1. Computer Science Education Jessica Gorman and Crystal Noel Computer Systems 2008-09

2. 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

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

4. 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

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

7. 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)

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

9. Shapes Project

10. Winter Wonderland Project

11. Fish Game Project

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

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

14. 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

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

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

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

18. Story Rubric

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

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

23. 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

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

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

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