Introduction to VEX 123 Week 2 Recap

[Aimee_DeFoe]

Hi All!

Here’s a recap of 123 class from last night. Thanks for such a great discussion! Things we talked about included:

• the wide variety of reasons to teach computer science and robotics in early childhood including

  • The connection between STEM and SEL
  • Early exposure to STEM as an issue of equity
  • Building a foundation for student understanding of computer science
    • See this article: https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2016/11/209119-growing-computer-science-education-into-a-stem-education-discipline/fulltext
  • Helping students to become comfortable with the academic risk-taking that is necessary for success in STEM and other disciplines

• Connecting VEX123 to Literacy

  • Sequencing skills in relation to literacy
  • This activity: VEX 123 Activity - Word Play

• The Pathfinder Activity

  • As a great place to start with students and teachers new to coding
  • As a jumping off point for talking about decomposition

@Jessica_Drayer also shared some fantastic ideas for games with the 123 including a fun way of playing tic-tac-toe, and @Laura_Mackay shared an idea for differentiating it for students who need an additional challenge. (Feel free to post those ideas here in the community!)

I also mentioned that the VEX Classroom app is getting some cool new features - those include:

• A display of eye sensor and gyro values
• A display of the cards currently being used on the Coder

If I forgot anything, please feel free to add it. I hope to see you all in another class sometime!

[Laura_Mackay]

I enjoyed the discussion! Jessica de Bruyn shared how her students play Tic-Tac-Toe with VEX 123. I was such a cool idea! I shared a way to differentiate the game for high ability learners. Our GT Specialist has the students play tic-tac-toe and each time they play a piece they can play either an “x” or an “o”. The student is not limited to just playing an x on their turn if they are supposed to be the x’s. Either student can play an x or an o any time. Not sure if I am typing it in a way others can understand, but it makes the game really hard! The question is can the student discover a strategy to win every time.

[Jason_McKenna]

@Laura_Mackay That is a great way to raise the level of thinking for the game. Tremendous.