Principle #1 - Lead with Concepts

Prior to Small Group

Textbook Readings

• pp 8-17 from BBCP
  • Concept Maps
  • Using Non-Programming Activities to Teach Programming Concepts
  • The Code's Not All Right
  • Learning Graphs

Research Reading

• I think that the 2nd article you read in the textbook is way too short to be of much benefit. You don't need a bite. You need the whole entree.
• That article is based on the following publication:
  • Shuchi Grover, Nicholas Jackiw & Patrik Lundh (2019): Concepts before
    coding: non-programming interactives to advance learning of introductory programming concepts in
    middle school, Computer Science Education, DOI: 10.1080/08993408.2019.1568955
  • PDF Link
• If the article in your textbook is a bite, this article is, arguably, a full five course meal. Even that may be too much. You need something in between I don't expect that you will read and digest every word of this article. But I do want you to understand the structure of the project described in this article. Furthermore, I want you to pick out one or two of the example pairings that they discuss and read those pages in sufficient detail.

Write

Textbook Reflection (including Grover Article)

As you read the assigned readings from the textbook and from the Grover article I would like you to take notes regarding what stands out to you in the readings. Then, to help you start to make sense of the week's readings as a whole, I would like you to complete a summary using "the 3-2-1 approach" :

• Share with your partners in your group's shared drive.
• Do not to submit to me until after your SG meetup.

Concept Map

At the final CoP event last December, your AEA spent an hour brainstorming an "essential elements" list focusing on specific elements of programming and the skills needed to be a successful programmer. I asked you to review that list last week (or create one anew if you weren't at the CoP in December). While that list is probably helpful on it's own, one thing that is really helpful is to understand how the different topics and skills relate to each other as concepts.

This week you read about the use of Concept Maps and Learning Graphs

In this activity I would like you to identify what connections and dependencies you think there are in the topics/skills on your "essential elements" list. While I don't think there are definitive right answers I do think there are some fairly definite wrong answers/connections. Make a real effort to give this serious thought. But don't nitpick and worry to death about the details. Give it your best shot.

Note, this is probably most easily done paper/pencil but you are welcome to use any computer based tool you might be familiar with if that helps YOU. If you do paper/pencil you will need to find a way to scan into a pdf for sharing and eventual submission.

• Share with your partners in your group's shared drive.
• Do not to submit to me until after your SG meetup.

At the Small Group

At that meetup this week you should

• Discuss the readings/reflections from this week. [~30 minutes]
• Share and discuss your Concept Maps. How were they similar. Where did you differ? [~30 minutes]

After Small Group

• As appropriate you may rewrite your reflections for the week prior to submitting.
  • Submit the final version of your Principle #1 deliverable on Blackboard (0/1)
  • Submit the final version of your Concept Map on Blackboard (0/1)


• Complete the Competency Demo for this week. (0-4)
  • Do NOT attempt this until after you have done all other activities for the week.
  • Submit the final version of your CD on Blackboard

Weekly Code

• This week's code/program activity is a "select" activity and is thus worth 1 point towards your code grade.
• Determining the strength of a password