[Yr11 Information Technology] Programming self paced no installation work

[Roland Gesthuizen]

Brett, it is well worth considering GROK Learning for teaching programming, especially the NCSS Challenge https://groklearning.com/

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!)

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.

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.

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.

Last year Amanda Rablin and I organised a hangout with some of the team who run this challenge, you can view it here:
http://acceln.wikispaces.com/ then scroll down to
#s03e21 Monday 5 August 2013: "Snakes Alive, it's Grok Learning” (1 hour show)

I would love to hear how others are going with this at the DLTV conference in a couple of weeks.

Regards Roland

On 10 Jul 2014, at 3:17 pm, Groves, Brett G <groves.brett.g at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:

> Hi all,
>  
> Hope the break has been kind!
>  
> I’m back teaching a combined 11/12 IT in Action /Application class this year, how I love combined classes…not.
>  
> 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.
>  
> 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??
>  
> 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.
>  
> Hope it’s useful (None of the resources are mine btw this is simply an aggregation targeted at breadth rather than depth)
> Ruby
> Please go to http://tryruby.org/levels/1/challenges/0 Read the instruction carefully as you must type specific commands to navigate the tutorials.
> At the end of each lesson, screen grab the last exercise you got to, upload it to your Blogger and describe what you did.
> PHP
> Go to http://www.w3schools.com/php/default.asp  complete all tutorials down to Form Handling
> Go to http://phpexercises.com/php-exercises-beginnings.html and complete all exercises Beginnings 1 to 7 and Control Structures 1 to 3 (4 for extension if you wish) andForms 1.
> Please screen grab and title each complete exercise and upload to your Blogger.
> This site https://phpacademy.org/videos/learn-php is also a very useful how-to site all by video if you need further help
> JavaScript
> Go to https://www.codeschool.com/ sign in with your Melba Google Domain account under the courses link locate the JavaScript Roadtrip Part 1 and complete all exercises.
> At the end of each lesson, screen grab the last exercise you got to, upload it to your Blogger and describe what you did.
> Python
> Go to http://repl.it/languages/Python 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.
> Go to http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Non-Programmer%27s_Tutorial_for_Python  and commence from Hello, World and continue down to Decisions.
> Complete each set of Exercises at the bottom of each tutorial section and screen grab and title the corresponding shell output from repl.it. Upload this to your Blogger each time.
>  
> Kind Regards,
>  
> Brett Groves
> <image002.gif>
> Melba College
> eLearning Leader
> 03 9725 8277 Ext 221
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