Computer Science Education Week

Computer Science education week (CSEd Week) is held annually in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hooper. This year the week runs from December 5th to 11th.

The annual program is dedicated to inspiring students to take an interest in computer science and develop and nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity.

This year’s theme is #CelebratingProgress, aimed at highlighting the progress that has occurred in computer science education over the last ten years, during which time it has become more equitable and accessible for all learners.

The Hour of Code

A big part of CSEd Week is The Hour of Code, which started as a one-hour introduction to computer science designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities, you can find out more about the hour of code and the activities in Australia for this year here.

Code with Python in Pieces

Python in Pieces is an interactive coding environment, designed to build student and teacher confidence in the text-based coding language of Python. With the ability to easily translate from block-code to Python, in BOTH directions, students will quickly become empowered to progress. The guided lessons allow students to manage their own learning and teacher solution guides enable teachers to support student learning at every step.

This Computer Science Education Week would be the perfect time to try it, so we’ve made a complete 45-minute lesson free, that lets learners explore text outputs and print statements. Aimed at ten to eleven-year-olds, the lesson teaches discrete skills and in the final stage, students are introduced to the design elements of Python in Pieces, where they can learn some simple ways to control the elements on the screen.

Code with Purple Mash

Purple Mash has a whole range of applications and activities that you can make use of either for an hour of code, the whole week and even throughout the year. We have highlighted our top three below:

2Code

2Code is a very visual and hands-on way to start learning programming with block-code. There are some very simple pre-set scenarios, starting with one in which children have to make a bubble float upwards. Further down, there are increasingly complex challenges. In this way, even very young children can begin to have the thrill of giving a computer a command and watching it carry out your wishes.

You can find 2Code by clicking on Computing on the home screen. When you click on the 2Code folder, you’ll discover a wealth of support materials: video tutorials, a glossary, and Coding resources containing guided lessons and solutions; perfect to explore coding with your students during the week. Subscribers also have access to vocabulary flashcards, games and quizzes for all ages.

Free 2Code lessons for CSEd Week

Even if you are not a Purple Mash subscriber, you can try some of the activities for free during Computer Science Education Week. We’ve made these self-guided resources available for free until the 11th of December:

• Bubbles (approximate year groups Y1-3)
• Splatty Bug (approximate year groups Y2-4)
• Debug game chimp (approximate year groups Y1 and 2)
• Debug game gibbon (approximate year groups Y3 and 4)
• Debug game gorilla (approximate year groups Y5 and 6

2Go

This application is a good way of introducing students, especially very young ones, to the idea of programming. If the children have used a floor robot, they will understand this application right away, because it’s like a screen version of that. And if you’re familiar with the decades old program Logo, you’ll recognise it immediately too.

What makes 2Go stand out is that it has several levels of complexity. The default starting point is very simple indeed: pupils click on an arrow to make the turtle go in one of four directions. But behind the scenes, which you can get to by clicking the Settings icon, are options to make the program more complex. Alongside this by using the search bar you will also find a guidance document as well as ‘challenges’ which will give you even more ideas for activities in lessons.

2Logo

A fantastic program to use during the week would be the solve The Time-Crimes of Logonator. Evil android Logonator has gone rogue. He is travelling through time, altering key events in history to suit his malign intentions. The only way to stop him is to repair the damage he has sown already, before it's too late. And the only people capable of this, your pupils. Are they ready?

Watch the briefing here:

Enter the Computer Science Education Week area

The Time-Crimes of Logonator is a series of Logo programming challenges with Purple Mash, designed to engage children of all abilities with applied programming.

Alongside these activities there are also a range of writing templates, activities and slideshows in the Computing Science week area of Purple Mash. You’ll find storyboards, game reviews, app planners, game planners and plenty more to keep children of all ages engaged all week and beyond.

If you don’t subscribe to Purple Mash, you can get access to all of this and much more for free. Simply register for a trial and you’ll be able to explore everything Purple Mash has to offer for 14 days.

Share your code with us

Whatever you do for CSEd Week, we’d love to see, You can share your work with us via Facebook or Twitter.