I’ve been having lots of fun learning to code with Scratch over the past month. It inspired me to write blogs about the benefits of teaching programming skills and computer science standards. But it also prompted me to ponder about teaching practices associated with coding. Many of the resources I researched suggested that students write […]
Coding Journals for Computer Science Read More »
At TechnoKids, we’re often asked how our templates, samples, or workbook files can be shared with students. One common option is to use Google Drive. The only prerequisite is that each student must have an individual Gmail account. Before getting started it is important to refer to your site license agreement. TechnoKids files cannot be
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It is important to develop computational thinking. In my last blog about computer science learning standards, I wrote about the benefits of students learning to program. Coding was once thought to be a mysterious, obscure skill restricted to a few masterminds. But in light of the STEM demands of the future job world, it’s now
Computational Thinking and Scratch Read More »
Scratch is the popular, free program that introduces programming to kids using graphical blocks. The MIT team who created Scratch have announced a new version – Scratch 3.0. It’s expected to be out in a Beta version in August and fully launched in January 2019. At TechnoKids, we’ve been working with a Preview version to
5 New Features in Scratch 3.0 Read More »
There are so many great things about Scratch: it teaches programming skills to kids, it’s fun and easy, and it’s free! Another fantastic feature is the Scratch online community. Students can browse completed projects, try tutorials, create interactive media, share, get feedback, learn from others, participate in discussion forums, and more! A bonus spinoff of
Digital Citizenship and Scratch Read More »
As educators, we agree that STEM education matters. The focus on science, technology, engineering, and math not only prepares young people for the jobs of tomorrow, but also builds the vital skills of design, logical thinking, problem solving, and trouble shooting. We recognize the need for students to develop computer literacy but more than just
Computer Science Learning Standards Read More »
In a previous post I listed some keyboard shortcuts for Google Slides. Here’s a list of some Google Docs keyboard shortcuts for a PC that may help to speed up your work. Action Keyboard Shortcut Working with a Document Open a file CTRL + O Insert a page break CTRL + ENTER Find CTRL +
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As you use Google Slides a few times, you can speed up your work by using keyboard shortcuts for some of the functions you use often. Here’s a list of some of the common ones for a PC that you might find helpful. Action Keyboard Shortcut Working with a Presentation Open a presentation CTRL +
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I’ve been reading a lot of employment ads lately as I’ve been researching career readiness. One recurring theme is that employers are not only seeking people with job specific skills. They also require a strong set of interpersonal or professional skills such as communication, initiative, collaboration, creativity, and responsibility. These are often termed soft skills.
Soft Skills for Job Readiness Read More »
In a recent post about STEM education and career preparation, I searched online to find jobs related to science, technology, engineering, and math. In the search box of popular job site listings such as Indeed or Monster.com, previously I had put job titles. Instead, this time I entered the keywords Microsoft Office. I was shocked
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