Loyola Stars

intro to computing class

We have finally started using the internet and the ladies have so many questions and doubts. Some have stated that the internet is the reason why they do not agree so much with technology, they are scared of the dangers that it might bring to their children. after wrapping up our class at noon( 3hours of discusion, question and answer, and demonstration) i felt the ladies left with a better view of the internet and not to be so afraid of it.

I really enjoyed this class because it seemed like the ladies really learned a lot of what the internet can provide and the benefits of having it at home. they keep mentioning that they cant wait to learn how to pay their bills online. i have actually restructured the class to be 3 hours instead of 2 since in the previous 4 classes we have always stayed another 30mns and since now that we have gotten to the internet part it seems that the ladies have a lot more questions. also since i noticed that they are so interested in learning to pay their bills online i have changed my last two classes to be based on just teaching them how to pay their bills and giving them that one on one attention since i feel that it is a delicate subject when it comes to personal things like their bank accounts and bills. 

I am also very happy to see that they have actaully been practicing outside of class and many of them successfully finished their small project on time. the ones that finished were very proud of their work and could not wait to show me. Since none of them had used word before, this project was very new to them and exciting. some of them are planning to keep practicing so they can one day use them for creating party invitations and letters and so forth. i am glad I was able to give them that type of security and break away that fear of using a computer.  A lot of them kept mentioning that they were afraid of touching a computer because they were afraid of touching something and breaking it. and now they are actually going home and practicing on their own. to me this is a milestone and im very happy!

In our next class we will taking a look at gmail and creating our email and playing around with it. so Im really looking forward our next class.

Jessica Herrera

Steinmetz HTML Class Assistance, Sem. 2 Interim

To preface this entry, some weeks ago the site code.org created a short video starring several big names of tech talking about their early programming experiences and how they applied to their lives in general, not just in their job. Since watching the video, it’s had an interesting effect on how I go about helping out the students at Steinmetz: even if they’re just using HTML and not a “full” language such as Java, or even a non-tecchie-friendly IDE like Scratch, they are still learning a little of the basic underlying concepts of computers and all things involved with it.

It’s been several weeks into the second semester, and just recently we’ve started going over some slightly more complicated assignments. Interestingly enough, the complications (and learning opportunities) don’t necessarily arise from the procedures (as outlined in the textbook we use, they are relatively straightforward) - they occur when someone makes a typo in the HTML itself: several times, students accidentally use a semi-colon where a colon should be and vice versa; some students leave an errant tag; in one instance, even a missing *space* led to very interesting ouput. Even the more advanced students have made such mistakes from time to time. It’s been somewhat trying to spend a few minutes intensely scanning their code to find what and where the problems are, but also rewarding. I’m able to show them the humor in the troubleshooting: computers will blindly follow whatever orders you give them, even if it results in something that’s hardly what you desire them to do!

In the second of the two classes I help out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I’ve been spending more time performing this type of troubleshooting as opposed to more administrative tasks like taking grades - incidentally, such duties have been taken up by another volunteer, a Steinmetz student working for service hours. He adds an interesting dynamic to the class - one does get the impression he uses most of his time to chat up the class’s girls, but on the other hand, it seems to reinforce my authority when I’m able to find typos he missed. Regardless, the class overall performs the day-to-day assignments very well, and they do discuss with each other how to do the assignment, something I feel should be encouraged as it does promote a learning atmosphere. (At least, for those who can stand the other student teacher!)

In addition to more specific troubleshooting, I’ve also been tasked occasionally to help catch up specific students on late assignments. Of note, before anything else, is the approach: how does one do this without accidentally offending them? Sometimes I’ve had the teacher specifically do the “hand-off,” other times I’ve had to walk up to them, sometimes while they’ve been preoccupied with non-homework activity. For the most part they are compliant; still, a difficulty does arise in how to actually teach the material. Ideally, they walk themselves through the procedures; extenuating circumstances like deficiencies in reading or typing, or even lack of motivation or energy, all of which can be linked - necessitates a sort of hand-holding until they get that self-direction.

Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot from my experience so far here; when all’s said and done, though, I hope I’ve been able to provide to these classes something more than their grades. Practical HTML isn’t the most exciting introduction to computers, but it might just be one of the most accessible, and that, more than anything, is what’s important at this stage of education.

3rd Saturday of comp Class

This Saturday was very exciting because we actually started looking at how to write into the computer. we began by looking at notepad, and then at wordpad. I asked the ladies to give me some differences between the two and they right away noticed them so once they saw the differences we began exploring wordpad. We had a great time using wordpad because the ladies played around with the font and the different tools wordpad provides. Before they actually started palying around I guided them through each font tool and other tools so they would know what they were for and so then  I let them play around. They were all excited, specially one lady because she said she can now help her daughter with her science fair project decoration since now she knows how to play around with the font and colors. we stayed till 11:30 am. since we are actually at a neighborhood park we can only stay till 11am but the park manager doesnt mind if we stay a little over. This upcoming Saturday we are going to be looking at microsoft word and looking at the differences between notepad, wordpad, and word. I will actually assign their first assignment which will be due march 16, 2013. I am very excited to see their work and see them use what they have learned . I truly am happy for giving this class. These ladies are learning a lot and I am having fun teaching them. One lady,because of this class actually bought her kids their first computer and now is excited that she is learning how to use it. I have helped her create each one of her kids (3 of them )their own user account and putting parental control. I created the first user account and she did the other two. :  ) Excited for the next class.

Jessica

Second day of computing class

we had a great time this time no a lot of the ladies showed up because they had prior arrangements but the ones that missed will be attending the next class. by the time 11 am came the ladies were still not ready to leave and we got so caught up by what we were doing that we stayed till 11:30am. I am very excited about the next class because we will be starting to work with word and they have all been using their computers and learning what they have but now they will actually be creating something. Also I want to mention why we got so caught up the ladies were so excited to learn how to create their own user accounts and passwords as well add and delete programs and how to have a screensaver. they all really got into all of these things that it even got me excited to help them out.looking forward this upcoming Saturday.

Jessica 

First day of Computer Class

This past saturday I had a great time at the first day of intro to Computer class. Most of the ladies did not even know how to turn on the computer which i was very surprised (all of these women are hispanic and typically house wifes). I had a written agenda for the class but they where all so excited about learning that they kept asking questions and I found myself trying to get back on track and the best part was that the questions never seemed to end. one of the best parts was that by the end of the class the ladies left very excited and ready for the next class, we also decided that I was going to teach them how to pay their bills online. I know how conbinient it it to pay bills online so I asked the ladies if that would be one the things they would like to get out of the class and they all responded yes. They loved that idea and were very thankful for having to add that to the class. but i told them that before we get to that they have to know the basics and theres a process they have to go through in order to do that so we will be doing that by the end of the 8 week course. they all agreed and I told them that once we start on the bills they can bring with them their bills and a small notebook where they can write their usernames ad passwords.  So we began the class and had a great time. So now im very excited for the next class which will be this upcoming Saturday. 

Steinmetz HTML Class Assistance, Semester 2

Today I returned to Steinmetz to help out with HTML classes there. Both the teacher and the students in general (in the periods I’m there) seemed very glad to have me back. The curriculum from the last semester was finishing up, and the students were turning in design templates for personal web sites. These sites will eventually be fully created at the end of this semester using all the students have learned over the course of the year.

For better or worse, the second semester is beginning with review, literally from the beginning (the concept of viewing/modifying raw HTML pages in NotePad). The class is taking on several new students seeking to fulfill credits necessary to graduate, and so stepping back will attempt to bring everyone up to speed. For my part, I’m hoping this encourages the proficient students to go and try (HTML) things on their own - it’s not explicitly my role in the classroom, but I’d hate for the subject to get boring for them.

I also was tasked to help a few students out completing several online modules that were required curriculum in the state of Illinois. They covered a general span of topics, from the concept of financial credit to responsible actions. Having actually not encountered them back in high school, I found them very analogous to training programs I was required to complete while at other jobs. Here was a sort of education delivered in the form of training videos and quizzes whose nature was not necessarily to derive a logical answer to, but to reiterate exactly what the videos had said. I personally thought the modules (in structure and in particular wording) to be condescending to the students - nevertheless, the students passed most of them.

Although perhaps outside the scope of what we do through STARS, such an education method seems such a contrast to the methods otherwise employed, both in this class and in other STEM classes, where both the material and the nature of evaluation suggest there is more to do with the subject than just spitting something out in response.

That’s easier, certainly, but then we may as well be computers.

In Which The Ring is Cast Into Mount Doom

Last Friday (12/7) marked my last day at St. Viator Elementary. Overall it was a bittersweet day; while I’m happy that the project reached its natural conclusion, I think I might actually miss my students, despite all the grief they gave me.

It was a relatively quiet day. I had the third and sixth graders wrap up their Scratch projects and submit them as is. My supervisor wants to learn more about Scratch so at some point I’ll send him my lectures to hopefully cut down on his research time.

The iPads for the kindergartners had some new games on them that dealt primarily with spelling, which they really enjoyed. I think though they only really liked it though because every three words they got to pick a part of a rocket ship and then put it together and make it fly. 

Even if the students only liked me because I broke the monotony, I’m glad I was able to make a project of this magnitude come together, despite the bumps along the way. 

Ending transmission for the last time,

Alexandra Nine

The Workshop and The End

11/17/2012 

The workshop was here! Everyone worked hard in order to get everything prepared for the event and we were about to have close to 40 middle school students coming by. I arrived around 1:15pm to everyone getting things ready for imminent arrival of the students. 

I began to help by setting up the many tables of the stations for the kids to work on. Everyone was contributing in some way for the set up. Mr. Solin, Abril, and Safia were in charge of the event. We were setting up large sheets of paper for a field in order for the kids to maneuver through a maze. 

We had all the robots built from the day before and were going to work with the students to show how to program a robot to move and use its many sensors. 

As soon as we were finishing up setting up the stations with robots and computers, Parents and students started to arrive. 

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In Which I Take Heart, Land is Within My Sights

I can’t believe this semester is pretty much over, but at the same time it’s fine by me because I’m finally at that point where everything’s hilarious anyway.

This week (12/7) will be my last visit to St. Viator’s to make sure my students’ projects are completed to my satisfaction and then turned in to computer teacher. The end is so close at hand, I can almost taste it.

Last week (11/30), I suddenly encountered 9,032,745 roadblocks. Well I certainly exaggerate, but it did feel like that everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong for both the 3rd and 6th grade classes. There were technical issues with the school network, so some students’ files were gone completely, amd they basically had to start from scratch because there really wasn’t any hope of recovery. Other students just couldn’t remember what they had named their files, so they needed to be found manually. I had thought at this point mostly everyone would have some semblance of a story completed, but it didn’t really turn out that way, so I ended up sitting down with the teacher before class started and nailing out some Scratch commands I definitely wanted to see met:

1. Movement
2. Talking/Dialogue
3. A background other than blank white
4. Minimum of two characters
5. Minimum of one sound effect

I figured those five things pretty much covered everything I’ve tried to teach them the last two weeks. This week is the last chance they’ll have to wrap up what they have and submit it. After some thought, I also decided to nix having the students present their projects. They’ve pretty much demonstrated to me that they don’t work well as a class, and that their time would be better spent finishing what they have and just turning it in.

The kindergartners were fortunately a little easier to handle. At some point before the holiday break the teacher found a few new educational apps centered around spelling and some basic mathematical operations, like addition and subtraction, and the students were definitely more excited to work on the iPads that week than they’ve been in the previous weeks.

Overall, I think I’m happy that this is my last week. This project is winding down to its natural demise, and I’ve done everything I can possibly do and then some for this Scratch project, and I can’t really ask anymore of myself no matter the outcome.

Ending transmission, 

Alexandra Nine

The Set Up

11/16/2012

Today was a very fun day. We had to set up for Saturday’s Robotics Workshop. Around 40 kids for grades 6-8 were coming to Northside to work with our robotics in order to learn about Computer Programming and Robotics. Everything was being organized and run by the Robotics Teams/Colloquium Class. What we had to do was assemble about 20 robots for the kids to use on Saturday. 

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