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Teaching English through coding using collaborative projects

that don’t require specialist skills or even a computer 

Slides here: 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XDpuDedsfYXlxzQMB_3y2pcvJ84XYFjNN55iKZY3JTU/edit?usp=sharing

Why teach coding without using a computer? 

https://www.indy100.com/article/owura-kwadwo-facebook-post-ghana-village-school-microsoft-word-blackboard-8229011

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9rtFiZ7unw

Background Reading

• Stevens, V. & Verschoor, J. (2017). Coding and English Language Teaching. TESL-EJ, 21(2), 1-15. Retrieved from http://tesl-ej.org/pdf/ej82/int.pdf ; Also available: http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume21/ej82/ej82int/.

• Golightly, Donna. (n.d.). Getting started with computational thinking. [Blog post]. Retrieved from 
  https://usingtechnologybetter.com/getting-started-with-computational-thinking/
  
  Unlike humans, computers are incredible at doing boring, repetitive tasks with flawless efficiency and accuracy. But the only way they can do them is when somebody can specifically instruct them what to do and how to do it. That process is called Computational Thinking algorithmic design, and an algorithm is nothing more than a set of instructions. When used in cooking the algorithm is called a recipe. When used in mathematics it is called an equation. In a basketball game we call it a play or a move, and when we use it in computer science we call it coding.
  
  
• Golightly, Donna. (n.d.). How to get started with unplugged activities in your classroom. [Blog post]. Retrieved from
  https://usingtechnologybetter.com/how-to-get-started-with-unplugged-activities-in-your-classroom/
  
  Here, Golightly suggests using https://classic.csunplugged.org/ - Computer Science without a Computer
  which has countless activity suggestions and handouts, such as the ones presented in this workshop

Practical activities

Mission 1 Sorting algorithms

The tasks on sorting can be found here: https://classic.csunplugged.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unplugged-07-sorting_algorithms.pdf

What exactly happens in a sort?

The presenter shows how a computer sorts a list in Excel. We discuss, how does it do that?

We then look at the worksheet to get an idea of how a programmer might approach this task.

Activity 1 - Sort a suit of cards

Participants are divided into 4 groups. Each group is given a set of 13 cards

(all in one suit, shuffled, or jumbled in random order).

Each group selects some one (the scribe) to write down on paper exactly what the group does to sort the cards

The task is to sort the deck into the correct order ace to king

• The group starts the sort
• The scribe write down exactly what was done,
• You must include ALL the steps in order to make your insructions into an Algorithm.
• When the task is done each team reports to the group how they accomplished the task.

Mission 2 Search algorithms

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unloveable/2387695025 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/ 

The search tasks are set in the context of a classic battleship game. The handout shows three ways of searching
https://classic.csunplugged.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unplugged-06-searching_algorithms.pdf

Participants scan the handout and briefly discuss the three kinds of searches.

While they are doing that, the presenter will start playing an online version of that game showing how the computer strategizes and how you might do the same

https://www.mathsisfun.com/games/battleship.html

This search uses a HASHING algorith. But we cheated! We used a computer.

We'll play the game using a BINARY search algorith, whereby the battleships are pre-sorted into numerical order. 

Workshop outcomes at ThaiTESOL

Here, I am putting some last minute major touches on the slides just prior to starting the workshop

Photo by my beautiful assistant Bobbi Stevens

What happened at the workshop?

Success beyond my expectations ...

The teacher-centered presenter was brushed aside and the participants took over, exactly what should happen in our classes

https://twitter.com/VanceS/status/1223205025905659904?s=20

An example of critical minds at work re-shaping the learning environment around their own goals :-)

These materials were created by Vance Stevens, https://learning2gether.net 

for presentation at ThaiTESOL in Thailand in January, 2020

You are free to share-alike and with attribution under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

The date of this update is February1, 2020