http://scribe.net/2013-04-11T01:20:00-07:002013-04-11T01:20:00-07:00Chris Bradfieldtag:scribe.net,2013-04-11:working-on-kidscancodeorg.html

<p>I'm excited to write about my newest project, <a href="http://kidscancode.org/">KidsCanCode</a>. I've been strongly in favor of increased computer science instruction for kids for some time. However, the more I've gotten involved with schools, the more I realize that the public school system (nor even private schools in most cases) is not going to be able to address the problem. K-12 education is focused solely on serving the standardized testing agenda, and tightening budgets will only make it more so.</p> <p>See <a href="http://code.org/">Code.org</a> for more, including some eye-opening stats.</p> <p>So what's the solution? I believe there is plenty of interest out there from parents, educators, and organizations - we just need more people to work to make it happen. At KidsCanCode we're going to be building affordable after-school programs and workshops that will get more kids the hands-on experience with technology that will spark a lifelong interest.</p> <p>Ultimately our goal in particular is to put these tools in the hands of those groups of kids who are the most underserved when it comes to technology education:</p> <ul> <li>Girls - while women earn 57% of all undergraduate degrees in the US, they only account for 18% of those issued in computer science related fields (see <a href="http://www.todaysengineer.org/2013/Mar/gender-diversity.asp">Today's Engineer: Fostering Gender Diversity in Computing</a>). We need to foster an early interest in girls, especially prior to high school.</li> <li>Underpriviledged kids - Using the Raspberry Pi allows us to supply an incredible learning computer to kids who may not have access to a computer at home.</li> </ul> <p>That's the idea. I look forward to updating here with our progress.</p> <h4>A note on this blog</h4> <p>I'm still tinkering with how I want to set this up, so you'll notice there is no comments section. I'm of two minds about the value of blog comments in general, so they may not materialize at all. If you'd like to contact me, please feel free to use the link on the right.</p>

2013-03-21T01:20:00-07:00Chris Bradfieldtag:scribe.net,2013-03-21:python-for-kids.html

<p>This is the beginnings of the course description for the Python programming class I'm planning for my daughter's elementary school. The class will be 5th graders (10-11 years old). This is a work in progress.</p> <h2>Goals of the course</h2> <p>This course will provide an introduction to the general concepts of computer programming, using the Python language. The students will gain an understanding of computer science principles and a functional familiarity with general programming techniques such as abstraction, decomposition, and algorithms.</p> <h4>Benefits of learning programming</h4> <p>We are surrounded by technology, and every single piece of technology, from your smartphone to the car you drive, is controlled by software that was written by programmers. Learning about programming helps you learn about how computers work.</p> <p>Learning programming skills, even at the elementary school level, can have numerous benefits:</p> <ul> <li>It teaches about problem solving (algorithmic thinking)</li> <li>It's cross-curricular (solve math problems or create an art project)</li> <li>It generates early interest in Computer Science</li> <li>It stimulates design &amp; creativity</li> <li>It strengthens math skills</li> </ul> <h4>Why Python?</h4> <p>Python is a fully featured modern programming language that places an emphasis on writing code that is easy to read. As such, it has gained a strong following in educational circles as a first language for computer science courses.</p> <p>A summary of Python's benefits:</p> <ul> <li>Multi-platform - runs on all popular computing platforms</li> <li>Wide global industry support - Python is used at YouTube, NASA, Google, and many more</li> <li>Clean and simple syntax<ul> <li>Lets students focus on learning skills such as decomposition, without struggling with complicated syntax</li> <li>Python programs are easy to read</li> </ul> </li> <li>General purpose - can be applied to many different types of problems</li> </ul>