Coding in the Classroom


Book Description

A book for anyone teaching computer science, from elementary school teachers and coding club coaches to parents looking for some guidance. Computer science opens more doors for today's youth than any other discipline - which is why Coding in the Classroom is your key to unlocking students' future potential. Author Ryan Somma untangles the current state of CS education standards; describes the cognitive, academic, and professional benefits of learning CS; and provides numerous strategies to promote computational thinking and get kids coding! Whether you're a teacher, an after-school coach, or a parent seeking accessible ways to boost your kid's computer savvy, Coding in the Classroom is here to help. With quick-start programming strategies, scaffolded exercises for every grade level, and ideas for designing CS events that promote student achievement, this book is a rock-solid roadmap to CS integration from a wide variety of on-ramps. You'll learn: tips and resources for teaching programming concepts via in-class activities and games, without a computer development environments that make coding and sharing web apps a breeze lesson plans for the software lifecycle process and techniques for facilitating long-term projects ways to craft interdisciplinary units that bridge CS and computational thinking with other content areas Coding in the Classroom does more than make CS less formidable - it makes it more fun! From learning computational thinking via board games to building their own websites, students are offered a variety of entry points for acquiring the skills they need to succeed in the 21st-century workforce. Moreover, Somma understands how schools operate - and he's got your back. You'll be empowered to advocate for the value of implementing CS across the curriculum, get stakeholder buy-in, and build the supportive, equitable coding community that your school deserves.




Coding as a Playground


Book Description

Coding as a Playground, Second Edition focuses on how young children (aged 7 and under) can engage in computational thinking and be taught to become computer programmers, a process that can increase both their cognitive and social-emotional skills. Learn how coding can engage children as producers—and not merely consumers—of technology in a playful way. You will come away from this groundbreaking work with an understanding of how coding promotes developmentally appropriate experiences such as problem-solving, imagination, cognitive challenges, social interactions, motor skills development, emotional exploration, and making different choices. Featuring all-new case studies, vignettes, and projects, as well as an expanded focus on teaching coding as a new literacy, this second edition helps you learn how to integrate coding into different curricular areas to promote literacy, math, science, engineering, and the arts through a project-based approach and a positive attitude to learning.




Computational Thinking and Coding for Every Student


Book Description

Empower tomorrow’s tech innovators Our students are avid users and consumers of technology. Isn’t it time that they see themselves as the next technological innovators, too? Computational Thinking and Coding for Every Student is the beginner’s guide for K-12 educators who want to learn to integrate the basics of computer science into their curriculum. Readers will find Practical strategies for teaching computational thinking and the beginning steps to introduce coding at any grade level, across disciplines, and during out-of-school time Instruction-ready lessons and activities for every grade Specific guidance for designing a learning pathway for elementary, middle, or high school students Justification for making coding and computer science accessible to all A glossary with definitions of key computer science terms, a discussion guide with tips for making the most of the book, and companion website with videos, activities, and other resources Momentum for computer science education is growing as educators and parents realize how fundamental computing has become for the jobs of the future. This book is for educators who see all of their students as creative thinkers and active contributors to tomorrow’s innovations. "Kiki Prottsman and Jane Krauss have been at the forefront of the rising popularity of computer science and are experts in the issues that the field faces, such as equity and diversity. In this book, they’ve condensed years of research and practitioner experience into an easy to read narrative about what computer science is, why it is important, and how to teach it to a variety of audiences. Their ideas aren’t just good, they are research-based and have been in practice in thousands of classrooms...So to the hundreds and thousands of teachers who are considering, learning, or actively teaching computer science—this book is well worth your time." Pat Yongpradit Chief Academic Officer, Code.org




Teaching Computational Thinking and Coding to Young Children


Book Description

Computational thinking is a lifelong skill important for succeeding in careers and life. Students especially need to acquire this skill while in school as it can assist with solving a number of complex problems that arise later in life. Therefore, the importance of teaching computational thinking and coding in early education is paramount for fostering problem-solving and creativity. Teaching Computational Thinking and Coding to Young Children discusses the importance of teaching computational thinking and coding in early education. The book focuses on interdisciplinary connections between computational thinking and other areas of study, assessment methods for computational thinking, and different contexts in which computational thinking plays out. Covering topics such as programming, computational thinking assessment, computational expression, and coding, this book is essential for elementary and middle school teachers, early childhood educators, administrators, instructional designers, curricula developers, educational software developers, researchers, educators, academicians, and students in computer science, education, computational thinking, and early childhood education.




No Fear Coding


Book Description

Coding and computational thinking (the ability to think like a computer) are among the skills that will serve students well in the future. Coding goes beyond websites and software - it's an essential component in finding solutions to everyday problems. Computational thinking has many applications beyond the computer lab or math class -it teaches reasoning, creativity and expression, and is an innovative way to demonstrate content knowledge and see mathematical processes in action. No-Fear Coding shows K-5 educators how to bring coding into their curriculum by embedding computational thinking skills into activities for every content area. At the same time, embedding these skills helps students prepare for coding in the middle grades as they build their knowledge. To help teachers easily and effectively introduce coding, the book features: Classroom-tested lessons and activities designed for skills progression. Ready-to-implement coding exercises that can be incorporated across the curriculum. Alignment to ISTE and Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards. Case studies and explorations of technology tools and resources to teach coding.




Creative Coding in Python


Book Description

Creative Coding in Python presents over 30 creative projects that teach kids how to code in the easy and intuitive programming language, Python. Creative Coding in Python teaches the fundamentals of computer programming and demonstrates how to code 30+ fun, creative projects using Python, a free, intuitive, open-source programming language that's one of the top five most popular worldwide and one of the most popular Google search terms in the U.S. Computer science educator Sheena Vaidyanathan helps kids understand the fundamental ideas of computer programming and the process of computational thinking using illustrations, flowcharts, and pseudocode, then shows how to apply those essentials to code exciting projects in Python: Chatbots: Discover variables, strings, integers, and more to design conversational programs. Geometric art: Use turtle graphics to create original masterpieces. Interactive fiction: Explore booleans and conditionals to invent "create your own adventure" games. Dice games: Reuse code to devise games of chance. Arcade games and apps: Understand GUI (graphical user interfaces) and create your own arcade games and apps. What’s next? Look at exciting ways to use your powerful new skills and expand your knowledge of coding in Python. Creative Coding in Python gives kids the tools they need to create their own computer programs.




Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding


Book Description

Hello Ruby is the world's most whimsical way to learn about computers, programming and technology. Includes activities for all future coders.




The Knowledge Gap


Book Description

The untold story of the root cause of America's education crisis--and the seemingly endless cycle of multigenerational poverty. It was only after years within the education reform movement that Natalie Wexler stumbled across a hidden explanation for our country's frustrating lack of progress when it comes to providing every child with a quality education. The problem wasn't one of the usual scapegoats: lazy teachers, shoddy facilities, lack of accountability. It was something no one was talking about: the elementary school curriculum's intense focus on decontextualized reading comprehension "skills" at the expense of actual knowledge. In the tradition of Dale Russakoff's The Prize and Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, Wexler brings together history, research, and compelling characters to pull back the curtain on this fundamental flaw in our education system--one that fellow reformers, journalists, and policymakers have long overlooked, and of which the general public, including many parents, remains unaware. But The Knowledge Gap isn't just a story of what schools have gotten so wrong--it also follows innovative educators who are in the process of shedding their deeply ingrained habits, and describes the rewards that have come along: students who are not only excited to learn but are also acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that will enable them to succeed. If we truly want to fix our education system and unlock the potential of our neediest children, we have no choice but to pay attention.




Don't Teach Coding


Book Description

The definitive resource for understanding what coding is, designed for educators and parents Even though the vast majority of teachers, parents, and students understand the importance of computer science in the 21st century, many struggle to find appropriate educational resources. Don't Teach Coding: Until You Read This Book fills a gap in current knowledge by explaining exactly what coding is and addressing why and how to teach the subject. Providing a historically grounded, philosophically sensitive description of computer coding, this book helps readers understand the best practices for teaching computer science to their students and their children. The authors, experts in teaching computer sciences to students of all ages, offer practical insights on whether coding is a field for everyone, as opposed to a field reserved for specialists. This innovative book provides an overview of recent scientific research on how the brain learns coding, and features practical exercises that strengthen coding skills. Clear, straightforward chapters discuss a broad range of questions using principles of computer science, such as why we should teach students to code and is coding a science, engineering, technology, mathematics, or language? Helping readers understand the principles and issues of coding education, this book: Helps those with no previous background in computer science education understand the questions and debates within the field Explores the history of computer science education and its influence on the present Views teaching practices through a computational lens Addresses why many schools fail to teach computer science adequately Explains contemporary issues in computer science such as the language wars and trends that equate coding with essential life skills like reading and writing Don't Teach Coding: Until You Read This Book is a valuable resource for K-12 educators in computer science education and parents wishing to understand the field to help chart their children’s education path.




My First Coding Book


Book Description

Teach kids as young as 5 years old the basic programming skills necessary to code, including sequencing and loops, without a computer. It's never too early to learn computer coding. My First Coding Book is a playful introduction to offline coding and programming that will give young children a head start. Filled with puzzles, mazes, and games to teach the basic concepts of sequences, algorithms, and debugging, this book will help children develop critical thinking, logic, and other skills to cement lifelong computer literacy, which is extremely valuable and sought-after in today's world. With its unique approach and colorful and creative imagery, My First Coding Book makes learning and fun one and the same and will have children playing their way to programming proficiency. Supporting STEM education initiatives, computer coding teaches kids how to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically, and is quickly becoming a necessary and sought-after skill. DK's computer coding books are full of fun exercises with step-by-step guidance, making them the perfect introductory tools for building vital skills in computer programming.