👾 Computer science. Your class. Next week?

💡 Idea #2 to prepare students for an AI future

This week, I was pondering …

Where is the world headed with the fast development of artificial intelligence?

And are schools taking us where we need to go?

That’s when I published this post: 6 ways to prepare students for an AI future

The goal? Practical, small shifts we can make in any classroom right now that’ll better prepare students for the future we’re heading toward with AI.

If I had to pick the most important one, here’s my choice …

#2. Process over product.

In the real world, there are lots of places where getting the right answer EVENTUALLY is just as beneficial as getting the answer right the first time.

AI starts to cheapen the product. It can produce products faster than we can.

But when you talk about the process, you’ll start to see the learning emerge from human brains.

Two ideas for doing this:

• Deep dives: Instead of completing the entire math worksheet, maybe a student does a deep dive on one individual problem -- and records themselves talking through the entire process in video or audio.

• Reflection questions: When students reflect on their process, they confront how they arrived at their conclusions. Plus, you -- the teacher -- have a glimpse into the way your students think.

Read more: 6 ways to prepare students for an AI future

👩🏻‍💻 CSEdWeek: Bring computer science to any class

Computer Science Education Week — and the Hour of Code — happen next week!

What is it? CSEdWeek is an annual call to action to inspire K-12 students to learn computer science, advocate for equity, and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, and partners to the field.

In ANY class? No matter who you teach or what you teach, a little computer science can benefit your students. It helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path.

Plus, you need ZERO experience with coding or computer science to participate.

Here are some ways to incorporate coding and computer science in your class during CSEdWeek:

1. 20+ ways to celebrate the Hour of Code in ANY class: This post offers ideas for primary, middle, and secondary students. It includes unplugged no-tech computer science ideas. (Yes, it’s possible!)
   

2. Creativity with AI (via Hour of Code): AI is part of computer science! This resource includes videos on how AI works, student activities, and teacher lesson plans. Give students our Creativity with AI explore board to give them choices! You can also download this explore board in Microsoft Word.
   

3. NASA’s Space Jam: Yes, I said Space Jam. Students use music, astronomy and coding to create a solar system that really rocks! Give students our NASA Space Jam explore board to give them choices! You can also download this explore board in Microsoft Word.
   

4. Virtual visit to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab: Minecraft and Flip are virtually hosting Kamak Ebadi, a robotics technologist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab … and your class can join! Submit a video question to be answered during the event and find additional resources for your class.

Should I really do this in class? Here are a couple stats that might encourage you to try it …

• 90% of parents want their child to study computer science, but only 53% of high schools offer it.

• Women who try AP Computer Science in high school are 10 times more likely to major in it. Black and Latinx students are seven times more likely.

📙 Read AI for Educators over break

Want to understand artificial intelligence, its implications on class/school, and how it can help you teach?

Check out my book AI for Educators. It’s a readable page-turner that translates AI for the classroom and provides tons of examples.

It also has real talk about cheating and plagiarism.

Find it here in paperback or Kindle ebook on Amazon.

🗄 Template: My Learning Awards Board

The end of the semester (and the calendar year) can be a great time to look back — and see how far students have progressed.

The “My Learning Awards Board” template gives them a great place to do that!

Students make a copy of the template. Then, they describe the three things they’ve learned — or things they’ve done in the classroom — that they’re most proud of and why.

Afterward, you can always let students do a “digital gallery walk” where they circulate the room to look at each other’s boards on the screens of their devices.

Get the My Learning Awards Board template here!