Hi Lucas,
I came late to Python, but am still intrigued by its possibilities. I did try to coach a couple of students in the UNSW ProgComp a few years back, but they didn't really put in enough time practicing. In any case, I find when I try to use it, I still use it like a procedural language, and miss out on some of the really clever tricks that are possible.
Anyway, you mention using it with Bootstrap, but Bootstrap is just a nice framework of HTML, CSS and JS for responsive design. Have I missed something here, where it has Python integration? I only ask, because the biggest downside for me is that Python doesn't seem to have so many real-world uses. PHP and JS are easy to relate to the web, but it seems that using Python with the web isn't so practical? I fully agree with the idea of it to teach programming if you have Raspberry Pi as a platform however. I tried to push for that next year - seemed obvious that you had this circuit board that was really a computer and you could write code to make it do stuff, like in the good old days ;-)
Cheers,
Richard
--
Richard Fox
Teacher of IT and Science
eLearning and Learning Technologies Coordinator
Diamond Valley College
9438 1411
________________________________________
From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au [yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] on behalf of Garth, Lucas A [garth.lucas.a at edumail.vic.gov.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 13 December 2016 10:52 PM
To: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
Subject: Re: [Yr7-10it] coding in 2017
HI Mel (& other interested onlookers)
At the moment I'm looking at having Python installed as our main programming language at Lalor Secondary College.
The reasons:
- It's likely to be high paying - sample: http://tech.co/highest-paying-programming-languages-2015-03
- There are heaps of online resources including codecademy
- It taps in to Raspberry Pi (they were created to facilitate the teaching of Python)
- Programming language isn't the hardest to learn the basics (though admittedly not quite as easy as VB IMO)
- Integration of turtle program into maths
- National Code Challenge by GROK Learning is in Python
- Feeds into Computing/Informatics nicely through the use of Beautiful Soup extracts (and Panda data analysis)
Python's downsides:
- Needs to be installed on every computer (therefore get an image) or else you go with a limited pythonanywhere.com and rely on decent quality internet...might be a struggle in most govt schools...
- Limited front-end development, unless you also teach a framework (which I think you probably should teach your students if they are going to go into a developer career - I'll be teaching my students HTML + CSS + Bootstrap to give them a good grounding for the web). As I'm generally a better back-end developer, I prefer teaching basic ASCII art initially for the students to gain a concept of graphics, though I've also taught students a little bit of the Flask framework and it looked fairly straight-forward.
How I'm planning to insert this into the curriculum (2017-2018)
Year 7 - Limited programming in Digitech, however there will be teaching HTML/CSS and use of a CMS (e.g. Weebly / Wordpress). Maybe some basic Python if we are to link Raspberry Pi computers together with an Ethernet cable. Maths needs use of a general purpose programming language and I'm encouraging the use of the Turtle app in Python, which is based on the Logo programming language for the more experienced teachers on list.
Year 8 - Programming basics in Python. Use of mBots (with Scratch-like mBlock code structure) for a short sequence of more hands-on coding.
Year 9 - Include Python programming in unit on game design using Pygame resources.
Year 10 - Data extraction and manipulation using Python. Show the basics of Bootstrap alongside consolidation of HTML/CSS skills. Use of Grove Starter Kits for Arduino for hands-on coding.
Year 11 - NCSS CHALLENGE - GROK competition - Python. Bootstrap usage for web development SAC. Learn SQL for databases.
Year 12 - Encourage the use of Python (data extraction) and Bootstrap (data presentation) for Informatics SAT, and SQL for databases SAC.
Now - to develop the resources! Let me know if you've already headed down this rabbit hole!
Lucas Garth
Lalor SC
-----Original Message-----
From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of yr7-10it-request at edulists.com.au
Sent: Monday, 12 December 2016 2:54 PM
To: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
Subject: Yr7-10it Digest, Vol 131, Issue 6
Send Yr7-10it mailing list submissions to
yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://www.edulists.com.au/mailman/listinfo/yr7-10it
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
yr7-10it-request at edulists.com.au
You can reach the person managing the list at
yr7-10it-owner at edulists.com.au
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Yr7-10it digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Re: coding in 2017 (Mel Yuan)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2016 03:52:48 +0000
From: Mel Yuan <melyuan at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Yr7-10it] coding in 2017
To: "Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List"
<yr7-10it at edulists.com.au>
Message-ID: <A05757CD-6650-47ED-9E00-2323557005AE at hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Hi,
I?m glad someone raised this language pathway issue.
The problem is ? exactly what general-purpose programming language? Unfortunately most programming languages are pretty specific. JavaScript is oft-cited but this is not really a stand-alone language in the way, say, Visual Basic is designed to be. The Khan Academy and code.org<http://code.org> teaching materials are great but they?re really providing a whole environment and therefore purpose for JS - something the language itself was not really designed for.
Alice is designed to be object-oriented, so I?m happy these ideas could be introduced at 7/8. If you were really keen you could use Alice 3 and transition into Java. GameMaker for 7/8 also works for me as you have to build up a conceptual model of ?what is a game??. In the next generation of the 9/10 elective I?m also flirting with the idea of Visual Basic because you can include ideas of Application Architecture (n layers). Microsoft has some pretty good pricing for things like Team Server for Education packages - getting students into Visual Studio IDE with Team Server source control, now that is starting to look like real programming! I know Python has its fans at year 12 ?
I take your point about Scratch. I think it?s okay if everyone does it year 1 but would like to have something different perhaps in year 2 at Y6.
https://madmaker.com.au/ came to our school to use Arduino to teach Y9s programming. I see this as okay in year 1 but once you get a few students through you need to start building projects with more stuff. Someone told me about the sensor packs, etc. you can get for Edison boards. I think these projects require a fair bit of investment in equipment. More so that straight-up programming which can be done on existing gear, cheap or free ?
Over time I hope these descriptors become more, well, descriptive, in terms of programming ideas rather than using languages as a proxy.
Compliments of the season all!
Cheers, Mel
On 12 Dec 2016, at 1:32 pm, Grieve, Carlin C <grieve.carlin.c at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:grieve.carlin.c at edumail.vic.gov.au>> wrote:
Good work Mel,
Overall I think the learning path is the part that is the most important. You need to ensure that student capacity is built on each year, as it helps the students (As well as the staff ? ) Looks like you have this under control!
Having different environments (IDE?s) is always a good thing too, so students do not get hooked on the idea ?I can only program in scratch?
Ken was right in ensuring it meets the need of the curriculum though.
? Yr5/6 Band: Develop digital solutions as simple visual programs (VCDTCD033)<http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/VCDTCD033>
? Yr7/8 Band: ? using a general-purpose programming language (VCDTCD043)<http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/VCDTCD043>
? Yr9/10 Band: ? using an object-oriented programming language(VCDTCD053)<http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/VCDTCD053>
I am interested in what you do with Arduino?s at Year 8 though, as my first implementation failed big time (Expectations vs Reality)
Kind Regards,
<image001.png>
Carlin Grieve
Learning Technologies Leading Teacher
Epping Secondary College
T: +61 3 9401 2599
W:www.eppingsc.vic.edu.au<http://www.eppingsc.vic.edu.au/>
From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au<mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au> [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of ken price
Sent: Monday, 12 December 2016 1:13 PM
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List <yr7-10it at edulists.com.au<mailto:yr7-10it at edulists.com.au>>
Subject: Re: [Yr7-10it] Fwd: coding in 2017
Doesn't year 7-10 require a general purpose programming language? (based on Aust Curric Digital Technologies)
kp
On Mon, Dec 12, 2016 at 1:04 PM, Mel Yuan <melyuan at hotmail.com<mailto:melyuan at hotmail.com>> wrote:
Hi folks,
Didn?t get much response from the Primary folks, per below ? what do you guys think?
Considering putting MS Touch Develop in somewhere too ? anyone had experience with this? Microsoft have invested in a fair bit of curriculum materials.
We?re doing some Robotics/Systems as well - Y4 Blue Bots, Y6 Makey Makey, Y7 Mindstorm, Y8 Arduino.
Cheers, Mel
Begin forwarded message:
From: Mel Yuan <melyuan at hotmail.com<mailto:melyuan at hotmail.com>>
Subject: coding in 2017
Date: 9 December 2016 7:35:37 am AEDT
To: primaryit at edulists.com.au<mailto:primaryit at edulists.com.au>
Hello all,
I am starting a new role next year in DigiTech 4-10, having taught 8, 11, 12 (SoftDev) this year. The school has a new program, having offered compulsory IT in years 7-8 for some years.
This is my current plan for coding in 2017 with a view to strengthening pathways over time. I?d be interested in your thoughts - do you do the same or different? Have a missed a language that is a must-have?
I?m thinking that code.org<http://code.org/> is the theoretical ?backbone? that teaches concepts, and the other language is something they can make stuff with.
Y4 - code.org<http://code.org/> Course 2, Scratch
Y5 - code.org<http://code.org/> Course 2/3, Scratch
Y6 - code.org<http://code.org/> Course 2/3/4, Scratch
Y7 - code.org<http://code.org/> Accelerated Course 2-4, Alice 2
Y8 - code.org<http://code.org/> Accelerated Course 2-4, GameMaker
Y9/10 elective - code.org<http://code.org/> CSP course 3 AppLab, elective language (Scratch, Alice, GameMaker or other for project)
It?s a small school and when the cohort grows, current students can keep progressing through code.org<http://code.org/> while new students start at Course 2 or Accelerated.
Cheers, Mel
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au<http://www.edulists.com.au/> - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List kindly supported by http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au<http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/> - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and http://www.vitta.org.au<http://www.vitta.org.au/> - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University
--
--
Dr Ken Price MACS(Snr) CP ACCE Professional Associate.
Immediate Past President, TASITE http://www.tasite.tas.edu.au<http://www.tasite.tas.edu.au/>
IMPORTANT - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Training.
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au<http://www.edulists.com.au/> - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List kindly supported by http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au<http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/> - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and http://www.vitta.org.au<http://www.vitta.org.au/> - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr7-10it/attachments/20161212/830aac09/attachment.html
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Yr7-10it mailing list
Yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
http://www.edulists.com.au/mailman/listinfo/yr7-10it
End of Yr7-10it Digest, Vol 131, Issue 6
****************************************
IMPORTANT - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Training.
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ict/schools - Swinburne University
=
IMPORTANT - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Training.