing the update late last week!  If, like me, you love using Explain Everything but are used to the old version, these great videos are worth three minutes of your time as they are a great overview of the new features.

 Having only created a few projects this weekend already here are some of my favourite new additions:

• The draw/fill option
• Adding a sound bite from within Explain Everything
• The ruler feature - my lines have always been just that little bit crooked ;)
• The eraser - so many times my learners have wanted to remove a part of the drawing they had added earlier and haven't been able to - until now! 

I'm really looking forward to using the new version over the coming weeks!

Interface XPO 2017 - Afternoon Sessions

Creating with iPads - hosted by Cyclone Computers

Moving from consumption to creation!

The SAMR model helps us determine what level of creativity with technology you are achieving. Most learning takes place above the line (transformation) - modification and redefinition!

While there are MANY apps, using a few apps extremely well is better than just touching on many.  Its not about the app - its the task!

PicKids - the same as PicCollage but more child friendly (not internet based).  

Some ideas for using this:

Letter/Number Scavenger Hunt

Story Sequencing

Homophones

Parts of Speech

Book Covers

Writing Displays for publishing

Timeline of events

Character Map

Book Creator

Some ways to use Book Creator:

Collaborative books

Books can include text/sounds/images

Sentence starters

Explain Everything
Some ways to use Explain Everything:
Explain learning by annotating and talking about instructions
Take a photo of a piece of writing to model editing and recrafting
Capture the voice of the learner

Afternoon Keynote
Coding using Gamefroot
A game creation tool for school children and educators to create games.  This web based creation tool uses scripts (similar to Scratch) to enable children to make and share their own games. Learners can draw their own backgrounds and images or choose from a full library.  You are able to have as many levels as you would like in a Gamefroot game.

Afternoon Session
Keeping Students safe using Google Suite for Education (GfE)

This recent report highlights the importance of digital technologies in education.  Various risks for children using the internet.

"More time teaching, less time teching" - Google.

G Suite - different settings for different users within in a domain.  Many of the features for G Suite are underused in GAFE domains and experts such as Cyclone can assist to ensure these are set up correctly.

Google Safety Center - free information for parents/teachers/educators


I've enjoyed my first Interface XPO.  It was also great to network with other teachers and IT techies throughout the day.

Interface 2017 XPO - Morning Sessions

My first visit to the Interface Xpo and I'm looking forward to being inspired with some great ideas.

Opening Session

A fast game of XPO Feud (based on Family Feud) to kick off the day - download the template and many others from Youth Downloads.  The game was followed by a few Keynote presentations:

Creativity in the Classroom with Adobe

65% of learners will end up in jobs that have yet to be created.

Adobe Creative Animator - great for learners who are shy and don't like appearing on camera

Adobe Spark Video - a free creativity tool that allows you to create videos or tell stories - personalise the voice, music, text and pictures to make a short movie.  App for iPad available or can be done online at spark.adobe.com.  Copyright free music is provided.

Adobe Spark Page - a free creativity tool to create a webpage.  Easy to use with free images, texts and layouts which you can include.

Breakout Session One

3P Learning - Mathletics and Reading Eggs

Mathletics and Reading Eggs are more than just lessons for students.  Check out the printable resources and group teaching resources (available through eBooks link).  Teaching resources are interactive.

Mathletics:

When completing activities:  "i" button or "?" button shows specific steps on how to get it right.

New questions are generated even if they get it completely right - giving depth of learning.

Demonstrations allows you to teach using the student view.

Reading Eggs:

While there is a focus on reading, it is a broader literacy resource.   Reading Express (focus 7 - 13 years old).  

Middle Keynote

GEO A.R. Games - Magical Park

Digital mobile outdoor games using augmented reality.

Different aspects to augmented reality - image recognition; tracking; geospatial (using GPS co-ordinates); 

Examples of augmented reality:

AR Book - Quiver Education

Skills Training - Zapbox

Benefits of Augmented Reality:

• More student engagement and higher motivation
• Learning at the student pace
• Higher creativity
• Solution focused thinking and problem-solving
• Leadership and collaboration

GAFE - Closing Ignite sessions

The GAFE Summit experience today finished with a Ignite session. Ignite is a series of speedy presentations. Presenters get 20 slides, which can automatically advance every 15 seconds. The result is a fast and fun presentation which lasts just 5 minutes.

Beginner Code - Switching - Jim Sill

Past performance is no guarantee of future results!
Sucking is the first step to being sorta good at something - Alexis (founder of Reddit)
You need to switch your code to try something new.
To adapt you have to change your attitude, language and thinking.

Hardwiring Happiness - Rick Hanson Ph.D
Do a beginners mind - challenge yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Reaching the Summit (and surviving) - Stuart Kelly

What does it take?  Citizenship; Culture; Connectivity; Celebration; Cash; Communication; Community;
Infrastructure is everything  -  the backbone of success!
Recognise the talent within your own school.
Remember:  students, students, students!  Think, move, grow in teams!

My Digital Journey - Angelnella Tupua-Wilson

Angelnella is a student at Aorere College and shared her digital journey.  When she was 8 or 9 she could not imagine having her own Chromebook or device.  She finds having digital devices in classes great for communicating and sharing ideas even outside the classroom.  Its a move away from the traditional classroom.  Last year she took robotics as it was something she knew very little about and wanted to prove that anything is possible.  She hopes her future will revolve around technology.

More than a coincidence? - Chris Betcher

When you mix with the right people, your success exceeds the chance of statistics.
Chance favours the connected mind. - Steven Johnson

GAFE Day 2 - Afternoon sessions

This blog reflects the afternoon sessions I attended on Day 2 at GAFE.

Exploring Google Expeditions with Cardboard - Jim Sill

WOW!  First time really playing with cardboard and was great to get a free one - thanks Jim!
You will need to download the Expeditions app to your phone or iPad.  Virtual Reality is a chance to scale experimental learning.  This allows the teacher to bring the lesson to the learner.

The expeditions have some leading information and guiding questions (and answers) to assist the teacher in leading your journey.  The teacher can pause the journey.

You need to build a kit - you need devices (e.g. iPads, phones).  Ask for donations of old phones. You need a teacher device (e.g. iPad) and the device will push the image out to the learners.  You need to use a router (not connected to the internet) to share the images to your learners (as most schools block peer to peer sharing on their wi-fi networks).  Expeditions doesn't require the internet to work when we are running Expeditions.  Teacher is able to press and hold and direct learners to any part of the image.

Expeditions are able to be searched or you can browse different Expeditions on the first screen.

The teacher is able to use the experiences from the Expedition in the classroom to encourage rich discussions, great writing, extensive oral language and opportunities for further questions and explanations.

During the session we explored El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, USA; Observing the Gorilla in the Congo; 

Where to next? Google Teacher Certification - Kimberley Hall

Link to the Google for Education hub is here.

When doing the exams register for them using your personal gmail account as you are less likely to change your name than your school.

A few helpful hints for the Level 1 and 2 exams:

The exams are 3 hours long so you need to plan your time as once you start you can't pause.

The exam can take 24 hours to be sent to you after purchase to plan carefully.

Once you have purchased the exam, you have 7 days in which to complete it.

Recommendation:  Check out the review questions and exam sample questions first - it does help.

Presenting at GAFE - Day 2

Our second session that Clarelle and I presented today was our learning looks in the classroom.  Our full presentation is available here:

GAFE Day 2 - Opening Keynote

An amazing performance by Fa Man, Aorere's premier Barbershop quartet kicked off Day 2 of the GAFE summit.  It certainly put everyone in the mood for a great Day 2.

Let Learning T.R.U.M.P. Teaching and Tech - Richard Wells

"I hate it when he just keeps talking"

"They just keep throwing random stuff at us"

"I wish I could just work on the thing I need to"

Quotes from teachers on PD

Strategies help learners when they are stuck.  e.g. when you get stuck on a word .... and allow learners to find their own answers.

Learners like playing games because they know the rules, how to play and what to expect from others that are playing the game.  They have the strategies they need and know what they are doing.

We need to worry about the strategies we are giving kids so we can see the Key Competencies happen.  This will help them make their message clear - they can "play on the pitch without the coach!"  

What tools have we given our students to manage their time and their learning?  Are you managing your tools and your time effectively?  How are you giving feedback and at what speed?  It is hard to give a rapid feedback loop in the classroom.  In a computer game the feedback loop is so fast and it is why they are popular.  To speed up the feedback loop, use your other students.  As part of the Keynote, Richard used a Google Form to collect many ideas from his audience of tools that can be used.  

How can we integrate Google into our classroom?  Richard would suggest;

• Google Keep - gather data but ensure your students understand how and what they need to collect?
• Google Slides - present your data but ensure you have a tool on how to collate and use the information you are presenting.  Use a template so that people are able to read the information that is provided.  
• Google Sites - put it out there and make something of the connections you are making to extend your understanding.  But unless you have a tool on how to extend the thinking, the Sites won't have an impact.

What tools are we providing to Relate to Others?

• Google Docs - work on your own or use the share feature to work together.  The ability to make comments and have a discussion doesn't mean you are 'good' at working together.  What tools have we provided to help with this?
• Google Hangouts - a great tool to get outside the classroom but how do we make the most of the moment?  How are we best going to carry this out?
• Google Cardboard - put your students in the shoes of another.  They explain to you what its like to live in your world.

What tools are we providing to Manage Self?

• Google Countdown Timer - great for teaching boys.  If you want something done, get it to countdown on the TV and boys will be more productive.
• Google Calendar - colour your week and manage your time.
• Google + Communities - allow for the management of work for learners (13+) as well as your own professional development and conversations.

What tools are we providing for Participating?

• Google Forms - putting your hand up and answering questions - an effective way to encourage participation in your classroom.
• Google + - contribute as a team, particularly applicable for secondary school learners.
• YouTube - change the world using videos

Before you are able to effectively to use any of the Google tools it is important to teach the "How to?" How to behave as an individual, group and with others?  Then you are able to add the Google Tool as they are equipped to use the tool properly.  How to talk?  How to critique?  How to best present images?