Local area educators enrolled in Elizabethtown College’s School of Graduate & Professional Studies (SGPS) Graduate Certificate in Computer Science Education program learned effective and engaging ways to teach computer science through Etown’s Science in Motion Teacher Professional Development Training this summer.
The training was hands-on and consisted of two sessions focused on teaching coding, data collection, data analysis, problem-solving, and computer science standards.
“Science in Motion builds upon our already-strong program and expands the support for computer science,” Elizabethtown College Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Innovation Susan Mapp said. “This allows teachers to incorporate technology directly into their classrooms to strengthen students’ learning opportunities.”
The first session was held on Sphero RVR cars, which are robotic cars connected to a smart device using Bluetooth. Students learn to write code using the cars as a hands-on example. Cars perform different functions, like turns and stops, based on student-written code.
The second session was on Vernier Equipment, hand-held computer interfaces, and probes that collect different types of data. Students and teachers can use the data in experiments to thoroughly analyze data.
“By learning to use the Sphero RVR cars and Vernier Equipment, teachers engage students in interesting activities and teach students skills they will need for college and the workforce,” Elizabethtown College STEM Education Outreach Director, Wendy Martin said.
Teachers attending the class received free access to Vernier and Sphero equipment through Science in Motion, which they’ll be able to borrow for future use in classroom activities.
Four teachers attended each class, gaining a greater understanding of computer science content, labs, and activities to utilize in their classrooms and how to take a hands-on approach for students.
Trainings were funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s PAsmart Advancing Computer Science and STEM Education Grant. The purpose of the grant is to increase the number of highly qualified computer science teachers through programs like Science in Motion.
