#caedchat is for California educators, by California educators. All are welcome as moderators and participants discuss issues that emerge in California education, which are generally applicable to other regions of the United States.
Let’s begin with a survey! Are you satisfied with the state of computer science education in your school or district? Have you noticed any changes or improvements in recent years? #caedchat
A1: No I am not satisfied. I have increased the number of preps to keep CS going in my school. I now have 5 preps and not much financial support. One student said the copywrite on the textbook is older than he is.
A1: I've seen a steady improvement when it comes to CS over the past 20 years. Some schools/districts have excellent programs, some are just still talking about it. #caedchat
A1: We were fortunate enough to secure 1:1 Chromebooks for our student body and begin to work our way toward a #futureready environment around 2014. The last couple of years seem to be pretty stagnant though. #caedchat
Q2: Do you think computer science is an essential part of a student’s education? If so, why? What are the benefits? What do you focus on most? #caedchat
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A1- NOT satisfied- little CS taught & I won’t be happy until ALL Ss are coding. The upcoming CS CA standards for 2019 should help. And there has been improvements in my district. Used to be 0 Ss come into my class w/ coding skills. Now about ⅓ have some experience.
#caedchat
A1: I added a Coding elective using @Bootstrapworld this year. We also teach Robitics at our school. But overall, our district is not focusing enough on CS. #caedchat
A2: Absolutely! It fosters problem solving, critical thinking, experimentation, curiosity, adaptation, and so many other necessary skills! And, it’s fun! My fourth graders spend most of their CS time on coding and practicing digital citizenship. https://t.co/2QEKuEu5vT#caedchat
A2 Aside from the relevancy and the future job opportunities, I've found it helps my CS students with logic, reasoning, problem-solving and creative thinking. I think these are essential skills for anyone to acquire. #caedchat
Q2: Do you think computer science is an essential part of a student’s education? If so, why? What are the benefits? What do you focus on most? #caedchat
Mary Davis, Director of Special Education, Illinois I'm joining different state #edchats to get more responses to my dissertation survey on Sped Tchr Prep. https://t.co/CmPSQn6pbv… Please share my link with sped tchrs! #caedchat
A2: Yes, computer science is an essential part of modern K-12 education. Or it should be. Digital fluency is huge benefit. Critical for success in this century. https://t.co/AL60odDjUj#caedchat
#wearemcsd#caedchat A1 we are working on a scope and sequence with our top elective teachers. Our tech cafe is focusing on robotics and coding this week
A2 it should be, kids love it and soft skills learned through basic introduction of computer science concepts will lead to better opportunities across all content #caedchat
A2 I think CS is an important component that can be integrated or as enrichment program. However hard to fit when many fear other things because of testing. Ts spend lots of personal time learning #caedchat@CAedchat
A2: I focus on logical reasonging, planning, and applying math. I am surprised at the number of students who cannot calculate equations if they know a pattern. #caedchat
Q3: #CSEdWeek is celebrated each year during the week of Grace Hopper’s birthday. Do you spend time discussing the history of computer science with your Ss? If so, what do you discuss? What resources do you like to use? https://t.co/5vDL8ViNPf#caedchat
@CAedchat A1 about 5 yrs ago I started with hour of code. Now we have two levels of coding electives, one gaming class with some design and hopefully starting physical computing w/ @Raspberry_Pi
A2 The increase in automation & the use of computers in most fields, makes CS literacy more important than ever. Kids benefit in understanding hardware and software: Understanding parts, setting up networks, file storage, applications, & basic coding knowledge.
#caedchat
A2 #caedchat it will be great if we ensure the 4cs and get Ts the content knowledge to build Ss thinking. Let’s develop connected thinking and application to science and math.
A1- NOT satisfied- little CS taught & I won’t be happy until ALL Ss are coding. The upcoming CS CA standards for 2019 should help. And there has been improvements in my district. Used to be 0 Ss come into my class w/ coding skills. Now about ⅓ have some experience.
#caedchat
A3: We have all of our 6-8 Ss participate in Hour of Code through their hometown classes. I will start with a new trimester class this week, so we’ll do some timely study of the history of CS. #caedchat
A3: This woman is a rockstar. It's great that our female students can learn that she was pioneer in CS. I was the only female sysop in SD County over 20 years ago. Being a #nerd is fun! #gracehopper#caedchat
Yes, I will this year after learning more about her @USNavy Academy. I teach on a Naval base. I would like to do more with many other CS MvPs. #caedchat
A3: I haven’t done enough, that’s for sure. A few biographies on Steve Jobs and Bill Gates doesn’t cut it for CS history! Does anyone have a great resource, topic, or names to drop? https://t.co/a2IPGOA2jx#caedchat
#caedchat - A3: I will have morning announcements read to the whole school this week with teasers about computer history. Tomorrow will be Grace Hopper and Tuesday will be Ada Lovelace.
A3 We talk about the impacts it has on peoples lives, how life has improved because of innovative visions and will power to change how do our work #caedchat
A3: I haven’t done enough, that’s for sure. A few biographies on Steve Jobs and Bill Gates doesn’t cut it for CS history! Does anyone have a great resource, topic, or names to drop? https://t.co/a2IPGOA2jx#caedchat
A3 Show Ss changes in hard drives, graphics, comp. size/function. Talk about tech changes & ask Ss to imagine tech in the future. Ex:How will we communicate in 20 yrs? Ss love my “tech museum” w/ old phones, radios,camera, &comps & I <3 asking them how to use the items. #caedchat
#caedchat A4: Before it was @HourofCode I participated in #csedweek. I had walking field trips to local business to view how they used computers, Skype calls with professionals, my students assisted with Hour of Code activities for elementary and MS students.
A4 My teaching partner & I usually alternate years. This is my year. My Science classes will spend 2 days on several https://t.co/KwZKSel84y challenges that work well with iPads. #caedchat
A4 yes, in my current setting and a previous district. Ss love it. The engagement is high and clearly critical thinking and problem solving. #caedchat hour of code hooks many with the small sake of an hour. Once hooked, teacher see value.
A4: My students have participated in Hour of Code for a few years. We try to work our way through the @Codeorg Course 2 Curriculum before year’s end. My Ss always enjoy it, and #HourOfCode can be a great partner or solo activity to start a student’s coding journey! #caedchat
A4 yes! this will be my fourth year participating with my kinder Ss, i"ll also be visiting classrooms and teaching #CS lessons in grades 1-5th as a guest #caedchat
#caedchat A4: ... and lunch time activities for the high school students. I have raffles and cookies and cake. A school board member attended one year. This year I will have stations: microbit, Google Class, robots and coding during lunch.
A4 i am also having guest come to my class and will have a parents can code event on Friday. It's important to introduce as many adults as we can #caedchat
Q5: Students aren’t the only ones learning during the #HourOfCode! What have you learned through your participation? What advice would you give a colleague who is hesitant to begin teaching computer science? #caedchat
A5 1. You can teach coding low tech with games & activities. 2. Ss can teach you & peers. Ts don't need to be experts. Go through as Ss do with them! #caedchat
A5: Go with the flow! Bugs will happen. They’re a great learning opportunity and a chance to showcase growth mindset. You’ll be surprised how much your students are able to figure out on their own! #caedchat
A5: #Caedchat I do not know all of the answers and I have taught CS for 30 years. Sometime I have to tell the students that I don't know the answer, but we can work on it together. They can see how I work it out.
A5 I would tell a colleague to just dive in and let the Ss go in New directions themselves. Also spend lots of time checking out resources on Twitter or coding websites like @codeorg@scratch and @microbit_edu just to make a few. #caedchat
Q5: Students aren’t the only ones learning during the #HourOfCode! What have you learned through your participation? What advice would you give a colleague who is hesitant to begin teaching computer science? #caedchat
Everyone should have the opportunity to learn to code. We’re celebrating #HourofCode with free workshops next week at all Apple Stores. https://t.co/XZqeHLns40
A5 you know the only thing I tell them is to try it for a total of one hour during #CS week, kids should have this opportunity hopefully Ss will pursue it if they're curious enough #caedchat
A4 Started #HourofCode in 2015 & I appreciate the yearly additions. Excited for the identification of courses for specific grades= less repetition & increased skill building! I also use SCRATCH so Ss take the skills practiced in HOC & apply them to open ended creations. #caedchat
A5 The biggest thing I’ve learned from #hourofcode is to give up control and share the teaching experience with the kids. I learn from them, they learn from each other, and I guide them to discovering the answers when needed. #caedchat
A6: Has anyone ever made an evening of it? A community #hourofcode S's share w parents what they are learning & have parents involved in CS as guest speakers! #caedchat
#caedchat A6: A parent one year arranged for guest speakers from his company for my CS classes. When I ran #HourOfCode for the elementary students, the parents also attended. It was more of a family night. My husband and son also helped me.
A6 3 Years ago we started a parents can code night at our school, kids bring their parents, kids become the Ts & Ps the Ss. Ps code, and play with robots with their kids #caedchat
A6 I facilitated a mother & daughters coding workshop last year & was struck by how little the mothers knew about coding (many had NO concept of coding), It was exciting to see them learn from their daughters. Even older folks can learn to code!
#caedchat
Open House is a lot like this in my classroom. Create a green screen photo, take Dash through the maze, etc. It's a game-board style where they can earn a prize if they finish all the activities. #caedchat
A6 3 Years ago we started a parents can code night at our school, kids bring their parents, kids become the Ts & Ps the Ss. Ps code, and play with robots with their kids #caedchat
California educators! Teach w/ film and advocate for gender equity in #STEM. Join our free professional development program w/ @musoftolerance. (Travel, too!) Why? Here's a peek of last year's program. (Psst..@CAedchat! #caedchat) Register Now: https://t.co/pS6hglMnlK#artsedu
A7 I definitely do, #cs week is the official start to my #CS program, year after year I continue to integrate with core content my Ss love the challenge and it makes our year extra fun #caedchat
A7: #caedchat I should add that I will be gearing up for eSports competition with OCDE and Cyber Security after school program with the feed Junior High after #HourOfCode
No, but it looks interesting! Thanks! The free-to-borrow #CUE STEAMpunk kits are pretty amazing too! Especially since membership is free right now! https://t.co/wmMk5LrRjV#caedchat
A7 It’s important to go beyond the screen & involve robotics so Ss have a tangible to coding. My 8th graders do robotics activities w/ the EV3 bots and read, I, Robot. Also, webdevelopment,Bitsbox,SCRATCH,arduino, & ROBLOX. studio. Hope to work w/primary in coding too!
#caedchat
A8 by asking all to look at the 2017 CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards until our California rolls them out, it will ease the frustration of not knowing how to teach #CS in k-12 #caedchathttps://t.co/m4dGpMxqI4
Thank you for allowing me to join you all tonight! #caedchat is almost over---Afterwards, pls take my survey or share with your sped. tchrs-it's on Special Ed Teacher Prep! Only takes about 10 minutes TIA! https://t.co/CmPSQn6pbv… #caedchat
