I am fortunate enough to have a few independent study days at the moment, and so I have decided to complete another Pick n Mix module on Blackboard. I have focused on Computer Science, and the completion of this module helps me to fulfil two points on my most recent action plan:
The module is split into twelve sections, and covers everything from computational thinking, to floor robots and Scratch. The first section, an introduction, includes several videos from the course leads. These cover the Computing curriculum, ideas for teaching, cross-curriculum use of Computing and a video on terminology. I watched these videos, and they have helped to solidify my basic understanding of the curriculum and what it entails. “A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.” DfE National Curriculum 2014 The second section deals with computational thinking. According to the dedicated page, this is 'about solving problems efficiently and effectively. This may sometimes be with a computer and sometimes without. It is a primary aim of the new computing curriculum to develop pupils’ computational thinking skills to help them become better problem solvers'. There are several key elements of computational thinking. These are:
Computational thinking can be taught through programming projects, such as using Bee Bots or creating a game in Scratch. The module suggests viewing resources on the Barefoot Computing project website (www.barefootcas.org.uk), something which I used on GPP and found very useful. The next section, on unplugged Computing, has given me lots of ideas about how I can explore computational thinking skills without the use of a computer. These can include drama and paper based activities, and can be very engaging as they immerse students in problem solving and other Computing skills through physical activity. My favourite idea was 'Pupils could try and identify examples of selection in the world around them. For example, 'when it rains then people use umbrellas’ or ‘when I try my hardest then I realise fractions aren’t actually that difficult!’ I can see how this could be a great way to introduce the ideas of selection and logic gates, concepts which I found very difficult at school due to their seemingly abstract nature. Presenting these ideas through unplugged activities could help children to gain a better understanding. Two sections of the module focus on floor robots, especially the Bee Bot. I borrowed a Bee Bot back in September, and found it a valuable learning experience. Floor robots can be used to teach commands and sequencing, improve spatial awareness and bring the abstract concept of programming to life. The module has introduced me to a new type of floor robot - Roamer. Roamer is similar to the Bee Bot, but has a wider range of inputs and can be purchased to suit particular age groups. Below is an image of Roamer's control pads, and some images of its use that I found online. I really liked Roamer's website, as there were lots of ideas for lessons and practical use in the classroom. The module also includes ideas for apps which teachers can use to teach coding. These are: Key Stage 1 Bee Bot, Daisy the Dinosaur, Kodu, ScratchJr and Logo Key Stage 2 Kodu, Logo, Scratch, ScratchJr (and Python, but this is often more appropriate for KS3) Further sections take a closer look at some of these apps. Daisy the Dinosaur is an app which can be downloaded for iOS. It provides a simple coding environment based on commands, and allows users to control the character of Daisy. Children can either use the app in a sandbox, free play mode, or access challenges to improve their skills. The module explains that it can be used to teach the following KS1 curriculum objectives:
I downloaded Daisy the Dinosaur and had a lot of fun creating short sequences of movement and growth. I would like to use this app in Year 1 as a progression from Bee Bots, as the interface is very child-friendly and the character of Daisy is appealing. This could be an ideal introduction to computer-based programming. Scratch and ScratchJr are graphical programming languages based on drag-and-drop blocks. Users program characters called 'sprites', and can create anything from simple animations to complex games. ScratchJr is suitable as a 'developmentally appropriate' introduction to this type of programming, and children can move onto Scratch when they are ready. Both are available to download as apps, and Scratch can also be used online. I have blogged about Scratch before, but I have included below some images of how it can be used, and a video of it in action. Later sections on assessment and schemes of work are dealt with in one of my previous blog posts, which can be found here. Completing this module has given me many more ideas about how I can teach Computer Science, and include elements of computational thinking across the curriculum. I will be looking to extend my use of coding apps on FPP, as this was something that I did not have the opportunity to do on GPP. Links Barefoot Computing www.barefootcas.org.uk Roamer - www.valiant-technology.com/uk/pages/roamer_home.php Daisy the Dinosaur www.daisythedinosaur.com Scratch scratch.mit.edu ScratchJr www.scratchjr.org Python www.python.org
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The issue of internet safety is a constantly changing topic, and it can be hard to keep on top of new apps, trends and dangers. Although I am a confident user of social media and follow websites such as BBC News and Reddit, I have found that it is useful to be subscribed to a few newsletters from organisations which work on e-safety issues. They help me to keep on top of campaigns, policy and legislation, as well as providing resources and practical ideas for teaching.
These include: The CASPAR (current awareness service for practice, policy and research) newsletter from the NSPCC Subscribe here: www.nspcc.org.uk/services-and-resources/research-and-resources/sign-up-to-caspar The E-Safety Support newsletter Subscribe here: www.e-safetysupport.com The Childnet newsletter Subscribe here: www.childnet.com/resources/esafety-and-computing The UK Safer Internet Centre newsletter Subscribe here: www.saferinternet.org.uk One way that these newsletters have been useful has been finding out about the Disrespect NoBody campaign through a recent CASPAR newsletter. This campaign focuses on positive and healthy relationships, and teaches young people to recognise the signs of control and abuse. There is some great information on sexting and explicit online content, and resources which could help me to teach students about the dangers of sharing messages and photos. Although a lot of the content is more suitable for secondary school students, the ideas of consent, personal space and the rights of individual are crucial for every age. The message that 'there is a person attached to every body' could easily be adapted for younger children. More about the campaign can be found here: www.disrespectnobody.co.uk My Computing course is mostly self-led and we have only had one session in university. However, we are supported through a series of 'hangouts', videos which are streamed live to provide information and ideas. We can comment, tweet and email the tutor recording the video, but we can also watch these back at a later date. These videos have been a great way to keep in touch with the tutors and gain more ideas. The first session, a general introduction to Computing, was incredibly useful at the start of the course. Having never engaged with the new curriculum before, I used this session to establish a firm base of understanding. A later video, 'Teaching Coding in KS1' was very useful for my Guided Practice Placement in Year 1. It introduced me to the Barefoot Computing plans for 'Crazy Characters' and 'Jam Sandwich Robot'. I adapted and taught these lessons over my placement. So far, I have watched -
Three more sessions are scheduled, focusing on teaching programming in KS1, LKS2 and HKS2. I will watch these for ideas as I move into FPP. I know that Hangouts such as these are used in schools and university around the world to support absent or distance learners, and also to provide additional help around revision periods. At my own school, several teachers were known for recording GCSE revision lessons and uploading these onto the school website. These could only be accessed via a password. Many online services have capitalised on this practice, and offer public videos to teach skills and courses. The Khan Academy is a good example of this - Salman Khan has created an online empire offering video tutorials on a whole range of subjects. It will be interesting to see if I could record and upload content for my students, possibly in UKS2. I will discuss this with the Computing lead at my next school, and research its viability. Links www.barefootcas.org.uk - Barefoot Computing www.khanacademy.org - Khan Academy I have enjoyed watching an episode of the BBC programme Click, entitled Back to School. The episode deals with how tech is being used in education - from using Minecraft to teach children about logic gates, to apps which provide on-demand tutors for students, and educational toys for pre-schoolers which mesh physical play with tech. I was most impressed with the Osmo kit, which teaches early coding through the use of physical tiles, and the programme shows how this can be used in a school coding club. Osmo's Youtube channel also has content showing how the tool can be used in schools.
The episode can be watched here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07v8l39/click-back-to-school
I have now completed the Computing Pick n Mix module on Information Technology and Digital Literacy. This particularly focuses upon the use of blogging within schools, with ‘children as publishers’.
As stated on the University Blackboard site, ‘software, apps & tools can help in the process of reflection, critical thinking and demonstration of understanding. Everyone is different so accepting that not all children will be lit up by, for example mind-maps, is important. You need to understand different approaches to be as inclusive as possible with every child in your class’. School blogging and tweeting is still in its infancy, and is only present in a minority of schools. This is almost certainly due to issues surrounding e-safety concerns, a lack of technical confidence within the staff, lack of time or budget restraints. If used, blogging and tweeting are usually undertaken by children in KS2, and educational consultants such as Pie Corbett believe that this can have a hugely beneficial effect on the quality and quantity of the children’s writing. Corbett argues that blogging provides a child with a ‘real audience’, prompting them to improve their writing as they consider the reader. Children can use peer assessment and learn from reading written work from schools around the world. The training module suggests introducing blogging through three distinct steps, with children leading the activity.
It also suggests that posts should be about something the children are really interested in, rather than about a topic generated by the teacher.
It is clearly important to get the senior leadership team behind any blogging initiative. A linked video suggests that teachers should persevere if they face an initially negative response. The presenter argues that blogs can have a hugely beneficial effect on student engagement, whole curriculum learning and on the reputation of the school as a whole, and they do not have to be an e-safety concern. Although not mentioned in this video, it is always possible for blogs to be intranet-facing, or only accessible via a password. In this way, parents and staff could access content, but it would not be available for the internet as a whole.
Further case-study videos demonstrate the eagerness and excitement of pupils in a primary school in Greater Manchester, including several boys being very enthusiastic about story planning, writing and blog content production. Quadblogging is a tool which teachers and schools can use to produce blogs within a global network of other class blogs. Pie Corbett argues that this is the most important development in ‘fifty years’ to help improve writing in schools. Over 150,000 pupils from over 40 countries are currently taking part in the movement, and children are encouraged to interact with schools and students from other countries. One review from a teacher states that: ‘Highlights of Quadblogging? All of it! The children in my class are absolutely absorbed and loving our purposeful learning journey around the world. Each day brings something new to our classroom. You can’t “plan” that!’ Although this review does form part of a large advert for the tool, I am interested in how Quadblogging can be used. My GPP school does not have a blog and I will not be producing one as part of my placement. However, I will be investigating how I can develop the pre-existing class blog at my FPP school, possibly integrating Quadblogging into this. This could be taught in either an English or Computing lesson, or could be run as an extracurricular club. I am now confident with my Weebly site, and look forward to the challenge of creating new blog content with my FPP class.
Further Links
Quadblogging - www.quadblogging.net Get to setting up a class blog - www.teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/activity-1-getting-your-class-blog-started Children's guide to blogging - www.kidslearntoblog.com E-Safety, Social Networks and Blogging for Children - www.kidsmart.org.uk/socialnetworking/
I have been very busy with my placement school, assignments and knowledge audits, but I am taking the time this weekend to watch Code Kids. This documentary follows the Code Kids movement in Canada, which aims to embed computer science in every aspect of the curriculum, and looks at how children can be taught Computing skills alongside traditional subjects.
Bee-Bots are cheerful, yellow, programmable floor robots. They can be used to teach logical reasoning, directional language, debugging and many of the skills associated with the new Computing curriculum. They are very popular in schools, especially in KS1, where they can be used as an early introduction to the sequencing skills required for coding. Bee-Bots can be used to help achieve two particular aims of the KS1 National Curriculum - creating and debugging simple programs, and using logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs. There is a growing body of academic research into the impact of using programmable toys in early education, something which I hope to study in depth as I move through the Computing course.
I was lucky enough to borrow a Bee-Bot from the University before I start my GPP Placement, and have spent some time researching how they can be used in the classroom. There are many educational videos on YouTube showing a Bee-Bot or Bots in action. I was especially impressed by the ability of the Bee-Bot to be used across the curriculum - from helping children learn to PSED skills, to angles and position in Maths, and map skills in Geography. After reading the Barefoot Computing guide to Bee-Bots and watching some great video content, I was inspired to create a physical floor maze, and create a sequence of commands which would allow my Bee-Bot to travel around the maze without knocking into walls or getting lost. You can buy mats with pre-drawn maps or mazes, but I made a basic series of walls with pens and objects as obstacles.
The sequence is inputted via chunky buttons on the top of the robot. The Bee-Bot has the capacity for 40 commands, which can also be cleared if the student wishes to start again. Sound effects, light up eyes and bright colours make the Bee-Bot an attractive resource for children to use. To demonstrate the Bee-Bot in action, I have created a short video using iMovie.
I previously worked as a TA in EYFS, and observed the use of Bee-Bots in our computing sessions. However, it had been a little while since I had used one, and so I was careful to look up instructions and watch some demonstrations before I got started. The process of learning how to use the Bee-Bot was incredibly easy - I felt proficient within 10-20 minutes of playing around and getting to grips with how it worked. I solidified my understanding by teaching a friend how to use the Bee-Bot - I first explained that coding and sequencing were now part of the National Curriculum, demonstrated how the controls are used to create a sequence, and set them off to play with it themselves. My friend had never used a programmable floor robot before, but was able to navigate around the maze after only a short while. Allowing my friend to play with the Bee-Bot and understand how it works via independent investigation was a deliberate pedagogical choice based on my understanding of constructivist education - allowing children to learn through experience and self-directed activity. I would use my simple maze activity with a KS1 class, although this could easily be adapted for KS2. Hopefully I will get the chance to try this out on my GPP placement! Additional Links TTS website - www.tts-group.co.uk/bee-bot-rechargeable-floor-robot/1001794.html General guide to Bee-Bots - www.odigo21.educacion.navarra.es/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/BeebotguideA4v2.pdf Code-It six-week lesson plan - www.code-it.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/y1beebotplan.pdf Using a Programmable Toy at Preschool Age: Why and How?' - www.dei.unipd.it/~emg/downloads/SIMPAR08-WorkshopProceedings/TeachingWithRobotics/pekarova.pdf Early Mathematics Learning through Exploration with Programmable Toys -http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.688.897&rep=rep1&type=pdf#page=198 The Effect of a Classroom-Based Intensive Robotics and Programming Workshop on Sequencing Ability in Early Childhood - Kazakoff, E.R., Sullivan, A. & Bers, M.U. Early Childhood Educ J (2013) 41: 245. doi:10.1007/s10643-012-0554-5 Brief Overview of Constructivist Education Theory - www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/Education_Theory/Constructivism_and_Social_Constructivism_in_the_Classroom The Computing National curriculum - www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/primary_national_curriculum_-_computing.pdf
I have picked up my Bee-Bot and started to explore how it works, so please look out for a forthcoming post on that! I had great fun this evening playing around with the Stop Motion app on my iPhone, after my audit revealed that I need to explore more educational apps.
The Stop Motion app has been designed to allow children to make fun videos. It is very intuitive, and connects to the camera and microphone on a mobile device. Users are required to take a series of photos in sequence (something which could be linked to sequencing in the Computing NC), and these are linked together at the chosen speed to create a basic video. The simple interface and controls means it could be seamlessly integrated into a lesson, as a hook or as the main focus. I hope to be testing this out at my GPP placement school! This app could easily be used across the curriculum - from projects for Art and D&T, to filming Drama performances and Maths problems. I will be posting about cross-curricular use of Computing at a later date.
Please note - I am not responsible for any content hosted on Youtube beyond my personal channel.
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