This chat includes a discussion of topics of interest to K-8 teachers who teach and/or integrate computer science.The Computer Science Teachers Association is a membership organization that supports and promotes the teaching of computer science and other computing disciplines. CSTA provides opportunities for K–12 teachers and students to better understand the computing disciplines and to more successfully prepare themselves to teach and learn.
#csk8 is a structured chat so questions are numbered Q1 for Question 1, Q2 for Question 2, etc. & answers should start with A1 for the answer to Q1, A2 to answer Q2, etc.
Before we get started with tonight’s topic questions, let’s introduce ourselves. Who are you and how are your connected to CS education for 5-14 year olds? #csk8
A1: Many skills and concepts can be easily explained without tech, allows for differentiation and expands our reach in instances of low/no tech. #csk8#AMSTIworks@TeachCode#CSforAll
#csk8 A1 I think unplugged activities are a great way to combat cognitive load, especially for younger Ss. You are not worried if the student can use the mouse, keyboard, etc. while trying to teach a basic skill, like sequencing. You can focus just on the skill itself.
A1: Unplugged activities make abstract ideas in CS more real - great way to explain a concept before students get to the computer. Also works well with teachers in my CS PD program #csk8
A1: “Unplugged” activities help reinforce the thought processes behind coding, not just the actual act of writing code. In a lot of ways they can be *more* important than what is done in front of a computer - since you’re learning how to think. #csk8
Unplugged activities are a great way to intro new concepts in a concrete fashion, which is great for struggling learners. It falls nicely within the math tradition of the concrete-representational-abstract sequence of instruction. #csk8
A1: For some CS concepts, it's difficult to teach them other than unplugged. Most schools don't want students building or modifying their networks, for example. #csk8
A1: Unplugged activities are also a great way to "feel" or "experience" a CS concept like sequences, loops, or conditionals, before having to write a program with them accurately. #csk8
A1: Unplugged activities make abstract ideas in CS more real - great way to explain a concept before students get to the computer. Also works well with teachers in my CS PD program #csk8
A1 cont’d: and from a wider teaching perspective, lessons heavy on unplugged activities reinforce the idea that computational thinking is what we’re teaching (applicable everywhere in life), NOT how to type commands into a computer. Especially in the younger grades
#csk8
A1: there is something special about moving atoms that is different from moving invisible bits. Kids relate to things they can touch and that relate to the physical work they understand. Like sorting cards. #csk8
Exactly! It's much easier to remember the fun dance loop as opposed to the red spaceship's program that used a loop compared to the blue spaceship's program that didn't, even though they both moved the same way... That can be confusing! #csk8
WHen I teach sorting I use decks of cards. First someone sorts alone. Next I let groups of sstudents sort decks. Instant paralell processing. Great discussions about why 4 times the people is faster but not 4 times faster #csk8
A2: I think it's important to avoid "feature creep" on unplugged activities. Figure out the core ideas you're highlighting and make sure the rest of the activity isn't actually getting in the way #csk8
In my KCI CS course, we had teachers walk through a complex flowchart and fill in variable envelopes with values - great way to collaborate and execute an algorithm. #csk8
A2: Most unplugged activities are pretty easy to scaffold. @codeorg's My Robotic Friends can be more or less challenging by simply changing number of cups or random cup positions for example. #csk8@teachcode#csforAll#AMSTIworks
#csk8 Q2 I think the unplugged activities can mirror your curriculum progression. Younger students can learn simple inputs and outputs, while older students can explore more complex algorithms via unplugged activities.
A2: We don't scaffold activities as much as having a wide variety of unplugged activities that teach/review the same concepts. For events, K-2 students use the @hellorubyworld universal remote, 3-5 students the @teachcode Big Event lesson (with 5 buttons, not just 3) #csk8
Q2: Introduce content into an open-ended activity applicable to what that grade is learning. I.e. programming a robot - Ks learning sequence just tell it to move. 1st graders learning conditions tell it to move if a condition is met, and so on #csk8
A2: Introduce content into an open-ended activity applicable to what that grade is learning. I.e. programming a robot - Ks learning sequence just tell it to move. 1st graders learning conditions tell it to move if a condition is met, and so on #csk8
A1: Broadcasting UP- @janewaite (UK) mentioned using a parachute in PE to reinforce how broadcasting works. We used the following activity in our last PD with NYC schools on broadcasting #csk8
A3: Learning the same concept from multiple directions is almost always a good idea. Showing Ss how the concepts they are seeing on a screen can be *real* is a transformative experience #csk8
A3: Unplugged activities help make abstract ideas concrete, introduces an element of play, connects concepts to something they see outside of CS, nice change from a coding CS class #csk8
A2: I learned a variation of Rosie's Runtime from @BTwarek this summer- in 2G Ss play game as is in 3G Ss add loops to their program to get Rosie to the doghouse. Scaffolding to take same basics and build upon skills! #csk8
#csk8 A3 Unplugged Activities can be used as a type of pseudocode. It can force Ss to think and analyze a concept/algorithm since students normally immediately begin programming and attempt to "guess and check" there way to a solution.
Certainly controlled choice is a form of scaffolding or can be. It can also be restricting in a negative way...If you are interested in using controlled choice projects and haven't seen it, Scratch Microworlds (not unplugged) is interesting. #csk8
In reply to
@bigtechcoach, @billmarsland, @hellorubyworld, @TeachCode
The other issue with scaffolding projects is that they get repetitive. Ss probably don’t want to do the same program-the-robot exercise they did before. Hard to make them unique. Agree they can be restrictive in a lot of cases #csk8
In reply to
@Todd_Lash, @bigtechcoach, @billmarsland, @hellorubyworld, @TeachCode
I can't speak for others, but what I mean by scaffolding is building upon prior knowledge and skills. Not necessarily doing the same activity multiple times. #csk8
In reply to
@jonmattingly, @Todd_Lash, @bigtechcoach, @billmarsland, @hellorubyworld, @TeachCode
A3: Unplugged activities give students a different context to interact with an idea. Because they often include movement or manipulatives they are great S's for that benefit from movement and activity. #csk8
I've had students who also think that learning about computers should always involve using one. Important to make unplugged activities more interesting for them aside from the idea of learning #csk8
A4: The challenge is to keep the unplugged activity from turning into a game - keeping the focus on the concept and not the tangible objects/ the acting out/ the simulations etc. Usually much easier to run in a class of teachers than with a class of middle school kids! #csk8
A3 unplugged activities work when you have students who are not to use screens due to concussions! I used Robot turtle game this year for such a student & he was happy to be the same things others were doing on the computers, #csk8
A4: Some teachers in small traditional computer lab spaces don't have room for the unplugged activities that involve lots of movement, crafts, and sometimes even table space for writing or drawing! #csk8
Yes! As you know, it is super fun to work with an enthusiastic set of middle schoolers - but definitely different than a group of teachers who are focussed on just learning - they see the unplugged activities for just that! #csk8
We might have a hundred different teachers use a Kodable lesson a hundred different ways. Every school/class seems to teach CS slightly differently… #csk8
Ha! Enthusiastic fun loving teachers can make a CS PD session exciting. Having done the @krausecenter CS programs now for 3 years, I think I get it better.. Plus I have experts like @drabigailjoseph who work with me, which makes it much easier. #csk8
In reply to
@alfredtwo, @krausecenter, @drabigailjoseph
A5: I use a lot of activities from the CS Unplugged site - example the binary cards, sorting networks .. and have made up some more along the way #csk8
Thank you for participating in tonight’s #csk8 chat about unplugged activities for teaching computer science to 5-14 year olds. A special thanks to our guest moderator @Agatorbites
