What Are You Learning This Summer
No, really! Are you making your summer plans yet and do they include learning time? I have some ideas for you. First off is CS & IT run by CSTA. This is in my opinion the single best day of professional development of the year for computer science teachers. Great sessions. Great networking. Lots to learn. (BTW I am on the planning committee this year and will definitely be there.)
You’re invited to the 2010 Computer Science and Information Technology Symposium , an annual conference for Computer Science and Information Technology teachers sponsored by the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). The 2010 Computer Science and Information Technology Symposium will take place Tuesday, July 13, 2010, at Google Headquarters in Mountain View, CA.
This event will provide a full day of relevant, practical, classroom-focused professional development for computer science and information technology teachers. CS&IT is also an excellent opportunity to network with colleagues, earn eight professional development seat hours, attend interesting and relevant sessions, enjoy a relaxing lunch, clean-up on product giveaways, and tour the Google campus!
Take advantage of this great opportunity for professional development and REGISTER NOW for this outstanding event at:
The cost of registration is $40.00.
Enrollment is limited, so please complete and submit your online registration no later than Monday June 28, 2010.
If you have any questions, please e-mail Barbara Conover at: bconover@purdue.edu
Mark Guzdial is giving some Media Computation workshops this summer:
Media Computation workshops are open primarily to University and College computing faculty, and First Courses workshops are open to all computer science teachers.
- May 26-28, 2009 Workshop on "Media Computation" at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA sponsored by Mike Erlinger, Professor and Chair Computer Science
- June 1-2, 2009 Workshop on "Engaging First Courses" at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, sponsored by Monica Brockmeyer, Associate Professor of Computer Science.
- July 29-31, 2009 Workshop on "Media Computation at Northwest Missouri University's Liberty Center in Liberty, MO sponsored by Professors Carol Spradling and Dean Sanders from Computer Science.
- August 3-4, 2009 Workshop on "Engaging First Courses" at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
- August 5-7, 2009 Workshop on "Media Computation" at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
To register for any of these workshops, please email Felicia Auzla fauzla@cc.gatech.edu<mailto:fauzla@cc.gatech.edu> with:
Engaging First Courses Workshop (sponsored by NSF BPC Program): A whirlwind introduction to FIVE new approaches for teaching introductory courses in computing that engage students and help to broaden participation in computing: (1) Introduction to Media Computation in Python, (2) and in Java, (3) Introduction to Data Structures with Media Computation in Java, (4) Introduction to Engineering Computing using MATLAB, and (5) Introduction to computing using robotics using Python<https://www.roboteducation.org/>.
All these workshops are free to faculty, with travel stipends ($200/person) and room and meals included, as well as a CD with all software. For more information please email Felicia Auzla
Barb Ericson will be teaching a CS AP A workshop at Georgia Tech June 22-26th. This will not be a College Board endorsed workshop but Barb is on the Development Committee and really knows her stuff.
[…] teaching using Alice and Media Computation examples and Alice 3.0. Alice is free software from CMU that allows students to use drag-and-drop programming to create 3D movies and games. Media Computation is teaching computing concepts by having the students write Java (or Python) programs that manipulate media: negate a picture, reverse a sound, and make a movie. Alice and Media Computation is using Alice to introduce computing concepts without the added burden of typing the syntax and then reinforcing the computing concepts in Java using Media Computation. Unlike some books that start with Alice and then switch to Java we go back and forth many times to help students transfer the knowledge. We also stay in the movie making context. For example we use Media Computation to merge live action and Alice characters in a movie. See https://home.cc.gatech.edu/TeaParty for more information on Alice and Media Computation. A book is coming out this summer and all attendees will get a book.
Interested in Alice? THe last Alice News letter had this:
Sneak Peek: Summer 2010 Alice Workshops
We will be holding free Alice workshops in Orlando and Chicago this summer. Dates will likely be:
Chicago: July 7-9
Orlando: July 19-21
We'll announce registration in the next e-newsletter. Note that since the Orlando Alice workshop will be held in a Disney resort, we are going to be requiring large deposits (which will be returned to participants at the end of the workshop).
TENTATIVE dates for additional Alice workshops at Carnegie Mellon are:
Alice Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh,
June 21- 25 Alice 2.2 (Teaching introductory programming concepts with Alice)
June 28 - July 2nd Alice 3 (Teaching with Alice 3 and transitioning to Java, for
AP Java course or CS1)
Alice workshop at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, July 6 - 10
(This is part of the ITEST project for high school teachers from PA, WV, OH, and MD)
Alice Workshop, Santa Clara, CA, July 26-30
Also we are likely to have Alice workshops for community college teachers as part of an NSF-ATE grant... these workshops will be held in Camden, NJ, and Dallas, TX, but are still to be scheduled.
Watch for registration information as the dates firm up!
Links
Helpful information on Teaching with Alice (course calendars, lectures, labs, assignments, exams, solutions, etc.)
Download Alice, Alice community
The Center for Visualization website. Archive of past newsletters; listing of grants; useful information
for users
How about Scratch? Then Scratch@MIT maybe for you!
Scratch@MIT
August 11, 2010 – August 14, 2010
Come to Scratch@MIT and explore the ideas, applications, and joys of Scratch.
Since the first conference in July 2008, the Scratch community has continued to grow and evolve, bringing in new people, new places, and new practices. Join educators, researchers, developers, and other members of the worldwide Scratch community to reimagine, rethink, and remix ideas about learning and teaching with Scratch.
We will gather at the new Media Lab building on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to:
- share stories of how Scratch is being used in homes, classrooms, and community centers
- participate in hands-on workshops, to learn new Scratch techniques and strategies
- discuss research examining how and what kids learn with Scratch
- explore future directions for Scratch with members of the MIT Scratch Team
Everyone is invited to submit proposals for posters, demonstrations, presentations, panel discussions, and workshops. Deadline extended to February 15.
We are pleased to announce several exciting keynote speakers, including Sherry Turkle and Henry Jenkins.
Pre-conference workshops will be held on August 11, with the main conference events taking place August 12-14.
Conference registration opens on March 15. Early registration is $275. After May 15, registration is $375.
Any questions? Please contact the Scratch@MIT conference chairs at events@scratch.mit.edu