Elementary Education In a Technology Age

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Elementary EducationIn a Technology Age

• Gregory Gates
• Period 5

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Why is there need for a change?

• New technologies encourage a digital revolution
  in education
• Technology isn't being used properly
• New Technology-same teaching methods

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Computers, Television, andFinger Paint

• Which one doesn't belong?
• Computers are certainly closer to TV than finger
  paint right now
• Educators need to change this
• Computers right now are mainly being used as just
  an information medium
• Potential for more creativity and interactivity

Idea from Rethinking Learning in a Digital Age
by Mitchel Resnick
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How can Computers Improve Education?

• Universal Construction Material
• All Ages
• Students learn better when actively involved in
  doing something
• Offers opportunity to combine multiple topics
  (math, science, teamwork) very easily

Papert, S. The Childrens Machine Rethinking
School in the Age of the Computer. New York
Basic Books, 1993.
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My Project

• Implement something akin to a Computer
  Clubhouse at a local elementary school
• Students will use Scratch, and later Cricket
• SOL and POS Benchmarks will also be addressed for
  all subjects and grade levels

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Scratch

• Developed at MIT
• Interactive Programming Environment
• Imagine-Program-Share
• Uses visual blocks of code
• Ability to easily share projects on web
  (scratch.mit.edu)?

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Topics Covered

• X-Y Axis
• Degrees
• Loops (multiplication)?
• Movement
• Using new sprites
• Custom Sprites
• Custom Stages
• Sprite Interaction
• Purpose of Stage

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Pictures
Me working with a student
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• Students working in computer lab

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2nd Quarter Status

• The club has actually gotten underway
• Teacher and Principal support
• Parent volunteers
• Plenty of student interest (70 kids each
  Thursday)?
• Personal Website
• Cardinal Forest Scratch Website

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3rd Quarter Status

• Kids have begun working on their own projects
• County Executives have been contacted, but have
  yet to show up
• More Parent Support
• Many kids have Scratch on their home computers

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Individual Project Criteria

• At least one sprite must
• Talk
• Move
• There must be some sprite-sprite interaction
• At least one
• Custom sprite
• Custom stage
• Students are allowed to use all commands

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Individual Project Progress

• Students have varying success
• Age (biggest factor)?
• Classes Missed
• Interest in Scratch
• Factors that thus far seem to have no effect
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Project progress not happening as quickly as
  anticipated

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Project Problems

• Time
• Declining Interest
• Mostly attributed to Spring (Recess is outside)?
• Students putting effort in wrong areas
• Need them to be creative in other ways