BLOG:  Introduction…  Coding in a Mathematics Classroom

I have been teaching mathematics at the middle and high school levels for 15 years now.  Most of my time has been spent in high school, with either Algebra 1 or Prob/Stat students.  There are a lot of constraints on our classroom time.  Curriculum is dictated by the county, and there are state-required end-of-year tests.

Even with all this going on, I feel myself embracing the need to move away from a traditional classroom instructional style toward a more authentic, problem-solving, blended environment.  To ignore the fact that technology has changed the world students live in is to set students up for failure.  They need to learn 21^st century skills.

I have, lately, been interested in coding (or, as it is sometimes called, computer programming).  Although I cannot, yet, call myself an expert, I am excited by the possibilities it brings.  In learning coding, students are involved in authentic problem solving.  Students need to learn the language of coding and apply it to, in many situations (LOGO or Sphero, for example) moving either an online “turtle” or an actual mini-robot.  They see direct results for their work.  They learn that “failure” motivates making changes and eventual success.  They are involved in authentic, problem-based learning.

I am in the process of learning about Sphero for myself.  I’m at the bottom of the learning rung right now, but I’m excited for the possibilities.  We’ll see where I am in a month or so!