Programming Language for the Coding Short-course
14 views
Skip to first unread message
Tom Kendall
Apr 28, 2016, 12:54:18 PM4/28/16
to cesi...@googlegroups.com
Hello all,
At Loreto Navan, I'm introducing some students to input/output, branch control structures, loop methods, etc using Microsoft Small Basic. Next year, I hope to progress things to allow for student exposure to search and sort algorithms.
My explicit reason for using Small Basic is I think it has the potential to serve as an ideal stepping-stone language between Scratch and the high level programming languages encountered at third level. There is definitely enough scope in the language to assist students in deciding whether or not coding is for them at third level.
The Small Basic Environment is free, easy to install and gets students immediately up and coding. Small Basic's Intellisense eliminates a considerable amount of student frustration related to syntax errors,
Regards,
Tom Kendall
On 28 April 2016 at 16:17, Mícheál J. Ó Meachair <michealo...@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi All,I've a small point of info to add to this conversation, regarding The Coding Short-course for the Junior Cert level.I'm currently writing a book (details of which I'd rather not get into for another month or so as I finalize some workflow details) which is aimed at this short course. You're correct in saying a jump from nothing or markup to C / C++ is ridiculous really, I'll let you guess which language I would recommend.With the way coding / programming languages can change I think some sort of open / cheap / free resource is the best approach to this, so that something can be rolled out asap and the same for any updates. Still deciding.I hope to have at least a Beta version of this book (circa 100 pages) ready for the school-year 2016-2017, which I'll probably distribute as a PDF to a handful of interested schools for testing.I wouldn't expect all pupils to finish the book, because the teacher's and pupil's familiarity with any new subject will always impact on the speed of their progress.If you are interested, you can reply to me off-list and I'll keep you updated as the resource develops. I'm sure the feedback of invested parties will be extremely useful.Please note, the book is being written in Irish first, but I'm sure an English translation could be made available very easily if there was a market for it.The CoderDojos are absolutely fantastic, I can't compliment all their efforts highly enough, but I don't believe they're a replacement for a structured (short) course that's part of mainstream education.Different different, rather than same same!Great to see an appetite for this type of thing :-)Beirigí bua,Mícheál----2016-04-28 15:00 GMT+01:00 Tim Slight <tim_s...@hotmail.com>:This is a great idea and a fabulous concept.I am surprised that Coding is offered mainly in a fragmented way across Ireland (i.e. 'that school does'...'that school doesn't'...'that school does' etc) I am not too sure on the "success"/take up on the Junior cert short course - but i did read there is a huge drop out on computing courses when at Level 3 students are suddenly introduced to C or C++ !!I have heard all arguments from "they can learn it from home" ...sure as could they most subjects now due to e.resources even through to "well they wont ALL be programmers anyway so why teach it", the counter argument being our children don not all grow into multi lingual Historians, Scientists, Artists or Geologists - yet we teach them language, history, Geography and Art - why not coding?The fact is that Coding sits perfectly into the STEAM model, addressing the Technology (computers), Art (game/app design) and Maths (Code) strands, one might argue it also addresses the Science part if you bring in supporting hardware (sensors data capture and analysis etc).There is always a strive to improve Numeracy levels in our children, this seems to be a was to support this.In bridging the gap between Maths and Coding it takes away both the stereotype that Coding is niche, for geeks and nerds, and in the hope it also takes away some of the fear young people have with Maths and a struggle to understand it (as I had in my own education) and further pushes the relevancy of numeracy in areas of life.The success and weekly numbers at CoderDojos and the popular Annual National scratch competitions show our young have a passion for coding, tech week and engineers week further promote the exposure this gets applying it to the modern world.I say lets get behind this, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain, some might say I am biased (a computing teacher from England) no apologies there but i am less biased but more passionate and enthusiastic about giving our children the experience to program in their earlier years as I had back in the 1980's classroom, hopefully increasing other skills and influencing further academic routes or career choices, at the same time up skilling teachers in their own CPD and expanding their teaching toolkit - surely a win fro the kids a win for the teachers!
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2016 03:25:58 -0700
From: seamus...@eircom.net
To: cesi...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [CESI List] There isn''t Coding in Irish schools but there could be. Let's start doing it.Coding! I was asked by a UK colleague the other day if there is Computer Science on the Irish national curriculum just like there is on the English curriculum. I said No, Computing isn't on the Irish curriculum. Then, in a Eureka moment I changed my mind and said; On second thought, there COULD BE coding on the Irish curriculum right now. It's not official, not obligatory and the DES and the TES of the DES don't even need to approve it. Teachers don't have to teach children coding but they do have to teach Maths in the best way possible! If they are shown how easy it is to support 80% of their Maths teaching with Scratch, they can use coding in the class.How? Can it be that simple?Yes. Coding is on the curriculum if it means supporting Maths teaching through Scratch with READY STEADY CODE (RSC). 80% of the Maths curriculum can be supported through Scratch with RSC. You can see the logic in my argument at the web site www.readysteadycode.ie . It's even possible at secondary level. I am an expert at primary level, but not at secondary.There is an upcoming training event in Kilkenny Education Centre on 13th and 14th May. Already, most education centres have sent at least 1 Scratch tutor to the launch of Ready Steady Code in Navan Education Centre on 11th and 12th March to train as a Champion RSC Tutors. I am grateful that the education centres have begun their support for RSC (even at their expense). I believe RSC can gather more support to make it happen, electively!There are obvious problems with introducing Code (as it is perceived by the IT industry, the Media, 3rd level Colleges, the Politicians etc) into the Irish school system both primary and secondary. I believe coding as a subject in school is never going to happen, except through READY STEADY CODE. That's why I'm asking CESI subscribers to get behind RSC - that is, unless there is a strong reason not to support it. If so, I'd love to hear the counter argument.I believe the argument for RSC is convincing enough to warrant training costs (i.e. support for the education centres) from STEM funding. I've been in Intel HQ and in Google HQ and can find no reason why they and other such private bodies can't support RSC through crowd funding. Who is making the call to Code? Who is calling for the HOUR of CODE? Let's get practical. Let's start doing it. Let Ireland not hang around codding when Ireland can be CODING!Come to Kilkenny EC in May or enquire from your local education centre if there is a trained RSC Champion Tutor in your area.See www.readysteadycode.ie and join READY STEADY CODE.Seamus O'NeillNavan
--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "CESI-list" group.
To post to this group, send email to cesi...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cesi-list+...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cesi-list?hl=en-GB where all messages are archived and are publically available to non members of the list. Messages may also show up in search engines etc.
Visit the web site www.cesi.ie
Attempts to use the list for commercial purposes may result removal from the list.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CESI-list" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cesi-list+...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cesi...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/cesi-list.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "CESI-list" group.
To post to this group, send email to cesi...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cesi-list+...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cesi-list?hl=en-GB where all messages are archived and are publically available to non members of the list. Messages may also show up in search engines etc.
Visit the web site www.cesi.ie
Attempts to use the list for commercial purposes may result removal from the list.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CESI-list" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cesi-list+...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cesi...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/cesi-list.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Beir bua,Mícheál J. Ó Meachair--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "CESI-list" group.
To post to this group, send email to cesi...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cesi-list+...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cesi-list?hl=en-GB where all messages are archived and are publically available to non members of the list. Messages may also show up in search engines etc.
Visit the web site www.cesi.ie
Attempts to use the list for commercial purposes may result removal from the list.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CESI-list" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cesi-list+...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cesi...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/cesi-list.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages