In the classroom it is always predictable that if someone gets stuck they want the easy way out and they ask for the answer. In the past I have given in at times and just given students the answers, I’ll honestly say that i’m a little nervous that i wont know the answer when it comes to applying computer science.
I have recently found the power of collaborative work. It’s tricky to get the students to catch on to how effective it can be, but once they figure out 2-3 minds working together are better than one, they like it a lot more too. Collaborative group work is definitely something i plan on using in my classroom this year.
I would like the students to find more ownership of their learning, use each other first to solve questions and the teacher as a last resort. This allows them to learn to ask and answer questions. They need to not fear mistakes (a big one in my room) and cherish them as learning experiences. It would also be great if they realized the things they could build and create with the computer and not see it as a tool for power points and gaming.
I was struck by the quote “Don’t get stuck as the sage on the stage. Try being the guide on the side.” I think allowing students to be the expert gives them a power boost like no other. If we scaffold our teaching, we can give students the power to explore and be an expert. I am excited to give them the power to be an expert.
I realized early on that I didn’t need to be the coding expert in my classroom, and that I just needed to be there and provide the opportunity. Coding is surprisingly much more collaborative than you may first think. My students are often plugged in doing their own thing, but there is also an element of wandering and looking for help and sharing their projects with each other. The sharing leads to “how did you do that” and them teaching each other new things. My special ed students find as much success as my gifted students when it comes to coding. They can all do it. And they can do it on a variety of levels.
I want students to feel like they can take risks, try new things and be creative, make mistakes and support each other. I’m always amazed at the things students create when given a lot of freedom. They come up with things that I hadn’t considered. A main barrier for me will be our questionable wifi, especially with multiple students on netbooks at the same time.
I believe teachers should be facilitators and guides in learning, guiding students to figure out how to solve problems without actually solving them for the students. It will be the first time I incorporate coding into my classroom so I think the students might get frustrated when they encounter a mistake in their code and will look for the teacher to give them the answer. I think this will be a barrier that I’ll run into: pushing students to think for themselves and solve their own coding mistakes.
I would like the students to own the program and learn science that it focuses on.
I know from last years experience that I will definitely face the following problems.
- Lack of computers [ class of 30-36, only 5 computers)
- Testing time from February to May blocks all computer labs
- Level 1 and 2 students assigned to me last year could not focus beyond the first two lines they read. How do I keep them interested in the tedious process of writing the code.
- Students are fantastic end users and need instant gratification to maintain interest. How does the program tackle that?
I’d like a classroom environment where students felt safe to share ideas and ask questions. I would like students to be engaged in their learning and learn from one another as well. I can see students getting frustrated when stuck. Giving them strategies to help them become “unstuck” could be useful.
Yes. Perseverance will be very important. I also like the part about learning from mistakes.
I have been teaching the engineering design process to my students as we design solutions to problems. I see a lot of similarities between doing computer science and engineering. You get used to the idea that the process requires making mistakes. Your product will not work the first time. It will need modification and improvement. These experiences help students to develop the trait of persistence.
I also love the idea of celebrating your accomplishments by sharing your products. This helps students see that they can do hard things. Strategies for doing hard things include accessing resources (experts, peers, documents) and breaking down big problems into lots of smaller problems. And finding satisfaction when you solve a little problem. I love that!
Students are more engaged when a problem is challenging. It’s important that teachers provide opportunities for students to engage in a process that is challenging but achievable. And that’s what coding is for students.
I worry about the student’s stamina. This will be a new area and they will be challenged to think and examine their own work for error’s. This has been a challenge because helping them examine their work has always been an issue when students expect to be given the answer when they are stuck.
Collaborative groups that interact internally and share their ideas with the other groups, both group to group and group to class, is my classroom structure of choice. My students are always working together and my teacher to whole class interactions occur primarily to start a lesson and to check for understanding toward the end of a class period. Adding CS will be an important tool. My computer resources are distributed in lab settings, thus students will not be in the classroom during some phases of the process. Mobile computers will sometimes be available and employed to encourage collaboration and group interactions.
The classroom culture that I would like to promote is one where the students are curious and willing to learn. One where students are actively engaged to better themselves through education. As a middle school teacher I’ve had students that have already been turned off to learning for one reason or another. It is extremely difficult to get them to see the benefit in education once this has happened. If a student sees soomething as too difficult they may not even attempt to try for fear of failing.
Yes, computers themselves create barriers.
In my classroom, some barriers I may run in to are student access to technology at home. I teach in an underserved area and the student may not have the support structure to continue the coding work individually.
Collaborative groups and student stamina are potential barriers that may affect students performance.
I want to promote a self-guided culture. Where we, as the students and the teacher, are learning together and the students are using me for my expertise to answer their own questions. I would love to see the roles shift from lecture to group learning/discussion. I can see barriers from parents on this concept. Parents will often think that the teacher is being lazy or not “doing their job” if they’re not lecturing/demonstrating.
It is okay to make a mistake because it provides an opportunity for learning and growth. Although it can be discouraging when faced with academic obstacles that students can’t easily overcome, it is important that they don’t give up or allow it to affect their selfworth. I anticipate that some students will get frustrated and maybe even give up when they are faced with a new challenge that takes time to successfully complete.
Oh, yes! The wifi and lack of available computers/devices either in class or at home can interfere without warning. I learned to always have a backup plan for days we are scheduled to use technology. ; )
My classroom culture that I promote in my classroom is that there are no wrong answers. You must be able to validate your response. If you are unsure of an answer, it is ok to “phone a friend” and it is ok to ask a question because there may be other students in the class who have the same question. I always encourage my students to teach me, I am always learning from them, so I encourage them to lead a discussion or to answer more when we have Socratic seminars. I love to pose questions that make them think and I love that look on their face when they get an epiphany or the little light bulb goes on in their brain.