Today has been a great day or learning, Human Computer Interaction, Algorithms, Formal Coding where all covered in detail. These areas are covered in the New Zealand Digital Technologies Computer Science standards.
Activities from csunplugged and the new csfieldguide have kept us busy.
Included in the day was a look at the new algorithms introduction video that allows teachers to introduce the concept to students in a fun and exciting way.
We even get to try a new widget as part of the csfieldguide, one around algorithms, find the cute toy... this will allow students to put what the learn with ping pong balls, weights and balances into more depth in their report. Also looking at how to do battleships as part of the http://csunplugged.org/teachers-editionHuman Machine interaction, we were given a lesson by Jeff Johnson, the author of Designing with the mind in mind and GUI bloopers. He gave us some understanding of where Human Factors Engineering was used since the 1940's when battle weary solders tried doing tasks under battle conditions, ie. changing a tyre, how could they remember what to do when being under fire. I look forward to reading his books.
We then looked at Applications and what could make a good interface, and referred to the work on the nzacditt website http://nzacditt.org.nz/resources/programming-and-cs/244-as91371-plan-of-work-and-accompanying-resources. Also looked at were baddesigns.com. We then had to look at our own phones, or someone elses, could they work out how to add an alarm for three days, and then change it again laster one, this provided some laughs.
Algorithms, Binary, Sequencial, Bozo
Comparing with examples, using ping balls and cups and using a sorted sort then using a search algorithm to find a result.
Looking at Analysis vs Empirical, Analysis being able to prove it mathematically vs Practically doing the task.
There are a number of scratch projects that will assist with this to allow students to see the changes in time(cost) based upon the number of objects.
Also came up with compilers vs interrupters, what the difference is and how we could inform our students about the ideas being delivered.
Formal Languages
How would you tell if something was a identifier or integer? An identifier would be a variable, in certain languages there is a certain way that they need to be designed, could a number start a variable, letter, special character?
We then got to play station conductor, working out wether to jump on train A or train B, how do we get to a certain station. This is something that can be done with principals to show them what we are trying to do with our students, I would have loved to know what other examples Tim uses to show principals what computer science is all about. This was the introduction to finate state automata, which allow the students to do a physical hookin with the treasure island csunplugged activity and allows for the ability to simplify notation. Regular expressions could be done under the Rede Dictionary which allows for a.e.i.o a*b* notation, which could a interesting introduction, I just have to find how to do this using the advanced features in Microsoft Word, as this would cause some fun with students to just realise how powerful Word is.
Jack showed us the 7 bridges problems as well as a couple of others that the bridge shows. I keep finding more hidden meaning everytime we are shown the bridge http://bridges.canterbury.ac.nz/
We then started talking about compression and coding and how these could be used within the course, How can computers guess what the next letters could be?
Finish of the day was looking at what is required for the assessment, 1500 words.
What a great day, thank you to the classmates on starting this journey. Now to look at the readings to do for the assessment. Designing with the mind in mind, Human Machine Interaction through the csfieldguide and comparing it with some other material. Holidays?
just for extra reading, we are not the only place having a struggle to get girls into computing http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/newsletter-spring-2013.pdf
2 comments:
What do you think you might do differently after being at Saturday's course with your students?
Actually do the standards, I have each year given the students opportunties to know some of the course content and do some of the activites, but never had them formally write down and hand it in. I am one of the teachers who has been asking for PD, support, ideas on how to teach this and did not think myself capable to do it. But as I have attended CS4HS and other development opportunities I think I have a good guide on ways to put the messages across that the students can understand. I look forward to submitting the standards this year.
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