Coding in the Classroom

INTRODUCTION

K 12 computer science teachers are amazing innovators. They have to be. They work in a subject that was historically only taught to students at colleges and universities. Many K 12 public schools have only recognized computer science education as crucial to student success in the last decade. Computer science teachers don t have decades of established lesson plans and teaching exercises to draw from. Only in recent years have they even acquired standards to guide them. As a result, computer science teachers have had to rely on ad hoc networks of peers and communities in an ongoing conversation to share tips and techniques for teaching the subject.
 
This book seeks to contribute to that conversation with novel perspectives on computer science, exercises that integrate well with other subjects, and a programming environment with an extremely low bar for entry. The challenge of writing a book on teaching computer science standards in a public classroom or after school club is that so many different standards are available to choose from. Different states in the United States and countries around the world use distinct sets of standards and integrate their facets into the curriculum in various ways. Additionally, the rapid pace of technological change and the introduction of new innovations in computer science mean that today s cutting edge classroom exercise might quickly become tomorrow s dated curiosity. Fortunately, computer science has a strong, persistent foundation of general principles that are as true today as they were a century ago. Concepts like abstraction, decomposition, and problem-solving strategies for highly complex systems are applicable to each new technological advance and invention. Helping our students master these techniques empowers them to adapt to technological change and rise to future challenges.
 
Who This Book Is For
If you re teaching students about computers, computational thinking,

Introduction: An Age of Wonders

Chapter 1: Making Sense of the Computer Science Standards
Chapter 2: The Many Benefits of Computer Science Education
Chapter 3: Computer Science History
Chapter 4: Computational Thinking Gamified and Unplugged
Chapter 5: Diving into Web Development
Chapter 6: Intentional Development Environments
Chapter 7: Scaffolded Code Exercises
Chapter 8: Self-Directed Project-Based Learning
Chapter 9: Coaching Your Coders
Chapter 10: Networking a Coding Community

Afterword

Ryan Somma has been a software developer for over 25 years and currently works in Laboratory Information Management Systems. He spent 10 years developing mission-critical aviation logistics applications for the US Coast Guard and five years developing professional development applications for teachers at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. A volunteer educator, Somma is interested in synthesizing various ideas from the technical and educational worlds, drawing on his own experience as an educator, as well as contemporary education research.

"The book is easy to read while being full of useful, practical suggestions . . . If you re a teacher, administrator, or parent looking to add some high tech fun to your lessons, Coding in the Classroom is highly recommended."
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