teaching computing to ks3
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Teaching Computing to KS3. Sue Sentance [email protected] Sophie Baker [email protected]. Course outline. What is computational thinking?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Teaching Computing to KS3Sue Sentance [email protected] [email protected]
Course outline
What is computational thinking?Computational thinking is recognised as a key skill set for all 21st-century learners – whether they intend to continue with computing science or not. It involves viewing the world through the thinking practices that software developers use to write programs.5 main areas: seeing a problem and its solution at many levels of detail (abstraction) thinking about tasks as a series of steps (algorithms) understanding that solving a large problem will involve breaking it down
into a set of smaller problems (decomposition) appreciating that a new problem is likely to be related to other problems
the learner has already solved (pattern recognition) realising that a solution to a problem may be made to solve a whole
range of related problems (generalisation).
Key features of computersComputers are deterministic: they do what you tell them
to do. This is news to many, who think of them as pure magic.
Computers are precise: they do exactly what you tell them to do.
Computers can therefore be understood; they are just machines with logical working.
See CAS Computing Curriculum document (KS3) for what we are looking at in these sessions.
AlgorithmsAn algorithm is a sequence of instructionsSolving a problem involves breaking it down into tasks
and being able to describe steps to solve each aspect of the task.
The following 4 slides have been taken from the CS Inside website: http://csi.dcs.gla.ac.uk
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What is the similarity between these?
Cooking recipeDownloading software or musicCar repair manualSetting up a music playlistKnitting patternCalling a friend on the phoneSheet music
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What written instructions have you followed…?…to complete a task?
Can you give an example?
Were the instructions easy or difficult to follow?Why? What made them easy/ hard?
They made sense?You couldn’t understand them?They didn’t give you enough information?
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Why discuss lists of instructions here??
Computer programs are lists of instructionswith very particular characteristicsknown as algorithms
How many of you know of a famous computer error/mistake?
These are caused by the wrong instructions in the programthe instructions were interpreted by the computer in a way not
intended by the program designer
We are going to explore how these errors come about
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Algorithm exercise – follow exactly!!1. Draw a diagonal line 2. Draw another diagonal line connected to the top of
the first one3. Draw a straight line from the point where the
diagonal lines meet4. Draw a horizontal line over the straight line5. At the bottom of the straight line, draw a curvy line6. Draw a diagonal line from the bottom of the first
diagonal to the straight line7. Draw a diagonal line from the bottom of the second
diagonal to the straight line
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How did the pictures turn out?Compare your picture with others'
pictures…Were they different?Why?What was difficult about following the
instructionsWhat was missing from the
instructions?
Can you improve on these instructions?
Another algorithmSwap puzzle
http://www.cs4fn.org/algorithms/swappuzzle/
An algorithm for noughts and crosses
In pairs, play noughts and crosses with one player using the algorithm on the handout exactly.
Does the person with the algorithm win?
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(a) Design an algorithm
The task/problem: make a shape out of paper – one sheet of A4
Write the algorithmWrite a set of instructions that explains how to make a
paper shape from 1 sheet of A4 paper
Test itTry out your algorithm – does it work?Note: follow your instructions as closely as possibleAdjust the instructions if necessary
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(b) Following an algorithmHide your shapeGet into pairs
by teaming up with someone on the opposite side of the room
move to sit togetherDo not show them your paper shape – hide it!!
Swap algorithm/instructions with your partnerFollow your partner's instructions to create their paper shapeCompare shapes
how similar is each 'pair' of shapes?what advice can you give on how to improve the
instructions?
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What do we know about algorithms?
What are the key characteristics of a “good” algorithm? Why are they hard to develop?Must be unambiguousMust be correctMust be at the right level of detail
Also, what did we learn about problems we pick?too large sometimes?
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ConclusionsAlgorithm
step-by-step method for accomplishing a taskFollowing an algorithm
relatively easyFinding/designing Algorithms
difficult but exciting and fulfillingthe designed algorithm contains the
intelligence of its developerAlgorithms are a fundamental part of Computer
Programming and of Computing Science
Programming and algorithms
In order to be a successful programmer, in Scratch, Python or any environment, students need to be able to develop algorithms that they then can automate in a program.
Cue Sophie!!