[Yr7-10it] coding in 2017

Wed Dec 14 09:13:02 AEDT 2016

Processing http://processing.org/ seems to pop up more and more regularly
as an introductory general purpose programming language which supports OOP.

Might be better suited to the situation where every student is learning the
language, rather than those who have chosen programming as an elective.

kp

On Tue, Dec 13, 2016 at 10:52 PM, Garth, Lucas A <
garth.lucas.a at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:

> HI Mel (& other interested onlookers)
>
> At the moment I'm looking at having Python installed as our main
> programming language at Lalor Secondary College.
>
> The reasons:
> - It's likely to be high paying - sample: http://tech.co/highest-paying-
> programming-languages-2015-03
> - There are heaps of online resources including codecademy
> - It taps in to Raspberry Pi (they were created to facilitate the teaching
> of Python)
> - Programming language isn't the hardest to learn the basics (though
> admittedly not quite as easy as VB IMO)
> - Integration of turtle program into maths
> - National Code Challenge by GROK Learning is in Python
> - Feeds into Computing/Informatics nicely through the use of Beautiful
> Soup extracts (and Panda data analysis)
>
> Python's downsides:
> - Needs to be installed on every computer (therefore get an image) or else
> you go with a limited pythonanywhere.com and rely on decent quality
> internet...might be a struggle in most govt schools...
> - Limited front-end development, unless you also teach a framework (which
> I think you probably should teach your students if they are going to go
> into a developer career - I'll be teaching my students HTML + CSS +
> Bootstrap to give them a good grounding for the web).  As I'm generally a
> better back-end developer, I prefer teaching basic ASCII art initially for
> the students to gain a concept of graphics, though I've also taught
> students a little bit of the Flask framework and it looked fairly
> straight-forward.
>
> How I'm planning to insert this into the curriculum (2017-2018)
>
> Year 7 - Limited programming in Digitech, however there will be teaching
> HTML/CSS and use of a CMS (e.g. Weebly / Wordpress). Maybe some basic
> Python if we are to link Raspberry Pi computers together with an Ethernet
> cable. Maths needs use of a general purpose programming language and I'm
> encouraging the use of the Turtle app in Python, which is based on the Logo
> programming language for the more experienced teachers on list.
>
> Year 8 - Programming basics in Python. Use of mBots (with Scratch-like
> mBlock code structure) for a short sequence of more hands-on coding.
>
> Year 9 - Include Python programming in unit on game design using Pygame
> resources.
>
> Year 10 - Data extraction and manipulation using Python.  Show the basics
> of Bootstrap alongside consolidation of HTML/CSS skills. Use of Grove
> Starter Kits for Arduino for hands-on coding.
>
> Year 11 - NCSS CHALLENGE - GROK competition - Python. Bootstrap usage for
> web development SAC. Learn SQL for databases.
>
> Year 12 - Encourage the use of Python (data extraction) and Bootstrap
> (data presentation) for Informatics SAT, and SQL for databases SAC.
>
>
> Now - to develop the resources! Let me know if you've already headed down
> this rabbit hole!
>
> Lucas Garth
> Lalor SC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@
> edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of yr7-10it-request at edulists.com.au
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> To: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
> Subject: Yr7-10it Digest, Vol 131, Issue 6
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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Re: coding in 2017 (Mel Yuan)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2016 03:52:48 +0000
> From: Mel Yuan <melyuan at hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Yr7-10it] coding in 2017
> To: "Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List"
>         <yr7-10it at edulists.com.au>
> Message-ID: <A05757CD-6650-47ED-9E00-2323557005AE at hotmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Hi,
>
> I?m glad someone raised this language pathway issue.
>
> The problem is ? exactly what general-purpose programming language?
> Unfortunately most programming languages are pretty specific. JavaScript is
> oft-cited but this is not really a stand-alone language in the way, say,
> Visual Basic is designed to be. The Khan Academy and code.org<
> http://code.org> teaching materials are great but they?re really
> providing a whole environment and therefore purpose for JS - something the
> language itself was not really designed for.
>
> Alice is designed to be object-oriented, so I?m happy these ideas could be
> introduced at 7/8. If you were really keen you could use Alice 3 and
> transition into Java. GameMaker for 7/8 also works for me as you have to
> build up a conceptual model of ?what is a game??. In the next generation of
> the 9/10 elective I?m also flirting with the idea of Visual Basic because
> you can include ideas of Application Architecture (n layers). Microsoft has
> some pretty good pricing for things like Team Server for Education packages
> - getting students into Visual Studio IDE with Team Server source control,
> now that is starting to look like real programming! I know Python has its
> fans at year 12 ?
>
> I take your point about Scratch. I think it?s okay if everyone does it
> year 1 but would like to have something different perhaps in year 2 at Y6.
>
> https://madmaker.com.au/ came to our school to use Arduino to teach Y9s
> programming. I see this as okay in year 1 but once you get a few students
> through you need to start building projects with more stuff. Someone told
> me about the sensor packs, etc. you can get for Edison boards. I think
> these projects require a fair bit of investment in equipment. More so that
> straight-up programming which can be done on existing gear, cheap or free ?
>
> Over time I hope these descriptors become more, well, descriptive, in
> terms of programming ideas rather than using languages as a proxy.
>
> Compliments of the season all!
>
> Cheers, Mel
>
>
>
> On 12 Dec 2016, at 1:32 pm, Grieve, Carlin C <grieve.carlin.c at edumail.vic.
> gov.au<mailto:grieve.carlin.c at edumail.vic.gov.au>> wrote:
>
> Good work Mel,
>
> Overall I think the learning path is the part that is the most important.
> You need to ensure that student capacity is built on each year, as it helps
> the students (As well as the staff ? ) Looks like you have this under
> control!
> Having different environments (IDE?s) is always a good thing too, so
> students do not get hooked on the idea ?I can only program in scratch?
> Ken was right in ensuring it meets the need of the curriculum though.
> ?        Yr5/6 Band: Develop digital solutions as simple visual programs
> (VCDTCD033)<http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/
> ContentDescription/VCDTCD033>
> ?        Yr7/8 Band: ? using a general-purpose programming language
> (VCDTCD043)<http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/
> ContentDescription/VCDTCD043>
> ?        Yr9/10 Band: ? using an object-oriented programming
> language(VCDTCD053)<http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/
> ContentDescription/VCDTCD053>
>
> I am interested in what you do with Arduino?s at Year 8 though, as my
> first implementation failed big time (Expectations vs Reality)
>
>
> Kind Regards,
> <image001.png>
>
>
>
>
> Carlin Grieve
> Learning Technologies Leading Teacher
> Epping Secondary College
> T: +61 3 9401 2599
> W:www.eppingsc.vic.edu.au<http://www.eppingsc.vic.edu.au/>
>
>
>
>
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au<mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@
> edulists.com.au> [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of
> ken price
> Sent: Monday, 12 December 2016 1:13 PM
> To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List <
> yr7-10it at edulists.com.au<mailto:yr7-10it at edulists.com.au>>
> Subject: Re: [Yr7-10it] Fwd: coding in 2017
>
> Doesn't year 7-10 require a general purpose programming language? (based
> on Aust Curric Digital Technologies)
>
> kp
>
> On Mon, Dec 12, 2016 at 1:04 PM, Mel Yuan <melyuan at hotmail.com<mailto:me
> lyuan at hotmail.com>> wrote:
> Hi folks,
> Didn?t get much response from the Primary folks, per below ? what do you
> guys think?
> Considering putting MS Touch Develop in somewhere too ? anyone had
> experience with this? Microsoft have invested in a fair bit of curriculum
> materials.
>
> We?re doing some Robotics/Systems as well - Y4 Blue Bots, Y6 Makey Makey,
> Y7 Mindstorm, Y8 Arduino.
>
> Cheers, Mel
>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Mel Yuan <melyuan at hotmail.com<mailto:melyuan at hotmail.com>>
> Subject: coding in 2017
> Date: 9 December 2016 7:35:37 am AEDT
> To: primaryit at edulists.com.au<mailto:primaryit at edulists.com.au>
>
> Hello all,
>
> I am starting a new role next year in DigiTech 4-10, having taught 8, 11,
> 12 (SoftDev) this year. The school has a new program, having offered
> compulsory IT in years 7-8 for some years.
>
> This is my current plan for coding in 2017 with a view to strengthening
> pathways over time. I?d be interested in your thoughts - do you do the same
> or different? Have a missed a language that is a must-have?
>
> I?m thinking that code.org<http://code.org/> is the theoretical
> ?backbone? that teaches concepts, and the other language is something they
> can make stuff with.
>
> Y4 - code.org<http://code.org/> Course 2, Scratch
> Y5 - code.org<http://code.org/> Course 2/3, Scratch
> Y6 - code.org<http://code.org/> Course 2/3/4, Scratch
> Y7 - code.org<http://code.org/> Accelerated Course 2-4, Alice 2
> Y8 - code.org<http://code.org/> Accelerated Course 2-4, GameMaker
> Y9/10 elective - code.org<http://code.org/> CSP course 3 AppLab, elective
> language (Scratch, Alice, GameMaker or other for project)
>
> It?s a small school and when the cohort grows, current students can keep
> progressing through code.org<http://code.org/> while new students start
> at Course 2 or Accelerated.
>
> Cheers, Mel
>
>
>
>
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> --
> --
> Dr Ken Price MACS(Snr) CP ACCE Professional Associate.
> Immediate Past President, TASITE http://www.tasite.tas.edu.au<h
> ttp://www.tasite.tas.edu.au/>
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-- 
-- 
Dr Ken Price MACS(Snr) CP ACCE Professional Associate.
Immediate Past President, TASITE http://www.tasite.tas.edu.au
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