U1 Day 11-14: PD Discussion Topic

My students love to make designs on the computer, and relating it to data is perfect. I think this lesson will go over well in connecting pics that they see every day to how it is all stored in a computer as data.

Oh my goodness, I am so impressed by the posting on this site. I also enjoyed the videos with regards to 3D/2D. I certainly plan on having the students view all three videos to get them thinking about what other visual images or projects that they think could benefit from the use of 3D/2D. I personally have limited knowledge with regards to this type of visual arts and use of computers, however I am certainly willing to learn from my students. I also plan to investigate the use of the goggle sketch and goggle draw based on the feedback provided in this forum. I wasn’t able to design anything that I am willing to share with this forum, at this time. However, I will not give up, I will keep working on it until I have something to share with my students.

I think this is a great lesson to help students see just the vast array of CS concepts involved in so many realms of their lives. I think I might bring in the sneaker culture and try to use some online design tools for designing their own sneakers. I will probably also have them mess around with the iPad design apps we have access to.

I believe the resource videos linked in the professional development will be a great introduction to the lesson and will hook our students. These videos will help students see that there is more to computer science then just plain coding, but a vast array of jobs are available in the field.

Outside of what the course presents I am not sure of other free resources that are available, but plan to speak to our computer arts teacher who should be able to give me some ideas.

I am trying to access the three sites from school (Virtual Bead Loom, etc.) and a message that says “Webpage Unavailable” keeps coming up. I’m going to try it from home.

Hi Cindy,

I just checked and those sites are working for me. You might want to talk to someone at your school as they may be blocked on your network for some reason.

-Dani

Going to try to upload my bead loom…not the most creative…

I plan to show the video and allow students to recreate the patterns using various tools.

I plan to show the video and allow students to recreate the patterns using various tools. I also plan to use open source or free download software/apps for students.

Luckily, I do have access to photoshop in my computer lab. However, I think a great way to reinforce this lesson while making it connect to the real world is to ask the students to work backwards, by this I mean, students would find an animated image from a cartoon or video game, take a screen shot of the image and then try to recreate a simplified version using a simple x/y grid system. This will show patterns and mathematical concepts. Most importantly, it will show the importance of exact data points.

Photoshop is not a software available, but we have many other options: google draw and code.org have sites that will work just as well. Showing the idea of patterning is just as important and how it relates back to CS. small looms and yarn can work with hands-on designing.

I planned on using the videos that are listed. I will use gizmag.com and rugwear software as well. I would have love to do this lesson during our PD it gain more resources.

I was unable to or I did not know how to copy the image that I had created so that I could put it in this post. So, this is something that I will have to ask for help doing on one of Saturday classes. Doing some research on then internet I found a program that is free called GIMP. I did not download it onto my computer but is said that it is an alternate to photoshop. This is the website http://www.creativebloq.com/photoshop/alternatives-1131641

We live in the west so we can tie it to history of the area. Also potentially ties into what is being taught in other classes. If do not have access to Photoshop options are Blender, Gimp, there are other free sources for use if needed.

Hi I plan on showing the videos that were included in the curriculum, have them work together in pairs to do the background research and work with their partner to develop an original design. I don’t really understand why we are using Photoshop to edit our designs though when you can accomplish the same thing using a Snip It tool. Am a missing the point? This was much more difficult than I thought it would be. I’m just like the kids, I didn’t use the tutorial until I got confused and then went back and read the directions…

While this lesson does a great job incorporating some social studies aspects (cross-curricular), I am not sure I would use the lesson as it is presented. I had difficulty working with the virtual simulation which resulted in frustration. I had to start over many times because the simulation would freeze or not render properly. I would probably modify the lesson to allow the students to use something like Microsoft Paint where they can edit pixel by pixel and use the tools built in. Granted it would not give them the function aspect, but the overall elements of symmetry would still be there.

This one would have been great to do properly in the in-person PD. We had a group try and present it, however we had limited connectivity with our computers so it did not work out as well as it could have.

One of the biggest challenges is convincing the students that computer science doesn’t only include “plugged” activities. Having meaningful unplugged assignments can help reinforce.

Students will understand that whatever the create is designed in some way. Even writing a research paper has some design elements. This computer science concept can be applied to many different aspects of their life.

This lesson seems to be a mix of design and mathematics. Since there is a strong relationship between mathematics and computing, relating this lesson to computing should not be difficult. Computing is a series of logical or computational steps in a set pattern established by a software program, just like the design of a beaded pattern on a loom. Personally, I find that MS PowerPoint is an excellent tool to quickly implement a simple design, for example, a diamond in a circle in a square as follows: