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Coding in the Elementary School ClassroomCarla Kennedy, Barbara Johanson, and Kortney JonesCapstone Project for ETEC 588Spring 2016Texas A&M University – CommerceTable of ContentsPage Numbers:Intro/Rationale ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????3Communication channelsTimeSocial systemII. Innovation Development Process ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????6NeedResearch & DevelopmentDiffusion and AdoptionConsequencesIII. Innovation Design Process ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????10Agenda-settingMatchingRedefining/ RestructuringClarifyingRoutinizing IV. Role of the Change Agent ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????13Strategy for diffusionMethods of identification and utilization of opinion leaders/championsPossible adopter category complexities & how to address themV. Possible Consequences of Adoption ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????15anticipated/unanticipateddesired/undesirabledirect/indirectIntroductionWhy do we need to teach coding in elementary schools? ?This quote by Karl Fisch sums it up very well, ¨21st Century Education won't be defined by any new technology. It won't be just defined by 1:1 technology programs or tech-intensive projects. 21st Century Education will, however, be defined by a fundamental shift in what we are teaching - a shift towards learner-centered education and creating creative thinkers” (Gupta, 2015).Children today are growing up in a world where technology is becoming an important part of life. ?Most jobs in today’s world require their employees to have the ability to use technology. ?Many schools do offer keyboarding classes and basic computer classes but they are not mandatory classes so not all students take them. ?Most children today know how to use technology for social media but do not know that technology is capable of so much more. ?Because of the increase in use of technology in every aspect of our lives, children need to be prepared for their future which will require them to know how to use technology daily. ?If children learn how to code, for example, then they will develop an understanding of what it takes to write computer programs. ?The knowledge and development of problem-solving skills through a coding class will help prepare them for future job possibilities but it will also increase their creativity and intelligence (Dewey, 2015).Communication ChannelsThe communication channels for creating a coding class at Rural Community Elementary School would have to include several people on campus, some in the administration office, students and their parents. ?The innovation would have to be approved by the curriculum director for the district and the superintendent. Before this innovation can be implemented, the principal of the campus would have to consult with someone in the district technology department to ensure that the equipment in the computer labs would sufficiently support the program that will be used for this class. ??The principal will also have to communicate his/her expectations for the class to the technology specialist who is conducting the class and also to the teachers on the campus so that everyone is aware of the program. ?The technology specialist will need to make sure to communicate the expectations for the course to the students. ?Parents will also need to be informed of the implementation of this program. Some parents may be concerned about this course due to their own lack of knowledge about coding. Including them in their child’s progress and explaining how the program will help their child in the future is a must. ?Having all of these people aware of the implementation of this coding class will increase the probability that this innovation will be a success.TimeIn order to make this coding class for elementary students successful, spending enough time to prepare for this implementation is critical. ?Rural Community Elementary wants to start this class the second week of school for the 2016-17 school year.. ?The first week of school would need to include getting each computer in the computer lab set up so that the students can easily access the program. This should take no more than two days. During that week the technology specialist will need to be trained on the program. ?This training will take several days. ?This will give the technology specialist time to practice and explore the program so that he/she will be better able to help the students. Students will attend the coding class once a week for 45 minutes. ?The class will run for the entire school year. ?Students’ progress will be monitored every nine weeks to check the effectiveness of the program. ?The last week of school the program will be evaluated to determine its success.Social SystemRural Community Elementary School includes pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade. ?Each grade level consists of about 100 students. ?Of the 596 students enrolled, 67% are classified as economically disadvantaged and qualify for free or reduced meals. ?47% of the students enrolled are classified as being at risk of not graduating. ?The majority (79%) of the students are white/Caucasian. ?Many of the students that attend this elementary school come from single income homes and many of those are single parent homes. ?Many of these homes have at least two children living there. ?There is a small percentage of students who are being raised by someone other than their parents.The school district is in a rural community made up of several small towns. The community is primarily a conservative community with most elected positions being held by members of the Republican Party. ?Access to technology in this community depends on where you live. ?For those that live in the small towns, they have access to high speed internet connections that are fairly reliable. ?For those that live outside of town, their access is not as reliable and usually has outages whenever there is high wind or bad weather. ?However, there are two libraries in the community that do provide computers with internet connections that the public can access. ?There are also several restaurants in the community that offer free wifi services to their customers.Innovation Development ProcessNeed???????Today’s students are growing up in a world where technology is readily available. ?They are digital natives who use technology at home and at school, for entertainment and educational purposes. These same students will use technology when they enter the workforce. However, the number of schools across the country that offer computer classes is declining (Solomon, 2015). ?Literacy is no longer simply the ability to read and write. ?Students need to be literate in many different aspects of the world in which they live. ?Informational, visual, numeric, media and technology literacy all play an important role in the learning of students today (Brooks-Young, 2006). Computer Science is a way to combine these new literacies; it develops a student’s problem solving skills and creativity, and, at the same time, teaches students how computers work. ?We spend hours each day preparing for the all-important STAAR test. ?Students need to think critically in order to be successful on the STAAR and to be problem solvers in life. “Shouldn’t we take advantage of this opportunity to show young students that computers are not just a toy or testing tool, but a powerful means of expression that enables them to be the drivers of creation?” (Yongpradit, 2004). Nearly half of Rural Community Elementary students are at risk of not graduating from high school. ?We are seeking to engage these students in a way that is relevant to the world in which they live. Rural Community Elementary is adopting this hands-on learner centered innovation to increase creativity and problem solving skills in the students in our community. Research & DevelopmentResearchers agree increases in creativity and problem solving skills are a result of coding in the classroom (Dewey, 2015; Johnson, 2014; Solomon, 2015). Rural Community Elementary wants to use coding in the classroom to benefit our students while they are in elementary school to help prepare them for their future education and life outside of school. “Far from simply introducing students to the potentially intimidating logic of computer communication and the ancient science of logic, learning the basics of coding -- much like learning the basics of a musical instrument -- would in fact encourage genuine creativity” (Dewey, 2015). ?Tomorrow’s innovators and future leaders will benefit from this increase in creativity. ??Whether or not the students choose to work in the coding/technology field, coding builds creativity. ?Students will use technology for the rest of their lives. ?We will teach them more than just how to use a computer for work or play, these young students will learn how computers work.There is often a negative stereotype associated with technology and coding by introducing students to coding at a young age, we will begin to change how the field of technology is viewed. ?“Despite the fact that women make up the majority of the general workforce, we comprise only 25 percent of technical jobs…In middle school, 74% of girls express interest in STEM, but when choosing a college major, just 0.4% of high school girls select computer science. While 57% of bachelor’s degrees are earned by women, just 12% of computer science degrees are awarded to women” (Solomon, 2015, 30). ?Coding in the classroom exposes young girls to a field that is predominantly male. ?These young women need to know that they are creative, bright, and technology minded; they need to know that a career in technology is one that is open to them. ?Students will also learn math skills in a positive way using creativity and problem solving.Diffusion and Adoption???????Rural Community Elementary has decided to adopt the innovation of coding in their Pre-K- fourth grade classrooms. ?Because Rural Community Elementary has a large population of economically disadvantaged students many of whom are at risk of not graduating from high school, the administrators and staff have been seeking ways to reach these students. ?A committee was formed to investigate ways to increase student’s productivity and creativity that would decrease the student’s risk of dropping out of high school. ??We were looking for a technology innovation to engage and reach our students in a meaningful, hands-on, learner driven way. ?The committee consisted of one teacher from every grade level, administration, and several parents. ?They presented several options to the school and a collective decision to implement a coding class was made. ??After investigating a number of coding programs available such as , Scratch, and Kodable in order to determine the best fit for our students, we have decided to use the curriculum available through Scratch. ???????The campus will hire a technology specialist to teach coding to all incoming kindergarten and first grade students. ?In order to accommodate schedules and not overwhelm teachers with the thought of integrating one more subject into an already full schedule, coding class will take place during each grade levels allotted “specials” schedule. ?The students will have four days of PE and one day of coding. ?After the first successful year, new kindergarteners will be added to the schedule of services: the second year of instruction will be for kindergarten, first and second grade students. ?Each consecutive year will include students in grade levels that have already received coding instruction and the incoming kindergarten class until all students are receiving coding instruction. ?The staggered schedule will allow for yearly reflection and evaluation. ?The technology specialist will also teach coding to other teachers. ?These teachers will in turn teach coding to their teammates. ?The more teachers that learn about this innovation, the more successful the adoption process will be. ?As teachers learn about coding, they will find ways to incorporate it into their math, science, reading, and writing lessons. ?Thus ensuring the success of the adoption. ?Consequences???????As with any new innovation there are many possible consequences both positive and negative. ?These consequences include:Positive.1. ????Increase of 21st century skills in students and teachers alike2. ????Students will construct and discover their own knowledge. 3. ????Students and teachers to think outside of the box. 4. ????Learning code increases creativity and problem solving5. ????We hope that teachers will see the increased problem solving skills and begin to incorporate coding into their own lessons. ??6. ????Since we are hiring a technology specialist to teach this class, there will be less of a learning curve for the teacher of the class.7. ?????The curriculum is we are adopting, SCRATCH, is a free coding program designed by researchers of Tufts University and MIT.8. ????Parents will see an increase in problem solving and creativity at home as well as at school and will support the adoption of the new innovation. 9. ????Increased test scores due to increased problem solving skills10. ?Added problem solving and creativity will be reflected in other subjects11. Since teachers will not have to fit the class into their already full schedule, teachers will be supportive and excited about the coding class and will pass that enthusiasm on to their students.12. Changing stereotypes about types of people that work with computersNegative.1. ????Teacher apathy2. ????Because we are taking one day of PE away from our students, students and parents may see this as a negative consequence.3. ????A possible negative consequence is that at some point we may have to use funds to purchase additional curriculum or pay someone to write new curriculum for our program. ?4. ????Salary of the technology specialist could affect the budget.Innovation Design ProcessAgenda-settingToday students use technology in a variety of ways. They use it to communicate, play games, and to complete homework and research. Often times it seems as if students are experts on using technology and if we’re being honest, they are. The students who effortlessly use technology today will be the creators of technology tomorrow. By teaching our students coding at an early age, we are opening the doors to some of the best jobs in the future (Solomon, 28). The purpose of implementing a coding class in the elementary school environment is to prepare students for the jobs of the future. By the time students make it to high school the opportunity to teach this valuable skill has passed. Coding is met with certain stereotypes that deter students, especially female students, from participating in computer science classes (NY Times, 2014). ?Our goal is to make coding available to students of all ages, demographics, genders, and ethnicities before they are old enough to buy into the stereotypes surrounding computer science. MatchingThe teachers and administrators at Rural Community Elementary School want to provide their students with a 21st century education that will prepare them for life beyond the classroom. In order to give students the highest advantage possible, the teachers at Rural Community Elementary have voted to incorporate a coding class into the specials rotation. Each class will go to the computer lab, once a week, to learn basic coding skills appropriate for each grade level. Redefining/ Restructuring To successfully implement this innovation, there are two areas that need to be reexamined. First and foremost we will need to hire a technology assistant who will maintain the computer lab and can teach coding to several different grade levels. This person will preferably possess a degree in computer science. ?We will also need to reaffirm the capabilities of the computers in the lab and equip them with any missing software. The second area we need to revisit is the schedule of specials classes. We will need to find a way to incorporate the coding class without disrupting the 135 minute weekly requirement of PE. By working coding class into the specials rotation, we remove a burden from the classroom teachers because there will be no need to make space for coding in their core content instruction time. Administrators will need to revisit the budget to ensure that there are funds available to support this innovation. ClarifyingThe coding class will begin with kindergarten and first grade students at the beginning of the next school year so that arrangements can be made over the summer to hire a new technology assistant and adjustments can be made to the specials schedule. The technology assistant will attend various trainings throughout the year to help with the development of a coding curriculum. They will decide on the most appropriate programs to use and will request the number of licenses needed for each program. As the program progresses the technology assistant will meet with administrators to voice any concerns, needs, or ideas. RoutinizingAfter the first successful year of implementing a coding class, Rural Community Elementary will add another grade level to the coding class each subsequent year. The second year of implementation will include first and second grades and kindergarten. The third year will include first, second, and third grades as well as incoming kindergarteners. This will continue until all grade levels are attending the coding class. By implementing the coding class in stages, the technology assistant has the opportunity to build a curriculum with different skills and attributes at each grade level.Role of the Change AgentStrategy for DiffusionAs mentioned above to ensure the success of the coding class, Rural Community Elementary has decided to begin implementation in stages. ?We want to take the time to allow the program to diffuse naturally through our social system rather than force it upon the whole school. ?As students are successful, we will continue to add grade levels until all students are involved. ?We are hiring a technology specialist to teach the coding class. ?This specialist will also take on the role of technology integration coach. ??He or she will instruct one teacher per grade level. ?The teachers who learn coding will be volunteers who routinely incorporate technology into their lessons and are in the innovator or early adopter category. ?These teachers will then train the other teachers on their team. ?Teachers will be able to incorporate coding into their lesson plans as they are learning how to code. ?To generate excitement and support for the coding class, we will invite members of the community to a showcase night in order to highlight some of the student’s work. ?Members of the community and the school will be invited to follow the classes and their journey on social media. ?The technology specialist will share the progress of his or her class and will also share games and interactive stories created by the students.???????Beginning with the spring semester, as awareness and excitement for the coding class increases, Rural Community Elementary will start a coding club available to students in second through fourth grade. ?Post adoption support will be provided to teachers as a way of ensuring the success of future coding classes.Method of identification and utilization of opinion leaders/championsThe main change agents in this initiative will include the administrators and the technology specialist. The administrators will be responsible to providing classroom teachers with trainings on coding so that they can support the technology specialist and incorporate coding exercises into classroom lessons, stations, or even as homework. The technology specialist will keep teachers informed on up to date resources that they can use in their classroom, and on specific skills that are being covered in the coding lab. Leaders and champions will include teachers who incorporate coding skills in their classroom lessons aside from the main coding class. They will help struggling teachers who maybe don’t understand how to incorporate coding into their lessons, and they will encourage reluctant teachers who are set in their ways. Possible Adopter Category Complexities and How to Address ThemThere may be some teachers who do not see the benefit of the coding program and may be resistant to incorporate the coding skills in their classrooms. ?These teachers have to see how the coding program will help their students. Teachers in this category will be asked to observe the students while they are in their coding class so that they can see how engaged the students are. ?The teachers will also be shown what it is that the students are learning and how it can improve the students’ problem-solving skills. ?A few teachers may feel that they do not know enough about coding to be able to incorporate it into their classroom lessons. ?In cases like this, the technology specialist can work with another teacher to team teach a lesson or two so that they can see how to do it in their own classrooms. ?The technology specialist may also work with these teachers after school to help teach them more about coding and also provide support in their classrooms when they are teaching coding in their classes. The teachers who lack knowledge on how to code can use their students to help them learn how to code. ?This will benefit both the classroom teacher, by increasing their knowledge on how to code, and the students, by strengthening their understanding of code.Possible Consequences of AdoptionAnticipated/ UnanticipatedAs with any innovation there are both anticipated and unanticipated consequences. One anticipated, and undesirable consequence is a decrease of available funds in the budget. Since implementing a coding class will require a new member on the staff and updated computers, software, and licenses there will be less money to support other initiatives. Another anticipated, yet desirable consequence is the student’s acquisition of coding skills. Should this initiative be adopted in the secondary levels, our district could potentially graduate students who have twelve years of coding under their belts. This will put our graduates at the door of some of the best colleges and jobs in the nations. An unanticipated and desirable consequence of this innovation is the safe internet practices that our students will acquire while participating in coding class. They will be monitored by the technology assistant, and they will be taught about the dangers of the internet and their digital footprint. It is important for our students to know that their digital footprint can compromise college admittance and job opportunities regardless of their skills in a certain area. ?Desired/ UndesirableThere are many potential consequences of adopting a coding class. ?One desired consequence is that the class will generate excitement in the classroom. ?When students are allowed to generate ideas and create their own learning, they are more engaged. ?Another benefit is the breaking down of stereotypes. ?There are negative stereotypes associated with individuals who are good with computers. ?“Exposing students to coding from an early age helps to demystify an area that can be intimidating. ?It also breaks down stereotypes of computer scientists as boring geeks” (Gardiner, 2014). ?One undesirable consequence of adopting a coding class is that digital immigrants will teach digital natives computer skills (Brooks-Young, 2006). ?These young students have grown up with technology, and often times they know more about a technology than their adult counterparts. ?Teachers need to think out of the box when teaching digital natives. ?A desired consequence of this discrepancy is that more teachers will seek out training in 21st century skills. These skills will help teachers to feel more comfortable using technology and encourage them to incorporate more technology into their lessons. ?Direct/ Indirect One direct consequence of adopting a coding class is that the students will be creating something original through hands-on experiences with technology which will help to increase their problem-solving skills (Dewey, 2015). ?Students will be engaged in this class because they are able to create their own product. This will increase the student’s self-confidence and interest in this class. Participating in the class will increase their problem-solving skills because they have to use trial and error to make their program work. ?As a result students could use what they learn through coding to create new ways of solving other problems that they have.An indirect consequence of adopting a coding class and incorporating into core classroom lessons is an increase in cross-curricular teacher collaboration. ?Teachers who have a good understanding of how to use Scratch in their classrooms could help teachers who do not. ?Teachers could create lessons that incorporate several subject areas into a coding project for the students to complete. ?Works Cited Brooks-Young, S., (2006). Critical technology issues for school leaders. SAGE Publications. ?Dewey, J. (2015). Coding in the curriculum. Research Starters: Education (Online Edition).Gardiner, B. (2014). Adding coding to the curriculum. . Retrieved 26 April 2016,from ????Gupta, P. (2015). 20 Popular technology in education quotes. Retrieved May 09, 2016, from , J. (2004), November 26). ?Students develop problem solving skills with computercoding. ?Grand Forks Herald (ND).Mak, J. (2014). Coding in the elementary school classroom . Learning & Leading With Technology 41(6), 26-28.Partovi, H. (2014, May 12). Teaching coding as early as possible. Retrieved from , G. (2015). ?Hours of code: past and present. ?Tech and Learning, 36(3), 28-31.Yongpradit, P. (2014) Should we teach computer science in elementary school? .Retrieved 26 ?April 2016, from ................
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