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Getting Students Coding

david.hay@eips.ca

@misterhay

tinyurl.com/studentscoding

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Description

Programming is not just for nerds and computer scientists, it is being used across all disciplines. You'll be able to see examples of some easy ways to start programming, including Scratch, Touch Develop, Google Apps Script, Swift, Python, OpenSCAD, and Arduino. Regardless of what, or who, you teach you can find something here that will interest you. In an increasingly automated world, we can prepare students to direct and control the machines.

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Hour of Code

A good way to get started

Easy for students and teachers

e.g. code.org/learn

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The Importance of Computational Thinking

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Definitions

Programming - writing programs

Coding - converting meaning, but has become synonymous with programming

Computer Science - study of theory, methods, and of computers, data, etc.

Computational Thinking - designing computable solutions to problems

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zp92mp3/revision

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A complex problem is one that, at first glance, we don't know how to solve easily.�Computational thinking involves taking that complex problem and breaking it down into a series of small, more manageable problems (decomposition). Each of these smaller problems can then be looked at individually, considering how similar problems have been solved previously (pattern recognition) and focusing only on the important details, while ignoring irrelevant information (abstraction). Next, simple steps or rules to solve each of the smaller problems can be designed (algorithms).

�Finally, these simple steps or rules are used to program a computer to help solve the complex problem in the best way.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zp92mp3/revision

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Programming

Variables

Loops

Conditionals

Functions

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Scratch

A drag-and-drop environment designed to “create stories, games, and animations”.

Also great for teaching math and anything else

Online at http://scratch.mit.edu/

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Microsoft Touch Develop

Create apps on a phone, tablet, or laptop.

https://www.touchdevelop.com

Includes resources for educators: https://www.touchdevelop.com/docs/teach

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MIT App Inventor

Create apps for mobile devices

http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu

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Python

A programming language designed to be easy to read, with simple syntax.

Jupyter Notebook: https://cybera.syzygy.ca

Use it with students: https://repl.it/site/classrooms

Try it online at http://www.trypython.org

(one of my favourites)

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Google Apps Script

JavaScript with a cloud-based IDE

Add custom menus, dialogs , and sidebars to Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms
Write custom functions for Google Sheets
Interact with other Google services, including AdSense, Analytics, Calendar, Drive, Finance, Gmail, and Maps
Publish web apps