[Yr11 Information Technology] U2O1 Using Python - analysis on the NCSS Challenge from GROK for VCE Students

Fri Jun 8 22:19:01 EDT 2018

Hi Alex

That’s a decent solution particularly for the students who are slower to get through tasks. If you’re going to pay $30 per student you really need to make sure everyone grows in knowledge and the specific courses are a structured approach to doing just that. If you know the students are motivated (and you can test this in Week 1 by ensuring they get through all tasks in the NSSC challenge) then you could give students the option – at no extra charge – of doing the Challenge instead.

If you aren’t using GROK, then PythonAnywhere has been a fairly decent (and free) hosting option for those without IDLE. It’s especially good at handling the installation and setup for frameworks. Note – there are limitations without the use of more graphical modules such as turtle and pygame (and also those who are under 13 will be unable to use the service).

Worth a look:
https://www.pythonanywhere.com/

LG

From: yr11it <yr11it-bounces at edulists.com.au> On Behalf Of Alex Leahy
Sent: Friday, 8 June 2018 6:10 PM
To: Year 11 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List <yr11it at edulists.com.au>
Subject: Re: [Yr11 Information Technology] U2O1 Using Python - analysis on the NCSS Challenge from GROK for VCE Students

Another option with Grok that might be more appropriate is to use their Introduction to Programming (Python) and Introduction to Programming 2 (Python).

This way you won’t be restricted to the pace of the NCSS and you can have students go through at a faster or slower pace as required. You could also set your own tasks for assessment which they can complete on Grok in a module called Python Playgrounds (this one is available on the free account) if installing IDLE is an issue (eg: iPads).

Regards,
Alex

Alex Leahy
Head of Digital Learning
D +61 3 9490 6426  T +61 3 9490 6222
E aleahy at ivanhoegirls.vic.edu.au<mailto:aleahy at ivanhoegirls.vic.edu.au>
123 Marshall Street, Ivanhoe Victoria 3079 Australia

[cid:image001.png at 01D3FFEB.20D36A40]<https://www.ivanhoegirls.vic.edu.au/ivanhoeggs/>[cid:image002.png at 01D3FFEB.20D36A40]<https://www.facebook.com/ivanhoegirls>[cid:image003.png at 01D3FFEB.20D36A40]<https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivanhoe-girls%27%E2%80%8B-grammar?trk=top_nav_home>[cid:image004.png at 01D3FFEB.20D36A40]
[cid:image005.png at 01D3FFEB.20D36A40]<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-5mbnOdhKCQ_Q3tFYlPHcA>

On 8 Jun 2018, at 5:08 pm, Garth, Lucas A <garth.lucas.a at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:garth.lucas.a at edumail.vic.gov.au>> wrote:

Hi all

I’ve used GROK learning (National Computer Science School Challenge) and Invent with Python in the last few years. GROK can be hard to manage the classroom, so it makes sense to get a free login and try it out. Considering it’s $30 per student for a year’s membership, it’s not to be undertaken lightly.

I’d also spend some time working out how you will choose assess the students and avoid plagiarism.  I understand and have used pair programming in the past with GROK learning but that’s when I’ve run programs for Year 10s and I always feel uncomfortable assessing students in team outcomes without a clear rubric and personal contributions pages (which leads to far more authentication requirements – collaboration may be excellent for student learning but it’s complicated for assessment).

GROK’s error debugging tools have tended to work better for HTML courses rather than Python – your students need to have a good understanding of debugging and problem-solving techniques and the ability to use print() regularly to understand how values change within a program before generating the solutions at the exact specification required. Some of the challenges are quite sophisticated.

Another complication is that students are provided with solutions on a weekly basis. This can be of benefit providing excellent points scoring for motivated students, but those who fall behind need to catch up, and they may do this with the help of solutions. Therefore only relying on students copying out the solutions as your sole assessment tool may not be in line with VCAA requirements.

I’m not saying don’t run it, but if you are, definitely go through the course yourself (you will almost certainly learn something about how to structure a course at the very least) and understand how you will deliver it to your students with their own learning needs. Low literacy students generally struggle completing challenges past about week 3 but that shouldn’t stop them completing the Outcome but this would require a SAC to be created that would allow them to demonstrate the requirements of the Outcome as distinct from the requirements of the GROK learning course.

Contact me off line if you want more information.

LG

From: yr11it <yr11it-bounces at edulists.com.au<mailto:yr11it-bounces at edulists.com.au>> On Behalf Of Roland Gesthuizen
Sent: Friday, 8 June 2018 4:27 PM
To: Year 11 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List <yr11it at edulists.com.au<mailto:yr11it at edulists.com.au>>
Subject: Re: [Yr11 Information Technology] U2O1 Using Python

I used the Grok Learning challenge .. we ended up paying for this. From memory it wasn’t much and several of the kids paid a bit extra to get the full suite of tutorials (teachers can see the hints and answers so you can get ahead). Online live helpdesk for the students is backed up by a cool team of Australians based at Sydney Uni. Nice how it can track their progress with the various challenges with a class dashboard so you can see their progress at a snapshot whilst walking around the room giving a hand. It was nice to get some fancy Coding Certificates to hand out at a school assembly to my year11
s instead of those for Maths, Science, Sports etc. https://groklearning.com<https://groklearning.com/>

--
Roland GESTHUIZEN
http://about.me/rgesthuizen

On 8 Jun 2018, at 4:15 pm, Richard Shelly <RSH at highvalesc.vic.edu.au<mailto:RSH at highvalesc.vic.edu.au>> wrote:

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any resources they could share some advice on how they run Unit 2 Outcome 2 with Python.

I ran Unit 2 last year using Visual Basic, but am switching things over to Python, and am just hoping for some pointers on how others go about it.

If there’s any pre-existing resources to be pointed at as well, even better.

Regards,
Richard
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au<http://www.edulists.com.au/> - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
Year 11 It Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/infotechindex.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
http://www.vitta.org.au<http://www.vitta.org.au/>  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University

IMPORTANT - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Training.

_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au<http://www.edulists.com.au/> - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
Year 11 It Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/infotechindex.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
http://www.vitta.org.au<http://www.vitta.org.au/>  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University

Disclaimer: Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that material contained in this email is free from computer viruses or other defects, the attached files are provided, and may only be used, on the basis that the user assumes all responsibility for use of the material transmitted. This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify us immediately by return email or telephone +6139490 6222 and destroy the original message.

IMPORTANT - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Training.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr11it/attachments/20180609/e89202f8/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 3488 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr11it/attachments/20180609/e89202f8/attachment-0005.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 2240 bytes
Desc: image002.png
URL: <http://edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr11it/attachments/20180609/e89202f8/attachment-0006.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.png
Type: image/png
Size: 2299 bytes
Desc: image003.png
URL: <http://edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr11it/attachments/20180609/e89202f8/attachment-0007.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image004.png
Type: image/png
Size: 2469 bytes
Desc: image004.png
URL: <http://edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr11it/attachments/20180609/e89202f8/attachment-0008.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image005.png
Type: image/png
Size: 28145 bytes
Desc: image005.png
URL: <http://edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr11it/attachments/20180609/e89202f8/attachment-0009.png>