Download - CSTA2015 Blocks-based Programming: Toolboxes for Many Occasions

Blocks-based Programming:

Toolboxes for Many Occasions

Josh Sheldon & Paul Medlock-Walton

@MITStepLab, @GameBloxDev, @MITAppInventor, @joshsheldon

Today’s Roadmap

•  Introduction •  StarLogo Nova •  TaleBlazer •  GameBlox •  MIT App Inventor •  Wrap & Questions

ONE EARLY ANCESTOR, MANY NICHES TODAY

�  From BLOX (Glinert, 1986)

�  To Today, July 2015 �  Scratch �  Alice �  Greenfoot �  Pencil Code �  App Lab �  App Inventor, TaleBlazer, StarLogo Nova, GameBlox �  and, many more…

"Simplified tree" by Madprime - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simplified_tree.png#/media/File:Simplified_tree.png

HOW WE WILL EXPLORE EACH EXAMPLE

�  Overview

�  Niche(s)

�  Demonstration: Use, Modify, Create (Leave creating to you)

�  Notable CS Affordances

�  Resources

Lee et al., (2011). Computational Thinking for Youth in Practice. ACM Inroads.

Today’s Roadmap


StarLogo Nova: Overview

�  Notable Features �  Agent Based Scripting �  3-D World �  Investigation of

Scientific Models

�  History �  Descendant of Logo, StarLogo versions �  Went “live” circa 2014

StarLogo Nova: Niches

�  Agent-based modeling �  Multiple breeds �  Each breed can have scripts �  Each individual of a breed runs scripts independently

�  3-D Game creation �  EASY �  Motivating �  For everyone?

StarLogo Nova: Demo -‐ EPIDEMIC!!!

StarLogo Nova: Notable CS Affordances

�  Some Object Oriented Principles

�  Parallel execution

�  Abstraction (procedures)

�  Event driven programming

StarLogo Nova: Resources

�  IPWIT: ~15 Hours of Instruction �  Resources:

�  http://www.slnova.org/resources/ipwit-2014/ �  http://www.slnova.org/resources/skill-cards/

�  PD: https://ipwit2015.eventbrite.com (PD: 1-day intro)

�  Project GUTS �  Resources: http://www.projectguts.org/ �  PD: https://goo.gl/mHcGvO

�  Imagination Toolbox �  PD: https://it2015.eventbrite.com (One-week, in-depth)

Today’s Roadmap


CSTA 2015 TaleBlazer:

Engaging Youth in Computa/onal Thinking, Crea/ve Design &

Community through Authoring Loca/on-‐Based Augmented Reality Games

How do we cra* powerful experiences in real places? How do these experiences foster deep learning? How do you author these types of games?

Photo: PolarBearsInterna/onal.org Photo: Red BuGe Botanical Garden

One approach loca:on-‐based educa:on…augmented reality (AR) “Loca/on-‐aware digital overlay of informa/on in a real-‐world context”

Learning/ Content

Games/ Sims

Real World Context

Typically played on smart phone or other mobile

computer (GPS) in large-‐scale real world loca:on

TaleBlazer’s Two Goals

PLAY GAMES •  Games are played by visitors/users/students •  Goals are to learn content, explore a physical space, foster collabora:on –  E.g., Field trip to Zoo, visitors to living history museum

MAKE GAMES •  Users design and implement AR games •  Learn design process, coding, content

–  Currently in several a*er-‐school/summer programs

Two examples: Youth Making Games

•  iCSI – STEM themed •  Haunts – local history

iCSI Informal Community Science Inves:gators

3-‐year NSF funded partnership between: Missouri Botanical Garden; MIT; Columbus Zoo (OH), San Diego Zoo, Red Bu_e Botanical Gardens (UT) 1.  Engage informal visitors playing AR games 2.  Tweens/teens making AR games (summer camps) –  Leverage AR games to promote STEM knowledge/engagement (including technology design/authoring), showcase research, foster community engagement (ci:zen science), develop 21st cent. skills.

>> Successful camps, looking to extend model.<<

Funded by NSF ISE Grant # 1223407

The Paths of the Forgo_en: Ghosts of Drake Park

Haunts: Urban Youth Making Local Games

Demonstration

Successes & Challenges

•  High engagement •  Youth ownership •  Non-‐tradi:onal CS on-‐ramp

•  Collabora:ve •  Engages community •  Interdisciplinary

–  Lots of try

•  New genre •  Non-‐trivial on-‐ramp •  Mobile tech not 100% ubiquitous

•  Outdoors (indoor coming soon!)

•  Interdisciplinary –  Lots of juggle

Thanks!

Judy Perry, MIT STEP Lab <[email protected]> h_p://TaleBlazer.org h_p://educa:on.mit.edu •  Many thanks to Eric Klopfer (Director, MIT STEP Lab), Lisa Stump & the

TaleBlazer development team (MIT), Josh Sheldon (MIT/STEP); Renata Pomponi & Drew Buckley (Mass Audubon); Rhys Simmons and his team (OSV); Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

•  Funded in part by NSF Grants # 0833663, #1223407; and the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.

Today’s Roadmap


A block language for designing games https://gameblox.org Paul Medl0ck-Walton [email protected]

edX courses

Features for making games

•  Physics engine ▫  Gravity, velocity, collision detection

•  Program behavior for classes •  Count up and down timers • Multiple stages •  Camera view

CS Affordances

•  Components used as variables •  Type checking •  Typed and multi-dimensional lists • Dynamic creation of components • Data tables •  Threading •  Event driven

Resources

•  Tutorials with videos and pictures

A block language for designing games https://gameblox.org Paul Medl0ck-Walton [email protected]

Today’s Roadmap


MIT App Inventor: Overview

�  Notable Features �  Create native Android

Apps �  Use device affordances �  Share with others �  Gallery – Remix (NEW)

�  History �  V1 (Classic) Started at Google in 2008-2009 �  Moved to MIT in 2011-12 �  V2 went live Dec. 2013

MIT App Inventor: Niches

�  Mobile App Creation �  For the real devices of 21st Century �  Take advantage of device affordances �  Each individual of a breed runs scripts independently

�  Authentic System Deployment �  Can query against online APIs and Fusion tables �  Motivating �  For everyone

MIT App Inventor: Demo -‐ My Baby (really)

MIT App Inventor: Notable CS Affordances

�  Event driven Programming

�  High level abstracted components

�  Components have features of OOP

MIT App Inventor: Resources

�  AppInventor.org �  http://appinventor.org/

�  Educators Community (Contribute your resources) �  http://educators.appinventor.mit.edu/

�  Resource Sheet

�  PD: �  EdX - Mobile Computing with App Inventor – CS Principles (Oct

‘15) �  Mobile CSP - http://mobile-csp.org/participate

Today’s Roadmap


VL/HCC 2015 workshop in Atlanta, GA on Thu., Oct. 22, 2015 Blocks and Beyond: Lessons and DirecQons for First Programming Environments h_p://cs.wellesley.edu/~blocks-‐and-‐beyond/ Submission Deadline: July 24!!!

Blocks and Beyond Workshop

Blocks-based Programming:

Toolboxes for Many Occasions

Josh Sheldon & Paul Medlock-Walton

@MITStepLab, @GameBloxDev, @MITAppInventor, @joshsheldon

Download - CSTA2015 Blocks-based Programming: Toolboxes for Many Occasions

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