Episode 128: From Blocks to Code with PickCode

This episode is all about working with the data we generate for students, whether it's in the classroom, your school, or your district. Special guest star Rusti Gregory joins us to talk about his transition from the classroom to the data manager role. Special Guest: Rusti Gregory.

18 Nov 202139min

Kelly and Sean revisit some of our favorite hardware that we use to teach Python. From the various versions of the BBC micro:bit to the ecosystem of CircuitPython boards, we talk about all the pros and cons! Whether you're just getting started with using Python in hardware or you're a seasoned teacher, this episode should have something for everyone. We use hardware to give tactile and tangible feedback for our students when they write code. Students learn to do everything from make lights blink and shimmer to driving motors to using sensors to measure the environment. Join us on a journey into Python hardware!

3 Nov 20211h 5min

Kelly and Sean interview Tom Lauwers, founder and CEO of BirdBrain Technologies (https://www.birdbraintechnologies.com) about the role of robotics in the computer science classroom. We've used the Finch 2.0 robot, which is designed to use the BBC micro:bit as a foundation for coding and computer science. Whether you're in a traditional classroom, teaching after school, or just trying to get people excited about the POWER OF CODING, robots can play a vital role in learning. About BirdBrain Technologies: BirdBrain Technologies’ mission is to inspire deep and joyful learning in all students through creative robotics. Founded at the CREATE Lab (https://www.cmucreatelab.org/home) at Carnegie Mellon University (https://www.cmu.edu) in 2010, BirdBrain is a research-based company that promotes gender equality and diversity in computer science, engineering, and robotics. A large part of our mission is to assist educators interested in bringing computer science and engineering design into any classroom. We work collaboratively to support teachers with free standards-aligned curriculum and professional development. Our products have been used by thousands of teachers around the world to bring creative design and robotics fun into the classroom! Special Guest: Tom Lauwers.

15 Okt 202146min

Kelly and Sean discuss their latest experiments in the classroom, including student peer code reviews, testing code for correctness, and creating comfy environments for coding.

28 Sep 202137min

A lunchtime livestream with Kelly and Sean talking about setting up learning environments for students, coaching and setting high expectations for students, and the new tools we're using this year for teaching code. Replit Teams for Education Daily Challenges for formative assessment Physical classroom layouts Google Colab Choice Boards High expectations teaching Note: Kelly's audio track has a bit of echo that we can't eliminate. We'll get it fixed for next time.

9 Sep 202147min

With the new school year upon us, we're talking about CSTA standards and how they can be applied to the classroom environment. Join Kelly and Sean as they talk through ways to plan, deliver, and assess CS student standards. The Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA) (https://www.csteachers.org/) provides student standards for learning as well as professional development standards for instructions. For example, there are 23 standards for grades 6-8 (https://www.csteachers.org/page/standards) that cover everything from algorithms & programming to inclusionary culture to networks and internet. How do you go from a published standard to an engaging lesson that raises student learning?

6 Aug 202153min

The Teaching Python podcast speaks with Quinten Sheriff from Concordia University , an Instructional Designer, e-learning implementation specialist, and curriculum developer with global experience on four continents. A systems thinker who uses instructional models such as ADDIE, AGILE, SAM, ARCS. In this episode, we will explore topics such as designing curriculum for the next year, and what it means to design for instruction versus designing for content. In this we can also look at designing for inclusivity, diversity and equity. Special Guest: Quinten Sheriff.

23 Juli 202156min

It's been a few weeks since we recorded, so this week's episode is all about catching up on listener questions and mail. Highlights include: * the new AWS machine learning course we're taking, * whether we'd rather be teachers or coders * the new Adafruit hardware we're trying * the Deep Composer keyboard * equity and equitable opportunity in and out of the classroom You can also check out the recording of the livestream on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL6GRe37eiY)

6 Juli 20211h 5min