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A Middle School Computing Science
Initiative
A bottom-up approach...
Harvey DuffSchool CS Outreach Consultant Department of Computing ScienceUniversity of Alberta)
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeA Quick Overview of:
WhyHowWhatWho
Why? To deal with three Senior High CS issues
Poor Gender BalanceLack of General AppealEthnic Diversity
A Middle School Computing Science
Initiative
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeHow?Address these issues in earlier grades
Starting in Junior High – goodStarting in Upper Elementary – betterStarting in K to 3 - best
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeHow? Offer units of study that:
Appeal to girlsAppeal to diverse populationsAre culturally sensitiveLink with other subject areas
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeHow? Offer units of study that:
Are Intrinsically MotivatingUse a systematic Computational Thinking model Use an “agile” approachHave Iterative, Incremental, Evolutionary work
approachUse Design, Develop, Code, Assess cycles
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeHow? Offer units of study that move students to
become:More autonomous learnersMore collaborativeMore able to decompose problems into a set of
smaller, simpler problems
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeHow? Offer units of study that move students to
become:More able to develop algorithmsMore able to implement those algorithmsMore able to transfer Skills and Knowledge from one
domain to another
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeHow? Use CTF as a vehicle to develop units of studyIncorporate them in core subjects in
ElementaryDevelop as a stand alone CTF Option in
Junior High – BUT linked to other subjectsLink to Computing Oriented CTS OAs
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeHow? Use a cross division team to develop the unitsHave Elementary teachers “drive” the units
aimed at ElementaryHave Junior High teachers “drive” the units
aimed at Junior HighUse an agile approach to develop agile units
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeWhat? Create project sequences to help students
move from: Heavily scaffolded projects to less scaffolded ones.Following algorithms to developing algorithmsWalk through to emulation to creationCook to chef
A Middle School Computing Science
Initiative
What?
A Middle School Computing Science
Initiative:What?The Queen Elizabeth CSI using approach to
develop:Interactive Map of Canada (Gr. 5 Social)Predator/Prey Exploration (Gr. 5 Science)Slide Show style Timeline (Gr. 5 Social)Side Scrolling Timeline Template (Gr. 6 Social)
A Middle School Computing Science
Initiative:What?
Generic Story Telling Project sequenceSingle Frame Biography Two Person ConversationMulti-scene Story
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeWhat?Looking to build a “syllabus” of similar projects
at Junior High using:ScratchGame MakerPythonHTML/CSS/JavaScript
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeWho?NCC CSI team consists of Junior High,
Elementary, Senior High and Post Secondary teachers based out of Queen Elizabeth High School in Edmonton.
Any Senior High could “clone” this initiative for their catchment area.
A Middle School Computing Science
InitiativeInterested in doing something
similar?
Contact me and I’ll put you in touch with the principal players.
