Ngā Matapakinga | Discussion

Further to Jill Monteiro's post: it is great to see another ESOL teacher on board with learning DDDO!   
I agree that the promotion of speaking English is paramount! When students are enjoying themselves and engaged in what they are doing, they relax and are more likely to speak English. Using the Lego Ducks in a collaborative small group activity would be really fun for my students - kinesthetic too! 
Getting our ESOL students (most particularly former refugees) up to speed with digital technology language would also hugely help in mainstream classes.  

New content has been made available for this gamefroot, book one has now completed.

How to code a 2D platformer game

Link to 5 card binary digit interactive.

Thank you to everyone who has already shared in this thread. Love Micro:bits, for the accessibility and affordability and open-endedness - if that's a word? lol .

I recently wanted to highlight how useful Micro:bits can be as a gateway to teaching/using computational thinking in year 9/10 classes, so I created some simple infographics to demonstrate some cross-curricula connections.

I know Digital Technologies fit squarely in the Technology Learning area, but I also feel sometimes you have to make curriculum connections to other learning areas through authentic contexts/issues, so I've tried to create a 'conversation starter' for Health P.E and Science. I've also created a Social Sciences example too (without Micro:bits), to show other ways of making connections between curriculum areas and Computational Thinking in Digital Technologies.

• https://create.piktochart.com/output/47367952-science-and-ct-example
• https://create.piktochart.com/output/47453526-pe-and-ct-example

I'd love your feedback - things to include, improve, other ideas? How else would you create (or have already) as a gateway resource to introduce curriculum connections?

Kia ora koutou Here is the ICT vs DT poster we referred to, in several different sizes for your viewing pleasure!   ​

A0 poster:   

A1 poster:   

A2 poster: 

A3 poster: 

If you missed the Ask Me Anything (AMA) Facebook live session this week (Tuesday 9 June), no worries, the recording is still available to go back to and some of the resources talked about have been shared below.

What burning questions do you have for our panelists next week? We'd love to hear more. Simply, add your pātai (questions) or responses below.

Āna, ngā mihi Matua Greg, he tino rawe te rauemi nei o Micro:bit. 

There seem to be many connections which all together make a clearer picture.  I found the Barefoot CT image really helpful summary. I like the way it breaks down CT into smaller parts (algorithm, decomposing, patterns etc).  I am also very eager to try the Joanne Roberts sorting activity.

That sounds very timely and relevant Julie and closely aligned to what I've been viewing in the pīkau too .

Finding  quicker, logical ways to work out problems is a great way to teach students about sorting algorithms (in a Computer Science sense), where there’s a need for computers to process and find the right answers quickly too. None of us have the time or are used to sitting and waiting for a computer to process stuff for too long (100ths of a millisecond) For example, Programmers need to know when they’re dealing with this kind of problem, and choose algorithms that will produce a result in a reasonable amount of time. (Pīkau 17: CTDT PO4-6: Comparing Algorithms).

In this video, we see Tim and Joanne use two different searching algorithms (sequential search and binary search) to solve the same problem, and then analyse the results with an interesting conclusion. I found all of the videos and content in Pīkau 17: CTDT PO4-6: Comparing Algorithms do well to explain the ‘need for speed’

I've found the Pīkau very easy to view and incredibly informative. Wondering how everyone else is finding this content too?