Those who inhabit the world of knitting and crocheting will recognize that syntax in the title. They will likely also recognize how to enact, with [yarn and (knitting needles or crochet hooks)], the sequences, repeats and branches —much like computer algorithms—that yield amazing woven craft artifacts from items of clothing...
Read MoreThis is a tribute (of sorts) to Randi Engle, who passed away in October 2012 at 45 years of age. I attended my first AERA conference in 2011. It was my first outing at the largest academic conference in the US, and I was excited about presenting a paper...
Read MoreLast week, I was invited to deliver a keynote address for The Fourth International Conference on Computational Thinking Education 2020 (CTE2020) organized by the Education University of Hong Kong. This blog post shares a framework for understanding how to integrate computational thinking in the disciplines...
Read MoreThe International Conference of the Learning Sciences, or ICLS, is a much-awaited event in the Learning Sciences community. It brings together a fairly close-knit community of scholars. Even though large proportion of ISLS members are engaged in STEM education research, we feel an intimate sense of belonging to the learning sciences community...
Read MoreOutside of my doctoral dissertation, this is the undertaking I am most proud of! My heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved! As teachers & members of the global CS education community, this comprehensive A-Z handbook covers everything from algorithms to variables, providing practical guidance for teaching programming in K-12...
Read MoreRewind to 2012/2013…to the time in my doctoral studies at Stanford when I was creating curricular slides for the FACT curriculum. I started one of the early lessons with "A is for Algorithm". I remember thinking as I looked down my list of topics to cover, "Boolean logic in a lesson, C is for..."
Read More#BlackLivesMatter - What does that mean to us – individually and as a collective? How do we truly embody and engage with this fundamentally human ask to ensure that we end centuries of systemic oppression and racism—both overt and covert? All of us, I believe, are doing some deep soul-searching...
Read MoreModeling (developing and using models) is an essential science practice listed in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). As is 'Using mathematics and computational thinking'. In science, models are used to represent a system (or parts of a system), to help in the development of questions and explanations...
Read MoreIn the months leading up to the Golden 50th SIGCSE Technical Symposium in Minneapolis, the ACM SIGCSE community nominated their favorite papers, voted on the top 20, and then top 10 best papers. The 10 top papers were officially announced and recognized by ACM. The best papers created a healthy buzz on social media...
Read MoreThe countdown has begun for the 50th installment of my favorite conference: The Technical Symposium of ACM's Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE)! In 10 days' time, 1,500 researchers and educators pursuing computer science education as a research and/or teaching endeavor will congregate in freezing cold Minneapolis, MN...
Read MoreOn November 29, I had the distinct pleasure of addressing a wonderful gathering of learning scientists and educators at the 26th International Conference on Computers in Education in Metro Manila. In it I addressed several questions that have been raised about CT, and shared my evolving understandings of computational thinking...
Read MoreI published this article in EdSurge as a concrete example of how computational thinking can be integrated in Language Arts and non-STEM subjects, and how elements of CT such as 'data representation' can be taught without a computer. Creating network graph abstractions and analyzing relationships between characters in stories...
Read MoreAt long last, I'm re-joining the world of blogging. Setting up this blog is my last good act to close out 2016. I've just about managed to complete basic setup, but I'm still experimenting with themes, header image, fonts/colors, etc., so what you see is a placeholder for now...
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