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#EdTech: Why Schools Need to Evolve and Put Computer Science in their Curriculum

By Judy Imamudeen | July 11, 2018 | Comments 1 comment

“Okay, Google-play some 70’s Music”, my brother-in-law says aloud. All of a sudden Google responds, explaining how they have located a Pandora station to suit his taste. Although Google Home is an obvious form of AI (Artificial Intelligence), it is pervasion in our modern lives, from Uber to SnapChat, to those recommendations on Amazon (and any online business that tracks our data). However, most of us don’t even understand how a computer works, let alone how it “thinks”.

Here’s a bit of trivia: in 2014, most common job in America- What do you think?-It was a Truck Driver. (Thanks to Amazon.com) Does that surprise you?

But if you want your students to grow up and become a truck driver, good luck with that!-that’s a dead end job. Self-driving vehicles aren’t really “science fiction” anymore, they are predicted to become a “science fact” by the year 2020.

In fact, by 2033, 47% of our jobs will be automated. So what does that mean? Well here is a smattering of a variety of jobs and the risk of being a part of that statistic.

98% of umpires and referees will be replaced.
97% of cooks at restaurants will be replaced.
89% of bus drivers will be replaced.
68% of dental hygienists will be replaced.
4.9% of farmers and ranchers (although they will rely heavily on tech to support sustainable practices)
0.4% of elementary school teachers (Yeah! I have a place in the future!!)

Supply vs. demand for computer scientists may vary from state to state in America, but there is definitely no lack of opportunity and the need is only going to increase, especially with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (not just Alexa or Google Home). No country will be spared. It will only be a matter of time before technology not only augments our lives but disrupts our economic opportunities. Furthermore, it can’t be long before policymakers and educators begin to recognize that not knowing how to code will be as crippling as not knowing how to read. To be technologically illiterate is a handicap that citizens cannot tolerate, and it can be prevented for our students.

So why isn’t it there a bigger initiative to promote it in our curriculums? In my opinion, because of there too many “digital immigrants” in education that are too scared to learn something new. Let’s be honest–ignorance and fear hold us back. If I was to poll you, lovely reader, and ask you if you know basic computer programming, most of you would woefully sigh and say “no”. And I have to wonder if given a choice between learning computer programming language (like C++ or JavaScript) or Hungarian (supposedly one of the hardest languages to learn), most of us would choose a human language over computer language. But I don’t think we need to go out and pick up a book about Python for our summer reading, but we can embed the concepts and that kind of thinking in our classrooms. So, not only do you translate those 0s and 1s into images and ideas, but you discover how to solve problems and understand the impact a decision may make. Have you ever read the book Algorithms to Live By? If you are a naysayer or you just can’t see the connection, then I would really recommend that book. You’ll start to see how algorithms (which are a part of a computer program), impact our daily lives.

Goodness knows that in our PYP schools, which I feel lead the educational landscape for innovation, I think we should consider teaching computer science as if it was an additional language–not to be cutting edge and trendy–but because those skills and concepts will be necessary for our learners to co-exist in their future world if not lead and create a better world that works for everyone.

Computer Science has changed everything and if we were to unpack our daily lives, we would feel more compelled to bring it into our classrooms. Period. Not because we are “experts” in it, but because we need our future generations to have a firm handle on it in order to survive if not thrive. As I attend a professional development workshop given by Code.org, I feel excited to find connections and ties in with computer science and math, science, language and even social studies (PSPE). And, being the nerd I am, get to figure out how to pull it into our POI (Programme of Inquiry). Perhaps you are as passionate about this as well. Please share your ideas and suggestions in the comments below about how you embed it into your classroom’s learning.

Judy Imamudeen

Developing learners as leaders is my joy! I am committed and passionate International Baccaluearate (IB) educator who loves cracking jokes, jumping on trampolines and reading books. When I’m not playing Minecraft with my daughter, I work on empowering others in order to create a future that works for everyone.

judyimamudeen.com

Season 1, Episode 3 of the Educator’s Companion to PD (Show Notes)–Taking a Byte Out of Apple

By Judy Imamudeen | June 20, 2017 | Comments 0 Comment

I know that a lot of people enjoying reading and skimming through podcast show notes to get a gist of the highlights of the episode. This podcast was originally recorded back in June 2017. To listen to the podcast, please go here.

Can you think back to your first experience with an Apple product? Was it with an iPod, iPhone, Mac or iPad?

My “aha” Apple moment was several years ago when we went on a trip to India with my family and friends. My daughter was turning 1 year old at the time and she was eager to explore and crawl around. Now I don’t know if you have ever been to India, which is a fantastic country, but with over a billion people, there is a lot of humanity and it was really hard to contain my daughter’s eagerness to crawl all over the ground. My friend Eric, in his wisdom, had downloaded a few toddler apps on his iPhone, and I can’t begin to tell you how much this saved us during our adventures in India. Although she was barely 1, she could completely navigate and engage with the games on his device. It blew my mind away. Clearly, Apple had designed such a user-friendly interface that even a toddler could use it. After this trip, I was transformed and became a technology optimist and began an advocate for its use in classrooms.

Now let me just say that Steve Jobs, the well-known founder of Apple, had been conspiring to hook us educators on its products nearly since The company’s inception. You see Apple has always been vying for its place in education ever since the Apple 2 was introduced into classrooms in 1978. Back in the early 80’s Jobs marched up and down the halls of Congress for weeks to actively lobby them with an initiative called Kids Can’t Wait. This allowed corporations to make it easier to get tax breaks for donating to schools, libraries, and museums. It was after this push that Apple soon came to dominate the education PC market (for a while at least), and developed initiatives like the Apple Distinguished Educator program and research projects like Apple Classroom of Tomorrow. So you could say that educators have been taking a “byte” out of the Apple for quite some time now. With the advent of iPads, tablets have become a staple in schools around the world, with over 8 million iPads in schools across the globe.

What is it?

So now that you know this, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Apple has created an online Apple Teacher program. When Apple first started teaching teachers about computing, its focus was on programming with LOGO. Nowadays the Apple program is focused specifically on the features and tools of their products, allowing you to take 2 tracks–either on the MAC or iPads. And you can deep dive into the tools on applications such as Numbers, Garage Band, iMovie, and Keynote. You may think you know these apps well, but I guarantee that you will discover new things they can do with Apple Tools. Once you complete the training, you are provided Recognition with a special badge that you can put on your resume or CV, website or blog.

How does the program work?

How you get the certification?
What the certification means?

First of all, yuh need to head over to Appleteacher.apple.com and sign in using your Apple ID. Once you’ve logged in, you have to select your learning track, which will be with Mac or IPad. There you will review and study materials and pass the quiz for each app which will earn you a badge. Once you earn all 8 of the badges, you get the certification. For example, when I got my certificates, I had to get learning badges for the iPad, Pages, Numbers iMovie, GarageBand, keynote, creativity, And productivity with the iPad. Once I had all the badges, I was emailed my Apple Teacher logo and certification. It was a very straightforward and easy system.

The 3/2/1: 3 Pros, 2 Cons, and 1 Tip

The Pros:

The program is constantly evolving and expanding. Since the program launched in the summer of 2016, Apple has already added badges for teaching coding with Swift Playgrounds. I expect more apps will be launched and the training will go with it. Also, earning badges in education is a trend that teachers need to pay attention to. I think in the future, our degree programs will be either augmented or replaced by badge systems. My opinion, but I think earning these symbols of recognition will be an important aspect of determining whether a teacher is “highly qualified” when it comes to 21st-century learning. Apple means to be a mover and a shaker in education, so I believe that their badges are going to carrying more clout as the program continues to evolve. After becoming an Apple Teacher, be sure to get the little badge/graphic so you can advertise your expertise either on your classroom door, blog, or website.
There is a growing community of Apple Teachers. You can get your geek on and join Follow #appleteacher on Twitter to connect with other like-minded educators.The resources are fantastic. It’s not just about the badges. There are some fantastic resources here. Stories of technology being used in the classroom, starter guides for the most often used apps, teacher-created iBooks and much, much more.
You can go deeper and apply to become an Apple Distinguished Educator. As per the 2017 guidelines, you must be employed in an academic capacity and submit a 2-minute video that demonstrates how you transforming the learning environment and creating success in the learning as well as extending your reach in education beyond your classroom walls. All applicants must attend an in-person ADE Academy event, which would cost a chunk of change, but you could imagine what an inspiring and life-changing event this could be. Perhaps something to look forward to doing some time in the future if you’re an Apple Geek.

The Cons:

Learning through iBooks: Currently, the program’s content is offered through ebooks, which I personally found a bit bland and I really wanted more of a multimedia approach with the How To’s, especially when I worked through the module on Garage Band and iMovie. I ended up going onto YouTube to watch videos, which was a bit confusing since there are different ways to navigate features on the iPad vs. the Mac, and there are different versions of the apps.
It’s easy to Cheat: Meaning that you can take the quiz over and over again without really demonstrating true expertise in an app. Once you know the questions, it’s easy to go back and find the answers in the ebook without really developing the skill. I have a confession, I totally did that with the Numbers module. I am not a spreadsheet person so the least amount of effort I could put into that module, I did, but I didn’t feel that I really mastered the nuances of the app because the quizzes didn’t demand it from me.

So head on over to appleteacher.apple.com

Judy Imamudeen

judyimamudeen.com