About Vizwik | Vizwik

Posted on March 21, 2016 by jdioguardi

 We created Vizwik to bring digital literacy to everyone. Based on 20 years of research Vizwik is one of the most powerful and usable coding systems ever created, accessible now for the first time to teachers and students through Vizwik’s social learning platform.

Source: About Vizwik | Vizwik

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10 Python Teaching Resources You Really Should Be Using – teachcomputing.wordpress.com

Posted on March 21, 2016 by jdioguardi

Since I first started teaching text-based programming with Python in 2011, I’ve discovered some resources that I make use of regularly. I still use these extensively with the teachers that I support as part of my work with Exa Education. I’m sure that others reading this post may like to suggest other tools, and I would encourage you to add them as a comment on this post.

When I made my first tentative steps into the world of Python I was pleasantly surprised how welcoming, supportive and accommodating I found the Python community to be. The vast abundance of high quality, free teaching and learning resources are testament to this. Though you might equate the word ‘resource’ to describe something more akin to a textbook or webpage, without the assiduous efforts of the Python community the resources listed below would simply not exist.
Source: 10 Python Teaching Resources You Really Should Be Using – teachcomputing.wordpress.com

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AppShed – Build HTML5, iPhone and Android apps online

Posted on March 7, 2016 by jdioguardi

AppShed allows people to become creators of technology, not just consumers.AppShed is a free online app-creation tool where users design, create and publish mobile apps. Everyone gains a huge sense of achievement, having been able to produce something tangible they can share with others. The app-building environment is intuitive and adaptable to your needs. Apps can be tested in real-time either on a mobile device or in a browser.
Source: AppShed – Build HTML5, iPhone and Android apps online

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Code::Blocks

Posted on February 29, 2016 by jdioguardi

The open source, cross platform, free C, C++ and Fortran IDE.

Code::Blocks is a free C, C++ and Fortran IDE built to meet the most demanding needs of its users. It is designed to be very extensible and fully configurable.

Finally, an IDE with all the features you need, having a consistent look, feel and operation across platforms.

Built around a plugin framework, Code::Blocks can be extended with plugins. Any kind of functionality can be added by installing/coding a plugin. For instance, compiling and debugging functionality is already provided by plugins!

Special credits go to darmar for his great work on the FortranProject plugin, bundled since release 13.12.

We hope you enjoy using Code::Blocks!

The Code::Blocks Team
Source: Code::Blocks

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Code/Interactive

Posted on February 25, 2016 by jdioguardi

C/I’s mission is to inspire and equip underserved students with the skills in computing, leadership, and professionalism needed to thrive in the Internet economy and beyond.C/I’s year-round programs introduce students from underserved communities to the creative power of technology through the teaching of hard and soft skills. By providing hands-on training in today’s most relevant technology subject areas, C/I’s programs serve as the building blocks for long-term career paths in technology.
Source: About C/I : C/I

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Teaching Bronx Students the Language of Computers – The New York Times

Posted on February 25, 2016 by jdioguardi

The website allows users to post videos of police abuses, track them on an interactive map and even play a game in which the goal is to avoid gunfire from police officers.
Called Protect & Swerve, the website and companion app were created by six Bronx high school students who recently presented their work to business and community leaders, including the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, at an economic summit in Midtown Manhattan.

The students received applause, then a question: How much money would they need to further develop the app?

“Tell your people to call our people,” Shemar DaCosta, 15, replied. “And I’m just putting this out there: We’re all free for internships.”

The students’ success highlights a growing movement in the Bronx to equip young people with the knowledge and the skills to write code, the language of computers, so that they can become creators rather than simply consumers of apps, video games, websites and other programs. There have been coding lessons in schools, so-called weekend hackathons for students to code together for as long as 24 consecutive hours and training institutes for teachers across the borough as educators, leaders and others aim to help students navigate an increasingly digital world and better prepare for jobs in the future.

Source: Teaching Bronx Students the Language of Computers – The New York Times

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10 Reasons to Teach Coding – #Sketchnote by @sylviaduckworth

Posted on February 21, 2016 by jdioguardi

  Coding allows students to create content, not just consume it. Coding empowers students and give them tools to express themselves in really cool ways. Coding teaches storytelling with games …

Source: 10 Reasons to Teach Coding – #Sketchnote by @sylviaduckworth

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Should Computer Education Cover More Than Just Coding? : NPR Ed : NPR

Posted on February 15, 2016 by jdioguardi

President Obama wants kids to learn to code. So much so, he’s pledged billions of dollars to teach them.”Now we have to make sure all our kids are equipped for the jobs of the future – which means not just being able to work with computers, but developing the analytical and coding skills to power our innovation economy,” he said in his radio address on Jan. 30.And adults are looking to learn, too. Coding academies, or “boot camps,” are cropping up across the country, promising to teach students to code in a few months or even a few weeks.But computers are not just about coding. There’s also a lot of theory — and science — behind technology. And those theoretical concepts form the basis of much of computer science education in colleges and universities.
Source: Should Computer Education Cover More Than Just Coding? : NPR Ed : NPR

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Why Use a Paintbrush When You Can Make Mind-Bending Art With Code? | WIRED

Posted on February 15, 2016 by jdioguardi

COMPUTER CODE UNDERPINS many aspect of our lives. Usually we know exactly what we want that code to do—but what if we didn’t? This is the question posed by Los Angeles software artist Casey Reas, who employs code to form abstract, bewildering, and literally unexpected creations.Reas received his MS from the MIT Media Arts and Sciences program, where he focused on “Behavior Computational Sculpture.” When he graduated in 2001, he transitioned to a career in graphic design. But he soon began fusing the two disciplines. Today, his artwork reflects that fusion. Each of his pieces begins as a logic-based system. He describes that system in code that translates it into a visual, digital form. Then he fine tunes the results; he doesn’t know exactly what he’ll get the first go-around—which he says is the beauty of it.

Today’s Ideology (26 July 2015) from Casey REAS on Vimeo.

Source: Why Use a Paintbrush When You Can Make Mind-Bending Art With Code? | WIRED

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Computer Science | Project Lead The Way

Posted on February 8, 2016 by jdioguardi

The projected number of job openings in 2018 for STEM fields will reach 2.8 million. Of these, approximately 1.4 million jobs will be for computer specialists. Like many other STEM fields, the current demand and supply are mismatched, as computer science career openings outpace students’ skills and interest. Also, like many other fields, computer science interest starts long before a student decides on a major or even applies to college. How do we prepare students for the amazing opportunities that require

Source: PLTW Computer Science | Project Lead The Way

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