<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Brett, it is well worth considering GROK Learning for teaching programming, especially the NCSS Challenge <a href="https://groklearning.com/">https://groklearning.com/</a></div><div><br></div><div>It is a great way to learn how to program in Python and a good computational thinking challenge. Last year, a couple of my year 10 girls went on to VCE IT after they got a distinction IT certificate at a school assembly (what a breath of fresh air that was after all those maths comp and sports awards!)</div><div><br></div><div>The new HTML5 interface has been very nicely done, now working from from any browser, even an iPad. I can imagine a help-desk packed with Sydney Uni students over the 5 weeks, I can imagine them well stocked with pizza and soda as they answer student questions.</div><div><br></div><div>Don’t just tinker with the free modules in the beginners course, throw down the gauntlet and mandate it for your year 11’s. My students worked really hard on the self-programmed components of the challenge, and it was really satisfying to see them create working programs and solve the puzzles. A colleague joined in too, demonstrating her outstanding programming skills, putting my rusty braincells to shame.</div><div><br></div><div>I can understand the hell you are going through trying to teach two classes at once and this saved my bacon last year when I had to do the same, albeit it kept IT afloat at our campus and interest in year 12. Give this some serious thought but you will need to get the students enrolled this week.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year Amanda Rablin and I organised a hangout with some of the team who run this challenge, you can view it here:</div><blockquote style="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;"><div><a href="http://acceln.wikispaces.com/">http://acceln.wikispaces.com/</a> then scroll down to</div><div>#s03e21 Monday 5 August 2013: "Snakes Alive, it's Grok Learning” (1 hour show)</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I would love to hear how others are going with this at the DLTV conference in a couple of weeks.</div><div><br></div><div>Regards Roland</div><br><div><div>On 10 Jul 2014, at 3:17 pm, Groves, Brett G <<a href="mailto:groves.brett.g@edumail.vic.gov.au">groves.brett.g@edumail.vic.gov.au</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div lang="EN-AU" link="blue" vlink="purple" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1;"><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Hi all,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Hope the break has been kind!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">I’m back teaching a combined 11/12 IT in Action /Application class this year, how I love combined classes…not.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Nonetheless I thought for the programming component of Unit 2 I’d get the students using Code Academy, (I’ve played with it a bit and found it a good introduction) because I have such a huge ability range in the class direct instruction is basically a waste of time as someone’s needs will always be missed by a country mile and with two subjects at once time is non-existent. So self-paced, giving me the ability to roam and help you’d think would be a good solution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Alas I have found Code Academy’s shell to be incredibly unreliable and it seems to hang constantly (through VicOne anyway) – anyone else had this issue??<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">So to get around the problem I have compiled a set of exercises and resources for PHP, Ruby, JavaScript and Python that don’t require any installation of anything (apart from I suggest Chrome not IE) and give the opportunity for self-paced work. We are using Blogger as our online record as the college has a Google domain setup so it makes it very easy all round. So if you are struggling with programming work with students and torturing the techs into installing software for you this list below is for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Hope it’s useful (None of the resources are mine btw this is simply an aggregation targeted at breadth rather than depth)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Ruby</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Please go to <a href="http://tryruby.org/levels/1/challenges/0" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193);">http://tryruby.org/levels/1/challenges/0</span></a> Read the instruction carefully as you must type specific commands to navigate the tutorials.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">At the end of each lesson, screen grab the last exercise you got to, upload it to your Blogger and describe what you did.</span></u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">PHP</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Go to <a href="http://www.w3schools.com/php/default.asp" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193);">http://www.w3schools.com/php/default.asp </span></a> complete all tutorials down to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Form Handling<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Go to <a href="http://phpexercises.com/php-exercises-beginnings.html" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193);">http://phpexercises.com/php-exercises-beginnings.html</span></a> and complete all exercises<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Beginnings</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>1 to 7 and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Control Structures</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>1 to 3 (4 for extension if you wish) and<i>Forms</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>1.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Please screen grab and title each complete exercise and upload to your Blogger.</span></u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">This site <a href="https://phpacademy.org/videos/learn-php" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193);">https://phpacademy.org/videos/learn-php</span></a> is also a very useful how-to site all by video if you need further help<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">JavaScript</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Go to <a href="https://www.codeschool.com/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193);">https://www.codeschool.com/</span></a> <u>sign in with your Melba Google Domain account</u> under the courses link locate the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>JavaScript Roadtrip Part 1</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and complete all exercises.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">At the end of each lesson, screen grab the last exercise you got to, upload it to your Blogger and describe what you did.</span></u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Python</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Go to <a href="http://repl.it/languages/Python" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193);">http://repl.it/languages/Python</span></a> Rather than installing Python we are going to use an online shell for speed and ease. This site is your online shell, this is how you will run your Python code.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Go to <a href="http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Non-Programmer%27s_Tutorial_for_Python" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193);">http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Non-Programmer%27s_Tutorial_for_Python </span></a> and commence from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Hello, World</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and continue down to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Decisions</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Complete each set of Exercises at the bottom of each tutorial section and screen grab and title the corresponding shell output from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://repl.it/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">repl.it</a>. Upload this to your Blogger each time.</span></u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="">Kind Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="">Brett Groves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style=""><span><image002.gif></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="">Melba College<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="">eLearning Leader<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="">03 9725 8277 Ext 221<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style=""><a href="http://melba.vic.edu.au/curriculum/elearning/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">eLearning Resources for Educators</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style=""><a href="http://melba.vic.edu.au/curriculum/elearning/elearning-newsletter/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Newsletter sign up</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style=""><a href="http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/home/?u=3552e93cf6fe9d34510f19694&id=1cc14525a0" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Past Issues</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div style="margin-right: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin-right: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Important -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>This email and any attachments may be confidential. 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