Why is code important?

This past weekend I got the opportunity to participate in a STEM extravaganza that our district hosts in coordination with the science fair every year.  I had an interactive display set up that allowed students to participate in a couple "Hour of Code" activities.  The "Hour of Code" initiative this year has worked to give kids exposure to basic computer programming through games.  If you are already sold, go and check out the website here.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, let me elaborate for you.

Computer programming is a skill that few people have, yet increasingly more and more of our world depends on it every day to maintain our way of life.  Do you see the problem?  Most schools do not teach it, but we are certainly reliant on the fact that someone is learning how to understand and write it.  Until recently, it was not something that was very accessible in terms of teaching materials - it was seen as a sort of underground computer techie language that only computer geeks and hackers knew how to understand.  As time has gone on, the value of having coding skills has swayed the conversation into the mainstream, and computer science is something that is being pushed into the forefront more than ever before.

A group of technology leaders have contributed to the non-profit movement of Hour of Code.  Its mission is to help newcomers understand how to get started in learning how to program a computer.  This is something that seems daunting to many adults, but fun and engaging to kids.  That is not to say that all kids will love the idea of learning how to code - but it is something that is worth exposing them to - even if only for an hour.  Kids who normally wouldn't have been exposed to these concepts are likely to continue the exploration process on their own if they are interested in it.

Full disclosure - I do not know how to code.  I am learning about it because it is something that has always interested me, but I never had the avenues that allowed me to properly explore it.  I'm looking forward this spring to working with some students who are also interested in computer programming and seeing what we come up with.  I look forward to sharing some of these projects on this blog.  In the meantime, take a minute and check out code.org and see the possibilities for computer programming in your classroom.  Even if it is just for one hour - it is worth the time to give students the opportunity to see what it is about, because they may not get the chance anywhere else.

"Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer...because it teaches you how to think."

    -Steve Jobs   

Fostering creative thinking

As a student, I was outstanding at listening and following directions.  This allowed me to feel successful in school as I got mostly A's throughout my K-12 education by doing what was asked.  There was one small problem in that process...I failed at becoming a creative and innovative thinker - at least in the context of a school/workplace setting.  When no one told me what to do - I did not know what to do.  What is funny is that the thing that I valued the most about my free-time was being creative.  Whether it was writing music or media design, I longed to get wrapped up in these activities while I was being forced to do menial tasks through school that proved my knowledge of whatever it was we were learning about.  I saw no connection with school to the creative outlets that I enjoyed the most.  Whenever I did get a glimpse at using this creativity in my school experience, I remember the amount of care and effort I put into it.  I still remember the fun and pride that came with those projects.  I wish I had more moments in school that I could reflect on in this light.  I definitely remember those teachers that regarded creative thinking as the priority, not just a special project.  It was those teachers that helped me to find my voice - not someone else's, and I am grateful for them.  We need to show our students that their voice is what defines them.  Information is cheap and easy to access - what we do we that information is what will shape our lives.  Let's allow our students to form and defend their opinions.  Let's give them creative opportunities to communicate these opinions.  Let's stop telling them what to do, and start making goals with them.  Their voices are the most important in our classrooms, not ours.

I am constantly impressed with the culture that I experience in classrooms throughout our district.  I get to experience examples on a daily basis of teachers truly reflecting what I am speaking about.  I love being able to help in any way that I can to contribute to this effort.  Whether it is in the training, planning, teaching, or support phase - I am thankful to be able to be a part of it.  Never hesitate to contact me if I can help in any way.

You might be asking why I'm rambling about philosophy on my edtech blog. Truth be told, I had the intention of writing about something else, but once I started - it turned into this.  Call it a random moment of creativity.  I'm still working on my voice too (and its my blog, so I can do what I want).  Thanks for reading - my goal is to build off of this idea and illustrate the connection that creativity and technology have.

Get connected with Edutopia

I'm always looking for new channels that are sources of good conversation in instructional trends.  There are many that simply churn out the same basic advice or bullet point lists that barely scratch the surface.  Using the word trend itself is something that is hard not to be skeptical of.  I have seen much of this since I've been a teacher, and even more in the realm of instructional technology.  It seems to be indicative of the world we live in.  Something is new and exciting, everyone thinks its the best, and then a certain amount of time passes until we move on to the next thing.  Obviously, this is not exclusive to education - as new things always posses an excitement that can be blinding to their true value.  But, knowing this, makes it very important to have real conversations about what our goals are in the classroom.  How can we use technology to enhance our goals, or reach them easier? There are many websites that help to build my collective perspective about instructional technology's role in today's educational climate.  Edutopia is a site that I've found useful in getting some unique and well thought out perspectives on how some educator's are using technology in a forward-thinking and evidence-based manner.  There will always be trends, but a conversation about these trends' value in the classroom in terms of evidence and methods is able to help differentiate the worthless ones versus the worthwhile ones.  So far, I have found Edutopia as a site that does this rather well. So if you get a chance, check it out - I think there is something on there for you.

Never say never...

Well - here I am again.  Ready to pick this blog back up and continue to use it as a way to keep anyone who is interested in the loop with yours truly.  With the introduction of our new district instructional technology resources, I hope that this is something that teachers will see as a beneficial channel to follow.  I'm always open to suggestions and feedback, so please contact me if you have any.  My goal is to update this blog each week with as least 1 resource post, and 1 post on philosophy/pedagogy with educational technology. Thanks for visiting.  Please keep checking back for new posts...and please spread the word to other teachers.  Page visits make me happy.