Computer Science Education Jessica Gorman and Crystal Noel Computer Systems

Introduction Every day, technology becomes more advanced and accessible o Little progress made at elementary school level Goal: to implement computer programming to educate elementary and/or middle school students in math and science

What is the Scratch Program? Cardinal Forest Elementary School 25 min weekly classes Origins of the Program o Gates o Allard

Program Content Curriculum developing process o SOLs o Introduction to Computer Science Student Projects o Lesson plans o Rubrics o Introduction to new skills Blackboard

What is Scratch? Scratch o MIT Media Lab Why Scratch? o Kid-friendly o Drag and drop text o Multimedia o Visually focused

Developing a Curriculum Topics o Integration of SOL topics  Coordinate System  Random Problem Solving o Step-by-step process o Independent Projects Computer Science Skills o Loops o Methods (Scripts)

Time Line October- November: basic Scratch skills December- February: teacher designed projects March- May: game design and individual projects

Shapes Project

Winter Wonderland Project

Fish Game Project

Research Topics Benefits of Computer Education Designing Computer Programs in Elementary School Computer Science for Young Minds

Benefits of a Computer Science Education Benefits o Problem Solving o Teamwork o Dependability Procedure o Observations o Surveys o Assessments

Observations Student A: o One of brightest students o Issues in the classroom, but not Scratch o Opportunity to learn skills Student B: o Very intelligent, yet quiet o Kept to himself o Came out of shell to help others

Surveys and Assessments Assessments record knowledge retained o coordinate plane o random o broadcasting Surveys measure o interest in computer science o social skills

Designing Computer Programs in Elementary School Value in program design o Problem solving skills o Troubleshooting o Independence o Creativity

Project Design ‘Make your own rubric’ activities Individual projects o Pac Man o Super Mario o Dodgeball o Animated Story

Story Rubric

Observations Lack of structure negatively influenced behavior o Don’t see benefits of planning o Reluctant to think for themselves o Only productive when heavily directed Learning to brainstorm New creativity outlet

Computer Science for Young Minds Elements of an effective class o Well-defined, but lax Teaching computer programming o Immersion Unorthodox teaching methods o Video conferencing

Development and Procedures Curriculum-expanding on predecessor’s ideas o Improvements required Videos with Scratch o Part of auxillary research o Created and used as teaching aids

Development and Procedures Considered teleconferencing o Initially abandoned, then reconsidered and implemented

Problems Incompatibility o Latest Scratch for Linux: 1.2  Required: 1.3 o Few formal sources for Scratch Transportation o No car Timing o Different period

Results Students continue to learn o Different paces observed Project successful o Difficulties reasonably overcome

Conclusion Computer as medium o Teaching Students o The sooner, the better How young is too young? o Maybe never

Future of Scratch Connections to other schools o Videoconferencing o Model program