0 Computational Thinking

This week I am at a computational thinking workshop at Carnegie Mellon University. This workshop is part of their ACTIVATE (Advancing Computing and Technology Interest and Innovation through Teacher Education) workshops for teachers.


Workshop Description (in case your interested for next year)

This workshop illustrates the wide variety of applications of computational thinking at conceptual and practical levels through a series of teacher-participation exercises and presentations. In particular, the workshop includes hands-on activities that teachers can duplicate in their classrooms to illustrate computing principles beyond computer programming. (From the CMU ACTIVATE website)

I am always looking for opportunities to learn new programming languages and applications of computing, which is why I enrolled for this workshop (oh, did I forget to mention, they pay you to attend :) )

What is computational thinking? This term was coined by Jeanette Wing, her vision "is that computational thinking will be a fundamental skill used by everyone in the world by the middle of the 21st century."

Some examples of computational thinking in our everyday lives:

• Sorting important documents
• Choosing a line at the supermarket (queuing and scheduling)
• Putting things in your child's knapsack for the day (caching)
• Running errands (traveling salesperson)
• Cooking dinner or washing loads of laundry (parallel processing/pipelining)

Computational Thinking in STEM

• Biology: DNA sequences are strings in a language
• Brain Science: Analyzing fMRI data with machine learning algorithms
• Chemistry: Optimizaion and searching algorithms identify best chemicals for improving reaction conditions to improve yields
• Engineering: Boeing 777 tested via computer simulation alone, not in a wind tunnel

An operational definition of computational thinking for K-12

• formulating problems in a way that enables us to use a computer and other tools to solve them
• logically organizing and analyzing data
• representing data through abstractions such as models and simulations
• automating solutions through algorithmic thinking (a series of ordered steps)
• identifying, analyzing, and implementing possible solutions with the goal of achieving the most efficient and effective combination of steps and resources
• generalizing and transferring this problem solving process to a wide variety of problems

0 Differentiated instruction

This year I experimented a lot with differentiated instruction. I had a class of originally 20 students, with 4 special education students who require specially designed instruction (sdi), 3 gifted students and 1 student who is both gifted and special ed. This meant that almost half of my class required some sort of differentiated instruction. Did I mention that this was my first year formally teaching in a public school system?

In addition to the identified students, I had a few low motivated students. This essentially meant that everyday, I created 3 or more different assignments or activities to make sure that I reached every student in my classroom. The most frustrating part is when you create these differentiated learning experiences and the students just don't do it.

So today I'm in a workshop about differentiated instruction, led by Susan Fitzell. We are using her book, "Special needs in the general classroom, strategies that make it work." So wherever you see page references, it is related to her book.

Tip #1 Provide meaningful visual cues (p13). The brain thinks in pictures. She discussed the purpose of homework - recall and memorization.

** Have students write a daily summary, using images. This can be used as a review the next day. See mind maps- p143.
- a mind map consists of a central word or concept, around which you draw the 5 to 10 main ides that relate to the central word or concept.
- xmind or inspiration - tools for mind mapping.
- livemocha.com

If you don't use it, you loose it!
- vocabulary review- everyday pull 5 random words and have students use it. Give students a point for using the word in classroom discussion.

- there is no evidence that copying notes from the board, helps students learn.

Tip #2 provide the opportunity to move
- have students act out vocabulary words

Get a free book by writing a paragraph review on amazon and send Susan an email.

Tip #3 provide opportunities to share
- think-pair-share, cooperative learning, peer tutoring, etc.

Tip #4 use color to present information
- math: use colors to show each step in the problem
- see page 150 for free resources

My review: the presenter showed a number of strategies that can help teachers reach different types of learners. It wasn't what I expected about differentiated instruction. I was looking for strategies to manage differentiated instruction. As I stated previously, I may have 3 assignments/activities per lesson, to reach different learners and this can often times be challenging.

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