CS Fundamentals - Teaching and Learning Strategies

Code.org Computer science Fundamentals Teaching and Learning Strategies

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CS Fundamentals - Teaching and Learning Strategies

Code.org Computer science Fundamentals Teaching and Learning Strategies

Uploaded by

ktwist

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Teaching and Learning Strategies

The following teaching and learning strategies for CS Fundamentals are used repeatedly in many different lessons.

Lead Learner
What is it?
As the lead learner, your role shifts from being the source of
knowledge to being a leader in seeking knowledge. The lead
learner’s mantra is: “I may not know the answer, but I know that
together we can figure it out.” The lead learner’s philosophy is that
you don’t have to be an expert on everything; you can start
teaching CS Fundamentals knowing what you already know and
learn alongside your students. Lead learners use modeling
frequently and use metacognition, thinking about your thinking,
often.

How does it connect to the curriculum?

One of the Code.org curriculum values is developing teachers who
are new to computer science. The curriculum and tools make it
easy to create an engaging and relevant class that helps students uncover and develop the knowledge they need. A
teacher who embraces the lead learner role can lead the course without knowing all of the answers.

Acting as the lead learner is an act of empathy toward your students and the challenges they face in learning material for
the first time. A critical job in the CS Fundamentals classroom is to model excitement about investigating how things work
by asking motivating questions about why things work the way they do and why they are the way they are. With your
guidance, students will learn how to hypothesize, ask peers, test, evaluate, and refine solutions collaboratively.

How do I use it?

● Allow students to dive into an activity without front-loading the content first.
● Encourage students to rely on each other for support.
● Don’t answer right away, even if you know it.
● Feel open to making mistakes in front of students to see it is part of the learning process.
● Ask students questions that direct their attention toward the issue to investigate without giving away what they
need to change.
● Model the steps you would go through as a learner of a new subject. Explain the different questions you ask
yourself along the way and the ways you go about finding answers.
CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Pair Programming
What is it?
Pair programming is a technique in which two programmers work together on one computer. The “driver” writes code
while the “navigator” directs the design and setup of the code. The two programmers switch roles often. The benefits of
pair programming include the following:
● Improvements to computer science enrollment, retention, and student performance
● Increasing students' confidence
● Developing students' critical thinking skills
● Experience with a "real world" working environment

How does it connect to the curriculum?

In CS Fundamentals, there are many lessons on the computer during which students develop programming skills. Pair
programming can foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration and promote diversity in the classroom by reducing the
"confidence gap" between female and male students while increasing all students’ programming confidence.

How do I use it?

To get students pair programming:
1. Form pairs.
2. Give each pair one computer.
3. Decide upon initial roles.
4. Have students start working.
5. Ensure that students switch roles at regular intervals
(every 3 to 5 minutes).
6. Ensure that navigators remain active participants.

It can be hard to introduce pair programming after students

have worked individually for a while, so we recommend that
teachers start pair programming in the first few lessons. Like
any other classroom technique, you may not want to use this
all the time as different types of learners will respond differently to working in this context. Once you have established pair
programming as a practice early on, it will be easier to come back to later.

Resources
Code.org also has a feature to help both students get “credit” on their accounts for the work they do together. Check out
the blog on Pair Programming: https://goo.gl/MorPnx.

Videos:
● For Teachers: youtu.be/sxToW3ixrwo
● For Students: youtu.be/vgkahOzFH2Q

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has a great resource about pair programming
benefits. Check it out at www.ncwit.org/resources/pair-programming-box-power-collaborative-learning.
CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Authentic Choice
What is it?
Authentic choice is the practice of allowing students to decide on the focus of their creation when they are working on a
project. The central point is to enable students to work on something that interests them.

How does it connect to the curriculum?

In the curriculum, we give students many opportunities to work on projects that we hope will feel personally relevant.
Whether it be a free-play level at the end of a lesson or a more extended project, every student should get ample
opportunity to develop their creations.

How do I use it?

● Encourage students to find personally relevant contexts
for the work they do.
● Keep the projects open to students’ interests.

Journaling
What is it?
In CS Fundamentals, students are encouraged to keep a journal
nearby to write down thoughts and answer questions.

How does it connect to the curriculum?

All lessons in CS Fundamentals include reflection prompts, and journals are a great place to have students put down
answers. Journals are also helpful as scratch paper for building programs, debugging, and strategizing.

How do I use it?

● Encourage students to keep their journals beside them at all times when coding.
● Have students copy down answers to puzzles that they might need in future levels.
● Ask students to draw or describe emotions at the top of the pages to identify their feelings about concepts.
● End each lesson with a question that helps students reflect on their learning.
CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Student Practices
We developed CS Fundamentals around a core set of student practices. These student practices are the high-level skills
and dispositions we want students to develop.

Problem Solving
● Use a structured problem-solving process to help solve new problems.
● View challenges as solvable problems.
● Break down larger problems into smaller components.
Persistence
● Value and expect mistakes as a natural and productive part of problem-solving.
● Continue working towards solutions despite setbacks.
● Iterate and continue to improve partial solutions.
● Keep track of elements that worked and elements that did not to avoid repeating mistakes.
Creativity
● Incorporate your interests or ideas into your work.
● Experiment with new ideas and consider multiple possible approaches.
● Extend or build upon the ideas and projects of others.
Collaboration
● Work with others to develop solutions that incorporate all contributors.
● Mediate disagreements and help teammates agree on a solution.
● Actively contribute to the success of group projects.
Communication
● Structure your work so that others can easily understand it.
● Consider the perspective and background of your audience when presenting your work.
● Provide and accept constructive feedback to improve your work.
CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide