Teaching Python

With their school's Innovation Institute coming up, Kelly and Sean explore the topic of innovation in education. How do you cultivate it in yourself and others? What skills help you become more innovative? How do you teach it? With more than 35 combined years of experience working or teaching in innovation areas, Kelly and Sean have a lot to share. This week's episode includes resources from innovation thought leaders, tips to become more innovative in your classroom, and a review of critical skills for innovators.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Pine Crest Innovation Institute 201910 Commandments of Innovative Teaching – A.J. JULIANIBooks by A.J. Juliani (Amazon)The Educational Buzzword Dilemma: Why “Innovation” is about to Jump the SharkDefining Innovation? – The Principal of Change(36) The art of innovation | Guy Kawasaki | TEDxBerkeley - YouTubeInnovation: Beyond the Buzzword | Programs for Professionals | MIT Professional EducationInnovation: The Most Important and Overused Word in America | WIREDAmazon.com: Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom (Eye on Education) (9780415743167): A.J. Juliani: Books

In this episode, Kelly and Sean talk to Joshua Lowe, a Python entrepreneur who invented Edublocks to help bridge the gap from Scratch to Edublocks and then into Python 3. Joshua started learning Python in 2013 and wanted to find a way to make it easier for others to understand.Special Guest: Josh Lowe.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Patreon for EduBlocks — Joshua Lowe is creating EduBlocks, the drag and drop coding tool for Python.AllAboutCode/EduBlocks: Drag and drop coding tool for creating Python programsBuild a micro:bit EduBlocks extension |Blog - micro:mag — Support the Micromag, where Josh is an editor.The EduBlocks ProjectPython Education Summit @ PyCon | PyCon 2019 in Cleveland, OhioArtificial Intelligence | ISTE — In Artificial Intelligence Explorations and Their Practical Use in Schools, you’ll learn to identify the various types of AI, hear about AI technologies on the horizon and build some of your own tools to make AI concrete and accessible for you and your students.

In this episode, Kelly and Sean meet Bob and Julian from PyBit.es to discuss strategies, and how to seek advice and motivation when learning Python. Bob is a driven Pythonista working as a software developer at Oracle.. Bob is passionate about automation, data, web development, code quality, and mentoring other developers.” Julian is a Data Centre Technician at Amazon Web Services. He started coding a few years ago and codes for fun and to solve everyday projects. Together they founded PyBites, a Python blog featuring code challenges, articles, and news. Special Guests: Bob Belderbos and Julian Sequeira.Support Teaching PythonLinks:PyBites – Hone Your Python Skills — Welcome to PyBites, a blog lovingly created by mates Bob Belderbos and Julian Sequeira. It serves as a medium for the two of them to document the lessons and concepts they learn as they delve into the wonderful world of Python. It's their hope that they'll be able to help other Python users along the way too!PyBites Code Challenges | Hone Your Python Skills — Learn Python From the Comfort of Your Own Browser#100DaysOfCode Official Website | #100DaysOfCodepandas · PyPI — pandas is a Python package providing fast, flexible, and expressive data structures designed to make working with structured (tabular, multidimensional, potentially heterogeneous) and time series data both easy and intuitive. It aims to be the fundamental high-level building block for doing practical, real world data analysis in Python. Additionally, it has the broader goal of becoming the most powerful and flexible open source data analysis / manipulation tool available in any language. It is already well on its way toward this goal.Episode #140 Level up your Python with #100DaysOfCode challenge - [Talk Python To Me Podcast] — How do you learn libraries or parts of Python itself that you don't have actual work projects involving them? Whether that's SQLAlchemy, Slack bots, or map APIs, actually building projects (small and large) with them is really the only way to gain true competency. You might try a 100 days of Python code challenges. This week you'll meet Bob Belderbos and Julian Sequeira who created PyBites. The have done a few 100 days of code challenges and are here to share their experience and some concrete examples. pytest · PyPI — The pytest framework makes it easy to write small tests, yet scales to support complex functional testing for applications and libraries.requests · PyPIFlask · PyPITeaching AI: Exploring New Frontiers for Learning: Michelle Zimmerman: 9781564847058: Amazon.com: Books — Kelly's reading this book about machine learning and AI right now.

How do you know your students are really learning in Computer Science? In this episode, Sean and Kelly dig into developing the learner-centered classroom and some of the pedagogical philosophy of how to look for learning in your teaching. Support Teaching PythonLinks:Visible ThinkingMiddle years | 11 to 16 | International Baccalaureate® - International Baccalaureate®Learn Better: Mastering the Skills for Success in Life, Business, and School, or, How to Become an Expert in Just About Anything: Ulrich Boser, Tom Parks: 9781543602210: Amazon.com: Books — For centuries, experts have argued that learning was about memorizing information: You're supposed to study facts, dates, and details, burn them into your memory, and then apply that knowledge at opportune times. But this approach to learning isn’t nearly enough for the world that we live in today, and in Learn Better journalist and education researcher Ulrich Boser demonstrates that how we learn can matter just as much as what we learn.Welcome | Barbara OakleySean and Kelly’s Genetics Repo

This week, we're discussing how to use a very old programming tool to teach modern concepts. That's right, it's the return of the Turtle tool! Kelly and Sean will explore why this Python 2-era library based on a 53-year old concept still works so well to teach fundamental programming concepts. Want to learn how we use Turtle in the classroom? Kelly and Sean will go through our best practices, preferred starting points, helpful resources we've used, and desired outcomes for this tool.Support Teaching PythonLinks:MarineLab: Marine Science Education in the Florida Keys — MarineLab is the education arm of Marine Resources Development Foundation (MRDF), a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1970 in the US Virgin Islands. After years of conducting research and developing underwater research stations and the technology for living and working in the sea, MRDF's founder Ian Koblick turned his eyes towards Florida and expanding MRDF's activities to include education.Math Adventures with Python: An Illustrated Guide to Exploring Math with Code, Peter Farrell, eBook - Amazon.com — Math Adventures with Python will show you how to harness the power of programming to keep math relevant and fun. With the aid of the Python programming language, you'll learn how to visualize solutions to a range of math problems as you use code to explore key mathematical concepts like algebra, trigonometry, matrices, and cellular automata. Turtle section starts on Page 3 and evolves into Processing, a program for visualization that can leverage Python.Amazon.com: Teach Your Kids to Code: A Parent-Friendly Guide to Python Programming (9781593276140): Bryson Payne: Books — Computer programming, or coding, is a crucial skill every child should be learning. From 3D printers, to mobile apps, to robots, to drones that deliver pizza, the world around us relies on code more than ever before. Coders get to solve problems and do interesting, fulfilling work, and the time to start learning to code is now!Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction To Programming: Jason R. Briggs: 9781593274078: Amazon.com: Books — Python for Kids brings Python to life and brings you (and your parents) into the world of programming. The ever-patient Jason R. Briggs will guide you through the basics as you experiment with unique (and often hilarious) example programs that feature ravenous monsters, secret agents, thieving ravens, and more.Grok Learning | Learn to code from your browser — Learn Python through self-paced lessons2D Shapes using Python Turtle | 101 Computing3. Hello, little turtles! — How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with PythonCode! .. Draw! .. Stitch! / TurtleStitch - Coded Embroidery — not python but Snap! is a visual, drag-and-drop programming language that allows students to create interactive stories, animations, games, and more, while learning about mathematical and computational ideas. Snap! was inspired by Scratch, but also targets both novice and more advanced students by including and expanding Scratch's features.

This week, we're joined by Peter Kazarinoff, Professor of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Portland Community College to discuss how adult learners can learn Python, the use of Jupyter notebooks as teaching tools, and some of the common goals of learners of diverse ages, backgrounds, and education levels. Joined by your usual co-hosts, Kelly and Sean, we explore some of the different approaches needed for adult learners, the common traits needed for successful students of all ages, the materials that we've found most useful for teaching and learning, and some best practices for sequencing course material.Special Guest: Peter Kazarinoff.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Peter D. Kazarinoff (@pkazarinoff) | Twitter — Peter's Twitter profilePython for Undergraduate Engineers — If you're learning Python as an engineering student, you should probably follow this blog.Problem Solving with Python — Peter's book, available for free online.Problem Solving with Python 3.6 Edition: A beginner's guide to Python & open-source programming tools: Peter D. Kazarinoff: 9781793814043: Amazon.com: Books — Peter's book on Amazon (support the author!)Ana Bell | Get Programming

Persistence is defined as the ability to stick with something. In the educational world it is often used interchangeably with the phrases: Sticktoitiveness, grit or perseverance. In this episode, we will discuss how to develop persistence in programming for all learners. Whether your students already have an innate ability to stick with coding or if you are hoping to instill the “desire” in your students, Sean and Kelly will examine ways that they develop persistence in programming in their classrooms. Note: In this episode, Kelly mixed up Sylvia Duckworth, the creator of Sketchnotes, with Angela Duckworth, the author of Grit. We've linked both of their books below for you, since they're both great reads.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Why Learning to Code is So Damn Hard — Read more about the Cliff of Confusion that Kelly referenced in our episode.Teaching Kids to Debug Code Independently | EdSurge News — From EdSurge: approaches and best practices for teaching debugging and, by extension, persistence.Self-Reflection Tool Sheet — A worksheet of prompts for eliciting better self-reflection.Grit by Angela Duckworth — In her instant, multi-month New York Times bestseller, Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent, but a special blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.” “Inspiration for non-geniuses everywhere” (People).Sketchnote for Educators — Sylvia Duckworth is a Canadian teacher whose sketchnotes have taken social media by storm. Her drawings provide clarity and provoke dialogue on many topics related to education. This book contains 100 of her most popular sketchnotes with links to the original downloads that can be used in class or shared with colleagues. Interspersed throughout the book are Sylvia's reflections on each drawing and what motivated her to create them, in addition to commentary from other educators who inspired the sketchnotes. How to Sketchnote — Educator and internationally known sketchnoter Sylvia Duckworth makes ideas memorable and shareable with her simple yet powerful drawings. In How to Sketchnote, she explains how you can use sketchnoting in the classroom and that you don’t have to be an artist to discover the benefits of doodling!

In this week's episode, Kelly and Sean discuss one of the tools that we like to use in class: the BBC micro:bit. Thanks to the instant feedback and physical/tactile nature of the device, this inexpensive little IoT device makes the process of learning Python more intuitive for students. It's also an easy starting point for those teachers who are new to coding. There are many advantages to using a physical computing device in a school setting and we will walk you through a quick introduction to the micro:bit and our preferred sequence of lessons with Python on this platform. We will also talk about some add-ons that can extend the capabilities of this remarkable little device to allow your students flexibility and creativity with their newfound skills. As with any teaching tool, there are always some best practices to consider to maximise learning and positively impact your students. Kelly and Sean will touch on some tips and tricks to use in your classroom.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Code With Mu — A simple Python editor for beginner programmers. Works with the micro:bit directly.From Flowcharts to Python Code | 101 Computing — Kelly's favorite resource for turning flowcharts into Python code.Microsoft MakeCode for micro:bit — The other primary coding platform for the micro:bitThe EduBlocks Project — A block-based coding platform using Python for the micro:bitAdafruit CRICKIT for micro:bit ID: 3928 - $29.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits — The Adafruit platform to extend your micro:bitElecFreaks Micro:bit Breakout Board ( Octopus:bit) - ElecFreaks — A breakout board for the micro:bit that gives you more GPIO to play with.Amazon.com: Yahboom Robot Kit for Micro:bit Robotics STEM Kits for Kids to Programmable BBC Microbit Robots Toy Car with Tutorial Tracking Bluetooth IR Modules DIY Scientific Education (Without Micro:bit Board): Toys & Games — A micro:bit-based robot kit. Warning - software provided is mixed English and Chines language. Can be difficult to understand.Amazon.com: Adafruit NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Weatherproof Strip 60 LED-1m: Home Improvement — RGB lights that work with the micro:bit to create MILLIONS of colors.enviro:bit – Pimoroni — Air and weather, color, light, and sound sensors. Plugs right into the micro:bit.Includes micro:bit MINI.MU Glove Kit – Pimoroni — Adorable micro:bit gloves with speaker and more.

Kelly and Sean are back this in this week's episode to talk about the role of coding challenges for student understanding. Coding challenges are teacher-defined coding problems that students tackle individually or in groups with more than one possible solution. The advantages of these challenges compared to passive learning include deeper retention of skills and knowledge, opportunities for social and emotional education, and increased student confidence through subject mastery. What are coding challenges? Coding challenges are teacher-defined coding problems that students tackle individually or in groups with more than one possible solution. Challenges are time-bound, i.e. they must be solved within a set period of time and range in complexity from simple code snippets to complete programs. For example: A 5-minute challenge to add comments to existing code A 3-day challenge to create a game in Python A standing challenge to solve a complex math problem by the end of the course Support Teaching PythonLinks:Simple Programming Problems — This page is a collection of progressively more difficult exercises that are suitable for people who just started learning. It will be extended as I come up with new exercises. Except for the GUI questions, exercises are generally algorithmic and should be solvable without learning any libraries. The difficulty of the exercises of course somewhat depends on the programming language you use. The List exercises for example are more complicated in languages like C that don’t have build-in support for lists.Coding Games and Programming Challenges to Code Better — Coding games to improve your programming skills.The 10 Best Coding Challenge Websites for 2018 – Coderbyte – Medium4 Things Transformational Teachers Do | Edutopiaseantibor/microbit-compass: A digital compass using the BBC micro:bit and a laser-cut compass rose — Repository for the 6th grade Microbit Compass ChallengeChapter 3: Guess the Number — The guess the number challenge inspiration.

This week, co-hosts Kelly Schuster-Paredes and Sean Tibor talk about their preferred methods for building student resilience while learning Python. Every learner reaches a point where they may get frustrated, discouraged, or want to give up. How can you help them get past that moment and rebuild momentum? How do you recognize those moments? What can you do as a coach and mentor to help them? What activities help prevent those moments from happening?Support Teaching PythonLinks:Talk Python Episode 184: Teaching Python with BBC micro:bitJames Charles on YouTube