LiveCode Forums

LiveCode has a long history of success in the classroom, as a tool for educators to make their own tools, as a key component in a Computer Science curriculum, and more.

This forum is for sharing ideas, tools, and other resources that can help teachers get the most out of LiveCode in the classroom.

Richard, I think this is a great idea. I have lots of ideas about how LiveCode can create useful educational support technology and it will be quite interesting to interact with others about the technology, pedagogy, and subject matter. I've had quite a bit of experience creating and using apps created with Director, in the classroom, in an introductory Oceanography course at UCSB. The course ranged between 30 and 60 students, so some kind of technology was very useful.

One of my gripes about technology is that much of it (e.g. class management systems) seem to be written by IT types who know little about teaching or pedagogy, and yet teachers tend to know little about what technology can really do for them. So, you end up with a teacher doing all kinds of busy work that is best done by the computer.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to interacting with other educators.

Thanks for writing, Bill. Very glad to see you here. I'm one of those "IT types who know little about teaching or pedagogy", so I figured if this was going to work it had to have people like you, and Max Schafer, and the other great educators in the community to make it happen.

Thanks Richard to relaunch this topic.
I would add accessibility which is an important subject.
What is made in one classroom can be useful for people with special needs.
Jean-Marc

Greeting s to all Livecode Educators. Now is the time to unite. With the new Open Source community version of Livecode, a new resurgence in teaching coding in the classroom, and new versions of Livecode for the browser and widgets, Livecode is primed to explode into the education community.

I teach Kindergarten. They have not knowledge of programming. When I say mouseup, kids jump on their chairs. We use iPads in our classroom. We have 24 ipads which connect to pianos, microscopes, art boards, guitars, Makey-Makey, and Osmo. When I was teaching fifth grade, my students were among the first to produce apps for the iTunes store. Now I am teaching the janitor at my school to write apps. It has changed his life.

Like it or not, we are the pioneers, the experts, the ones who can most effectively bring Livecode into our little corners of the world. Many of us have known and supported each other over the years. It’s time to take this to the next level. To reach out and share.

Bonding as a team will make us more powerful. I have the most fun when I am sharing with fellow teachers. More importantly, Educators are an important and growing part of the Livecode world. We should have our own track at Livecode conventions. I’d love to see us lead workshops at teacher conventions around the country. If we team up, we can have even more fun. We can help test each others apps in our classrooms.

Many of us got into programming because Livecode is the greatest tool for expressing the creative mind. This group is insanely creative. Let’s connect. Let’s begin by posting our own messages in this new forum. Let us know what apps you are making and how we can support you.

As Richard says, please consider dropping in to share ideas, discuss what's needed to make LiveCode an ever better fit for the classroom, or anything else you'd like to explore.


Max Schafer
Livecode Education Outreach

Wow, Max, what an introduction! It sounds like you've had great success teaching livecode to your students.

My own interests lie in creating learning tools using livecode, rather than teaching the use of livecode itself. However, I'm sure both interest tracks will result in engaging discussions, perhaps collaborations.

Thanks, wprothero

Id love to see anything you have to share.

Max Schafer

Max:
Here is a link to a module in a project I'm working on. I'm using it as a framework for a larger project that will allow capabilities to be easily added. The link refers to the data access module for investigating data that supports the theory of plate tectonics. I plan on adding content modules, quizzes, and writing activity support.

http://earthednet.org/ptExplorer/Cover.html
The link at the bottom of the page will take you to a video that shows the module.

The Plate Tectonics stack is rich. Terrific plotting and graphs. I like the measure distances tool, and capturing images. Thanks for sharing. This would work even for 5th graders.

Max

What I'm thinking about is a complete lesson module that will cover a topic, with various activities that a teacher can specify. Results will get transmitted to the teacher either through an email, or preferable on a database that can be accessed by the teacher. I am very much in favor of students writing science papers. The module can provide data and images for that. But, first they need to be instructed on the theory that they need to support and how to put together their paper.

That's the direction I'm going.

I think that this needs to be modified:

LiveCode has a long history of success in the classroom

insofar as it is being used far less than previously owing to a lack of consciousness among teachers.