There are many free tools available that can allow any one, of any skill level to be introduced to programming. One in particular, Alice, developed at CMU provides an easy path too learning how to program. You will be shown how to incorporate Alice into the regular and or technology classroom
4. Create an Alice Program
● Lets create a “Frozen” movie scene with
Anna moving around with arrow keys.
● Add snow world, ice pond, castle, Anna and
Elsa.
● Add an event so that Anna can move with
the arrow keys.
5. Ellwood City Area School District
● Small Community in Western Pennsylvania
● 40 miles north of Pittsburgh
● North Side Primary School (K-2)
● Perry Lower Intermediate School (3-4)
● Hartman Intermediate School (5-6)
● Lincoln Jr./Sr. High School (7-12)
6. Mr. Keith Golebie
Computer Science Teacher 9 -12
(BCIT K-12)
Ellwood City Area School District
Many years in IT prior to public education
kgolebie@gmail.com
9. Objectives
● Anyone can teach/learn programming
● (Not just coding!)
● Programming can be implemented by
anyone, in any subject
● Learning - “Thinking” - Computational
Thinking, which is problem solving
● This can be done easily, and for free
13. Why Computer Science
We are very fortunate at ECASD to have Computer Programming Classes, but
there are gaps in our curriculum. (7th and 8th grades)
14. Why Computer Science in PA
19,866 open computing jobs (growing at 3.9x the state average)
4,155 computer science graduates
191 schools teach computer science
● CS doesn't count as math or science credit
● No clear CS teacher certification pathways
● No CS curriculum standards
15. Why Computer Science in PA
“'Within the Next 20 Years, Half of All Jobs Will Be Taken
Over by Machines” - Frank Sonder on LinkedIn (Tuesday)
16. Why Computer Science in PA
“Computer Science projects are opportunities, not
assignments.” - Nikki, 10th grader (Student of the week -
this week)
● Learning opportunities
● Relevance
● Job gap, gender gap, underrepresented groups gap
17. Why Computer Science in PA
Break the Bias
“How Elementary School Teachers’ Biases Can
Discourage Girls From Math and Science”
- NY Times yesterday
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/07/upshot/how-elementary-school-teachers-biases-can-discourage-girls-from-math-and-
science.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1&abt=0002&abg=0
18. Why Computer Science in PA
The earlier, the better
● Before Bias is formed
● Free Tools - break the economic bias
● Anyone, any age
● Research shows, the earlier we learn programming, the
better - helps with other subjects
19. Why Computer Science in PA
The earlier, the better
● Math - logic, problems solving
● Language - It’s a language!
● Reading for understanding
● We could go on….
20. ● CS-First at Hartman Intermediate School
● Our CS-First program is one of only two CS-First Programs
in Pennsylvania.
22. CS-First at Hartman-Game Design
● Signed in to the Scratch
Website.
● Watched videos to learn
about Game Design.
● Created Games.
● Shared with their Friends.
● Each day was a different
type of game.
26. CS-First at Hartman-Game Design
Day 7-We had a student design
his own Halloween game with
monsters, bullets and
pumpkins.. he wanted to start
with 6 and count down when a
bullet is shot and also keep track
of how many magazines were
used... Finally got him to think it
out on paper.
27. CS-First at Hartman-Game Design
-I never knew that I
would be able to
program my own game.
-I never thought I’d
ever be able to do all of
this stuff.
-I liked how we got to
program different
things.
-I loved the club, and
learning about how to
make my own sprites.
28. CS-First at Hartman-Game Design
Emily- Beetle Game
Mark- Platform Game
Molly- Maze Game
Anthony- Falling Objects Game
29. Computer Science at ECASD
Hour of Code 2013-2014
a movement to recruit
millions to try one hour
of computer science.
“Everybody in this country should
learn how to program a
computer...because it teaches you
how to think.”
-Steve Jobs
30. Hour of Code Event at ECASD
● Support from our Superintendent.
● Encouraged all teachers to get
involved in the Hour of Code.
● Classrooms participated in a pizza
party contest.
● Created a list of websites for
teachers to learn more about
programming and the Hour of
Code, teachers then selected their
own activity.
32. Hour of Code Event -Student Response
It was simple, but not
so easy it was boring.
It was entertaining on
top of being
educational.
- Mallory, 12th grade
It challenged me, but
not so much that I was
overcome by tears
and tempted to bash
my head into a brick
wall
- Nikaya, 12th grade
33. In my case, it gave typical under-performing students a chance to create something they probably never
thought possible. It gave them a sense of pride and ownership of achieving something important and more
advanced than they are used to. It allowed them to gain useful computer skills that they can apply to utilize
other computer programs that they may not have ever had the opportunity to experience. It also offers
students a hands-on, engaging lesson that keeps them motivated to do work without feeling like work. -
ECASD teacher
Hour of Code Event -Teacher Response
“The hour of code made the students think in a
different way than they normally do. It empowered
them to make decisions and choose their own
outcomes / goals. -ECASD teacher
34. Programming with Alice
Why Alice?
● Easy and Free
● No Internet Connection Needed
● 3-D Animations
● Local (Developed at CMU)
● Great Support Team
● Tons of Free Resources
35. Alice 2 or Alice 3
Alice 2 can be taught
for an introduction to
programming course.
Alice 3 can be taught in
advanced classes, or if
the class is moving into a
language by end of
course.
37. Resources for using Alice
● CMU
● Duke
● Oracle
● Listserve
● Youtube videos
● Summer courses at CMU
38. Some other Programming options
● Scratch
● Snap
● Tynker
● Code Monkey
● Code Avengers
● Google CS First
● Code Academy
● Google Made with Code
● Touch Development (Microsoft)