Blog 20: Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question and answers?  What is your best answer and why?

My essential question is; How can a computer programmer best create a program designed to teach kindergartners problem solving? And my answers are by making the program engaging and fun so that students remain focused while learning, using simplified versions of syntax that younger students can understand, and effective subject integration through common core standards.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Arriving at these answers was not a simple process, and some of them were not the most obvious answers. Through many research articles on the teaching of children using computer programming and interpreting results, and also interviewing programmers, a parent, and a teacher about the important factors they have noticed are needed. Through 
my research, these three answers kept showing up.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

I faced the problem that the studies of programming used in classrooms being limited in terms of the languages used. There are not a lot of languages used for children this young and also, testing of the implementation in classes other than math and science are not as widely tested and had less reliable questions.   


(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

Fessakis, G., E. Gouli, and E. Mavroudi. "Problem Solving By 5–6 Years Old Kindergarten Children In A Computer Programming Environment: A Case Study." Computers & Education 63.(2013): 87-97. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

Horn, Michael, R. Crouser, and Marina Bers. "Tangible Interaction And Learning: The Case For A Hybrid Approach." Personal & Ubiquitous Computing 16.4 (2012): 379-389. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

Blog 19: Independent Component 2

LITERAL
(a)I, Garrett, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
(b)My sources include my mentor who worked with me as well as various google searches on java coding that allowed me to complete my programs.
(c)Done 
d) I did many extra mentor ship hours and also worked on java programs on my own time making them more advanced.    
INTERPRETIVE 

RPS Program

http://puu.sh/8mwxp.txt = RPS Code

http://puu.sh/8mwA9.txt = Failed R Calculator Code

APPLIED
How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 
This component helped me answer my EQ in helping me understand code and its significance. My RPS program and my R Calculator have given me various problems and i have been able to work through most of them and all of this gives me more and more of an understanding of what needs to be taken into account while coding, at my age, as well as at younger ages.

Blog 18 Third Answer

• How can a computer programmer best create a program designed to teach kindergarteners problem solving?
• Effective subject integration into common core so all things taught in a programming manner tie into core classes
• The programming course must apply to the common core standards that are being implemented so that the programming "has a purpose that is apparent"
• By effectively integrating students will be able to learn more about computers and function better in current society.
• Programming will allow students to create better work within their school years and never be held back by what a program "cannot do"
• Programming will also allow for problem based learning, even when the school is not and iPoly-like PBL school
• Interview 3
• I believe that this is my most important answer actually. 

Blog 17: Fourth Interview Questions

1. As a teacher what is the most important tool that you use while teaching students? i.e Powerpoints, games, worksheets, lectures...
2. How do you keep students focused during class? 
3. What are some examples of topics being taught in your class now?
4. What subjects being taught at this age do you believe would benefit from having computers and programming integrated into the classroom?
5. What teaching methods seem to have the greatest results when it comes to information retention?
6. In what ways are computers already put to use within your classroom, if at all?
7. Do you believe a TUI or GUI system would be better within the classroom?
8. What features would you like to see in educational programs?
9. What programs or websites do you currently use in the classroom, or have you seen used around campus?
10. Currently what benefits, within the classroom, do you see from the use of computers?
11. What would you like to see the students take out of computer use?
12. Do you believe programming integration would work better with the average student, advanced student, or below average student?
13. How would you teach a programming course within your classroom? With the students acting as individuals, small groups, or as a class?
14. Would the average teacher have enough training with computers to teach within an interactive programming environment?
15. Does the average student have enough knowledge of computers to excel in this environment.
16. What percentage, on estimate, of your students are more motivated or interested when working on computers?
17. What themes would be most effective in keeping students attention? i.e. Barbies, Cars, Dogs, Cats
18. Is there any subject where you would be extremely adverse to integrating programming?
19. Is there anyone who I could also interview to get a clearer understanding of a student's needs/interests?
20. Is there any special needs that children have when it comes to computers that you feel I need to be made aware of?

Blog 16: Advisory Meeting #2

Just like you did for answer 1 and the objectives for Purther's textbook work for answer 2 post:

EQ

Answer #2 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)*

3 details to support the answer (a detail is a fact and an example)

The research source (s) to support your details and answer

Concluding Sentence

*Write your answer like you would write a thesis statement.  Please don't give us one or two words or start your sentence with by.    Thanks!

On Friday 2/28 for Advisory #2, you will be presenting what you have from this blog.  The presentation is more like a share-out and should not last longer than 2 minutes. You don't need a visual.   

EQ

The most important factor in teaching a kindergartner problem solving through programming is Simplicity. 

1. They cannot handle complicated syntax, like vb.net or Java. It is way to complex and involves too much specificity. 
2. If something is too complex, a young student is likely to give up instantly and not truely try, whereas if it's challenging but attainable, then they will normally fight their way through.
3. The ability to understand and be able to create programs to do varying tasks is too hard for young brains if the code itself is too advanced.

     Scheer, Scott D. "Programming Parameters for 5-to-8-Year-Old Children in 4-H." Programming Parameters for 5-to-8-Year-Old Children in 4-H. Journal Of Extention, Aug. 1997. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. <http://www.joe.org/joe/1997august/a2.php>.

Horn, Michael, R. Crouser, and Marina Bers. "Tangible Interaction And Learning: The Case For A Hybrid Approach." Personal & Ubiquitous Computing 16.4 (2012): 379-389. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

Fessakis, G., E. Gouli, and E. Mavroudi. "Problem Solving By 5–6 Years Old Kindergarten Children In A Computer Programming Environment: A Case Study." Computers & Education 63.(2013): 87-97. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
I plan to continue mentorship, as I will be approaching 50 hours soon, and also continue doing side programs to practice my skills. I am really enjoying taking java at school and will be able to program in 2 languages now. 
2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.
I will be able to take screenshots of the code as evedence as well as keep a log of my hours.
3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.
This will allow me to not only research computer programming but allow me to experiment and be able to talk from personal experience for my 2 hour.
4.  Post a log on the right hand side of your blog near your other logs and call it the independent component 2 log.
Done.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

LITERAL

(a) I, Garrett Holmes, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
(b) My mentor Richard Hartlein as well as my fellow programmers from robotics and also ALOT of visual basic tutorials!
(c) Done
(d) I worked on a multitude of programs allowing me to branch out over my programming skills and also participated in the FIRST Robotics group where I got to work with LabVIEW, a very Different programming language.
  
INTERPRETIVE
My work throughout independant component consisted of my learning of programming languages, which I had zero real knowledge of in the beginning, and my creating of programs as either the ideas popped in my head, or the need arrived for the program to be made.

Here is my program League

Here is my program Hello World

Here is my program Descisions.

I also have my program files for the program DnD here
I also created a program to bypass the UAC of a windows computer as a standard user, without giving the password to the standard user. Do to the idea behind the program however, I will not be posting the code here.

APPLIED
How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.

This allowed me to better understand my topic, because this was the time where I was truly teaching myself how to code and the work that gets put into it. This along with my mentor ship has probably been the most personally satisfying part of my senior project.