EDEM665-18W (D) Whole Year 2018 (Distance)

Special Topic: Teaching Computer Programming

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 19 February 2018
End Date: Sunday, 18 November 2018
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 2 March 2018
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 7 September 2018

Description

This course aims to equip participants to teach programming as part of the Digital Technologies/ Computational Thinking in the New Zealand curriculum that is to be introduced in 2018 to both primary and secondary schools. Students will explore what computer programming is, and various approaches to teaching it. Participants will develop research skills and investigate theories and practices in programming education.

This course aims to equip participants to teach the programming in Digital Technologies | Hangarau Matihiko to students in primary and secondary schools. This includes the new curriculum content for DT | HM within in the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa from 2018, as well as New Zealand's ground-breaking NCEA standards for Digital Technologies. Students will explore what computer programming is, and various approaches to teaching it. Participants will develop research skills and investigate theories and practices in programming education. A key component is an individual research project to develop, implement and critically evaluate approaches that support teaching programming. This project provides practical experience informed by current research from both education and computer science disciplines. Note: While the course does not require substantial programming experience, a course leader can provide recommended programming preparation prior to starting the course (see link below).
(EDEM626 covers DT | HM curriculum implementation)

Please check if you have enough programming expertise before you enrol for EDEM665. This link is to a pre-test designed by Tim Bell, which you are advised to complete in its entirety; simply reading this test to self-assess your programming expertise will be misleading.

EDEM665 is normally offered in alternate years to students in a flexible learning mode (more information on UC distance learning is linked here). Flexible learning in this course includes online study in Learn the UC LMS and one on-campus intensive workshop. The design of the course is adapted to the community of learners who enrol to enable the formation of a learning community.  All assignments are submitted and returned electronically via the course Learn LMS course site. The course designed to facilitate part time study by teachers in New Zealand’s primary and secondary schools and students will normally undertake the assigned work within their teaching responsibilities.

In 2018 the on-site intensive workshop on the UC campus Monday to Wednesday 16-18th April 2018. Students are responsible for arranging their own travel and accommodation (UC information on temporary accommodation is linked here).
**Please note that any timetable information ONLY refers to the 3-day on-site intensive and that there has been a small change in the dates so that it starts on Monday not Wednesday.**

The 2018 EDEM665 is offered in collaboration with SIGNAL ICT Graduate School. Please note that, scholarships from SIGNAL apply to only EDEM665 in 2018.

We are pleased to announce the course team for 2018 includes our award winning Professor of Computer Science Education, Tim Bell. The course coordinator is Niki Davis, Distinguished Professor of e-Learning. The photograph on this web page is of Tim Bell leading EDEM626 students during their on-site intensive in April 2017.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understanding of what computer programming is, and what the key concepts are for beginner programmers.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of pedagogical knowledge for teaching programming to students in primary and secondary schools.
3. Critique and apply socio-cultural learning theory to programming education in schools.
4. Critically evaluate existing resources for teaching programming at school level.
5. Analyse and critique key literature related to the teaching of programming at school level.
6. Design, implement and evaluate new lessons to teach programming to students.
7. Examine and demonstrate an understanding of the implications of social and cultural issues including diversity and pedagogical approaches in programming education.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of School

Course Coordinator

Niki Davis

Lecturer

Tim Bell

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
A1. Report on teaching using an Initial Learning Environment including outcomes 16 Jul 2018 25% Teaching coding to beginners in May or June completed by submission of report.
A2. Participation (ongoing) 13 Aug 2018 25% Ongoing from start of course in forums posts etc. Completed with submission of reflective summary.
A3: Mini research project and presentation 27 Sep 2018 50% Mini research of teaching in Aug/Sept; present up to end Sept. Completed with submission of reflection and copy of presentation slides.


Course participants are expected to participate actively in the online learning environment.

Course participants will be required to plan, implement and evaluate a mini research project for a centre, school or other education or training context.

Textbooks / Resources

Due to the rapidly evolving state of the field and the nature of this course, required reading is set as the course develops. Recommended reading includes:

Bell, T. et al. (2017). CS Unplugged. Retrieved from http://csunplugged.org/

Bell, T. et al. (2017). Computer Science Field Guide. Retrieved from http://csfieldguide.org.nz/en/index.html

Webb M., Davis N., Bell T., Katz Y., Reynolds N., Chambers D. & Sysło M. (2017). Computer science in K-12 school curricula of the 2lst century: Why, what and when? Education and Information Technologies, 22(2), 445-468. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10639-016-9493-x

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,811.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Educational Studies and Leadership .

All EDEM665 Occurrences

  • EDEM665-18W (D) Whole Year 2018 (Distance)