Kate Starbird, a professor in the UW Human Centered Design and Engineering department, gave a terrific keynote on "data science" at last Saturday's contest. At the end of her talk, she announced the Paul Allen Computing Challenge. This exciting challenge will act as a bridge between our December and April contests. Students will analyze real Twitter data related to Cyclone Phailin which hit India in mid-October 2013. Participants who complete the challenge will receive great prizes including a Kindle pre-loaded with Paul Allen’s Memoir Idea Man: A Memoir by the Co-founder of Microsoft.
Please post this flyer in your classrooms and encourage your students to participate!
We encourage students to involve their friends who are not currently taking CS courses -- most of the challenges in Part 1 of the challenge can be completed with Excel or other non-programming tools.
Contest information and registration details can be found here. The PACC is organized by a team of local groups that work with data science led by the Living Computer Museum and the PSCSTA. Questions? E-mail Justin Spielmann, Living Computer Museum Education Coordinator at justinS@ livingcomputermuseum.org
Monday, December 16, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
December 2013 Contest Results
Dozens of teachers and industry volunteers made this event possible. All of your contributions were invaluable to making this event a success. Thank you!
Congratulations to all of our participants! Please share the results and pictures with your students.
Top represented schools were Kamiak and Issaquah with 11 teams each.
Download the contest materials zip file for the contest packet and sample data.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
December 14th Programming Contest Registration Open
Registration is now open for the December 14th programming contest! See the programming contests page for the registration form and more details.
The event, generously sponsored by TEALS and Microsoft, will take place at the University of Washington Paul Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering. Check-in starts at 8:30am and the award ceremony will finish at around 2:30pm. Students will solve programming problems in teams of 3 using the programming language of their choice. They will also hear a brief talk by UW professor Kate Starbird.
The registration cost is $30 which includes lunch and snacks. Need-based scholarships are available.
Registration closes when we reach 85 teams or on 12/9, whichever comes first.
Flyer
The event, generously sponsored by TEALS and Microsoft, will take place at the University of Washington Paul Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering. Check-in starts at 8:30am and the award ceremony will finish at around 2:30pm. Students will solve programming problems in teams of 3 using the programming language of their choice. They will also hear a brief talk by UW professor Kate Starbird.
The registration cost is $30 which includes lunch and snacks. Need-based scholarships are available.
Registration closes when we reach 85 teams or on 12/9, whichever comes first.
Flyer
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Next PSCSTA Meeting Sat, 11/16: Nifty Lessons
- Topic: Nifty Lessons hosted by Greg Kilpatrick
- Date: Saturday, November 16, 2013, 10 am - 12 n followed by socializing and networking 12 − 1 pm
- Place: UW, Paul Allen Center for CSE (Directions & Parking)
Resources/Notes:
- Create an animal logic puzzle program (Mark E’s idea) - http://mamialmo.com/
AnimaLogic/Animalogic.htm - Animalogic Rules
- Cryptography (from Mark: http://www.amazon.com/The-
Cryptoclub-Using-Mathematics- Secret/dp/156881223X, andhttp://www.cryptoclub.org/) - Fibbonacci flowers (http://www.susanrevans.com/
blog/2012/01/16/, http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ahXIMUkSXX0, http://scratch.mit.edu/ projects/2277214) - Handouts (.ZIP)
- A cool Java program you build with the class in an AP-type course (examples: ball falling or roulette programs from CSE 142 or using Facebook API in 143)
- A CS Unplugged mini-lesson (it could be straight from CS Unplugged -- seeing it done is different from reading about it!)
- Something on an advanced topic like software engineering or HCI (design exercise)
- Something from a CS Principles type of course
- A fun activity that's peripherally related to CS (puzzles, ballparking, rubic's cubes)
Two clock hours will be provided for the workshop portion.
Contact Greg Kilpatrick if you are interested in sharing something nifty!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Next meeting: Sat, 10/19 : Physical Computing Lab
- Topic: Physical Computing Lab with Arduino hosted by Andy Davidson
- Date: Saturday, October 19, 2013
10 am - 12 n followed by socializing and networking 12 − 1 pm - Place: UW, Sieg Hall, Room 233 (Map)
This month’s meeting is about physical computing — the blending of computer software and electronics hardware to create interactive systems. We’ll explore the Arduino platform, a small, open-source, inexpensive but powerful micro-controller that is used by artists, designers, engineers, hobbyists, and students for prototyping many different kinds of interactive systems and environments.
No prior electronics experience is necessary, and novice as well as expert programmers should find something fun and interesting. In a hands-on session, you’ll learn to create basic Arduino applications and see how it might be used in K-12 environments. I’ll have some beginner as well as advanced projects to work on.
PLEASE RSVP: If you intend to participate, please RSVP to adavid7@uw.edu. Since this workshop involves hardware, I want to make sure I have enough systems for everyone. Please bring your own laptop to use and (if you have time) download and install the Arduino software on it before the workshop (it’s free!).
LOCATION: Note that we are NOT meeting in the usual location this month, but will be in Sieg Hall, which is very close to the CSE building.
Two clock hours will be provided for the workshop portion.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing
As many of you know, the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women who are active and interested in computing and encourages them to pursue their passions. Award recipients receive cool prizes as well as access to scholarships, internships, and a community of like-minded, technical young women. Girls with all levels of experience are encouraged to apply: the award recognizes aspirations as well as accomplishments!
Educators who endorse their student's applications are eligible to win the NCWIT Educator Award (Paul Osborne and Sam Procopio are past winners in Washington). Educator Award winners receive up to $1000 toward professional development. This year, educators also will be entered into a drawing for each student they endorse. The more students you encourage to apply, the more likely you are to win a laptop or tablet!
The award application at http://ncwit.org/awardWA/ is now open and will close October 31st. Please encourage girls you know to apply and pass on this message to parent newsletters, teachers and other groups who work with girls.
You can use this flyer and small poster to advertise.
Here are a few reasons you should encourage girls to apply:
- the application process gets girls thinking about the role of computing in their futures
- schools and school boards pay attention to courses that result in students getting awards
- the prizes are substantial
- 20 girls will be recognized in Washington state so there are a lot of awards to go around
- nominators become eligible for the educator award
- UW CSE will be hosting the award ceremony again and we'll use the opportunity to expose winners to more cool computer science
Educators who endorse their student's applications are eligible to win the NCWIT Educator Award (Paul Osborne and Sam Procopio are past winners in Washington). Educator Award winners receive up to $1000 toward professional development. This year, educators also will be entered into a drawing for each student they endorse. The more students you encourage to apply, the more likely you are to win a laptop or tablet!
The award application at http://ncwit.org/awardWA/ is now open and will close October 31st. Please encourage girls you know to apply and pass on this message to parent newsletters, teachers and other groups who work with girls.
You can use this flyer and small poster to advertise.
Here are a few reasons you should encourage girls to apply:
- the application process gets girls thinking about the role of computing in their futures
- schools and school boards pay attention to courses that result in students getting awards
- the prizes are substantial
- 20 girls will be recognized in Washington state so there are a lot of awards to go around
- nominators become eligible for the educator award
- UW CSE will be hosting the award ceremony again and we'll use the opportunity to expose winners to more cool computer science
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
9/21: September meeting - Scratch 2.0
Edit: workshop notes and resources posted
Next PSCSTA Meeting:
Two clock hours will be provided for the workshop portion.
This is a football game day so there may be extra traffic on campus. Parking is provided free of charge by UW. Please e-mail us if you did not receive parking instructions through the PSCSTA mailing list.
Upcoming events:
Next PSCSTA Meeting:
- Topic: Scratch 2.0 hosted by Hélène Martin
- Date: Saturday, September 21st, 2013
10am - noon followed by socializing and networking noon - 1pm - Place: UW, Paul Allen Center for CSE (Directions & Parking)
Two clock hours will be provided for the workshop portion.
This is a football game day so there may be extra traffic on campus. Parking is provided free of charge by UW. Please e-mail us if you did not receive parking instructions through the PSCSTA mailing list.
Upcoming events:
- NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing registration opens 9/18 and closes 10/31. Encourage all tech-savvy high school girls you know to apply.
- Counselors for Computing on Friday October 11th 8:30am - 3pm. Details and registration here.
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