Presenters
CS and STEM Program Director
Sarah has been in public education for 15 years. She began her career as a 4th grade teacher, moving on to become the elementary and STEM teacher for her entire district. During that time, she established makerspaces in each elementary school she served. In 2021, she began working with the Learning Technology Center of Illinois as an instructional technology coach for three districts in her area. This year, she has taken on a new role at the LTC as the program manager for computer science and STEM programs.
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator
Lisa Schwartz is the Regional Educational Technology Coordinator for the Learning Technology Center (LTC). Prior to joining the LTC, she spent 19 years in the K-12 classroom. Lisa is passionate about meaningful professional development and creating teacher and student leaders. She facilitates professional learning events regionally and statewide; provides consultation and support to school districts related to digital learning and technology integration; and develops instructional materials for school administrators, teachers, and students throughout the region and the state.
She is a certified teacher, a Google for Education Certified Trainer, a Google Certified Educator, a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and an Apple Education Trainer & Coach.
Session description
Get acquainted with the Circuit Playground Express and its many features using Microsoft MakeCode. You'll have time to explore the many projects and curriculum resources available to get started quickly and easily with students.
Purpose & objective
Participants will be able to identify ways the Circuit Playground Express supports the instruction computer science concepts as well as other content.
Participants will be able to identify how the Circuit Playground Express and other microcontrollers connect to the real world and will be able to guide their students in this connection as well.
Participants will be able to use block code to program the Circuit Playground Express.
Participants will use materials to build a "wand" and attach their Circuit Playground Express with a "spell" they have programmed.
Participants will be able to navigate the additional project ideas and starter programs to incorporate into their schools.
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Outline
10 minutes- Intro to microcontrollers and Circuit Playground Express
10 minutes- Exploring MakeCode
50 minutes- Participants will have access to craft materials. They will build a magic wand design of their choice, and then program their CPE to make the wand interactive.
20 minutes- Explore other projects and lessons on the MakeCode website. Participants will be able to collaborate on how to incorporate CPE and other microcontrollers into the classroom as well as brainstorming ways to fund the projects.
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Supporting research
Przybylla, M., & Romeike, R. (2014). Physical Computing and Its Scope--Towards a Constructionist Computer Science Curriculum with Physical Computing. Informatics in Education, 13(2), 241-254.
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