-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi,
This sounds exactly like what we're doing at PyconUK (http://pyconuk.org) in a few weeks time: we have an "education" track full of talks, tutorials, discussion and even an "educational resources sprint" taking place on the Sunday. Our aim is simple: we expect interesting things to happen when we bring teachers and developers together in an event that is open to all. We're having a Google hangout next Tuesday evening (UK time) at which we'll be discussing / planning what's going to happen. My co-organiser Alan 'teknoteacher' O'Donohoe gives details here: http://teachcomputing.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/pyconuk-whats-in-it-for-me/ - From my point of view it is vital that we *don't* work in isolation and that good education-related stuff happening at the various Pycons around the world is shared far and wide. We, as a Python community, are an international bunch and I don't see why sharing educational resources and experience shouldn't be an international effort either (speaking from experience as a teacher in the UK, too often matters educational are only placed in a local [national] context - an attitude that needs challenging IMHO). As always, comments, suggestions and critique most welcome. Nicholas. On 22/08/12 16:06, Vern Ceder wrote: > Hi everyone, > > I just wanted to bring you uptodate on where we're at with the > Education Summit at the upcoming PyCon. This will be a "by > invitation only" event, so if you are interested (and I haven't > contacted you already) or know of someone who would be really good > for and interested in this event, please let me know about that > interest off list. One of our reasons for going with invitations is > that we want to be sure that we get a fair balance between the > various education constituencies in space available, so I can't > guarantee that absolutely everyone who wants to come will be > invited.... But I'll try. > > Also we're looking for a keynote and panelists for the topics > below, so if you know of anyone that you think would be good, > please email me off list. Also if you have any other suggestions or > questions, please let me know. > > There is also a google group for announcements about the summit, so > if you're interested, you should join that group - > https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/pycon-education-summit > > First of all, the summit blurb is the following: > > "In 2013, for the first time ever, PyCon will be holding a Python > Education Summit. This summit will be a gathering of teachers and > educators from the many venues that support the teaching of > programming in Python - schools, colleges and universities, > community based workshops, online programs and government. These > constituencies differ widely in resources and constraints, in > methods, and in goals and aspirations, yet are all working to > address the same issue - a lack of coding literacy - with the same > belief - that teaching programming is needed and that Python is an > excellent way to do that. > > The goal of the summit is to bring together leaders from those > diverse constituencies to learn more about each other's efforts and > gain useful insight from them, to form connections that might > foster future collaboration, to identify common issues and begin > discussing ways to attack them, and to create an enhanced sense of > unity, purpose and community among teachers of Python, wherever > they might be. It is also our hope that the summit will serve as > catalyst for the rest of PyCon to encourage even more interaction - > hallway discussions, open spaces, lightning talks, and sprints. > > Anyone attending this conference will gain a broader understanding > of approaches and issues in teaching Python, will have the > opportunity to contribute to their discussion, and will make > contacts with other teachers of Python from across the community. A > high school teacher might make contacts that allow her to enlist > the support of a community based program while a community > volunteer might gain useful guidance on curriculum design. > > In addition to active involvement in the process of teaching > Python, the only requirement of attendees is engagement. The > morning sessions will include panel discussions that encourage > participation and the afternoon will consist of unconference style > breakout sessions that demand it. So please come willing to learn, > to teach, and to participate." > > Also, I've developed a basic statement of the topics we'll be > covering: > > "As I see it there are the three core issues that most impact > Python education today: engagement, curriculum and teaching. So I'm > proposing that we frame the topics for the summit accordingly. > > Engagement - By "engagement" I mean getting people involved - > attracting learners and letting them know why they should be eager > to learn Python, recruiting teachers, sponsors and supporters with > the skills needed to facilitate that learning, and then keeping > everyone involved in the community. You could also call this > "outreach" or even "marketing". Whatever you call it, we need to > attract people who want to learn Python and the people and the > people to help satisfy that need. > > Topics: How are the various education communities attracting people > to their programs? What things can each learn from other programs, > particularly in terms of increasing interest and involvement in > the Python language and community? > > Curriculum - The need for uptodate, accessible and appropriate > curriculum is felt in all aspects of Python education. Community > programs need free and flexible lesson plans and teaching > materials, schools are often reluctant to offer a program without > an established curriculum, and teachers in all areas are often > desperate for curricula that can be leveraged with minimal time and > effort. > > Topics: What curriculum materials are currently freely available > for teaching Python? What means can be used to increase their > quality, coverage and availablity? > > Teaching - Again, teaching is a universal issue. Schools often > have experienced teachers, but ones who don't know Python. > Community programs can find Python experts, but they frequently > have little teaching experience or knowledge. > > Topics: what best practices might community programs follow to > help volunteer teachers do a better job? Are there any teaching > guildes or hints available now? What strategies might help schools > qualify their current experienced teachers to teach Python? How > might we increase the number of qualified teachers generally? > > Underlying themes: The two underlying and unifying themes for the > summit are communication and collaboration." > > Thanks! > > Vern > > -- Vern Ceder vce...@gmail.com <mailto:vce...@gmail.com>, > vce...@dogsinmotion.com <mailto:vce...@dogsinmotion.com> The Quick > Python Book, 2nd Ed - http://bit.ly/bRsWDW > > > > > _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing > list Edu-sig@python.org > http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.11 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJQP0YpAAoJEP0qBPaYQbb6Oy4H+gI5pyCyXG+icXePhprnEX7R I3zFTdYHKQqmrazS13I5TkIqlPgo3QjHt7fb0W4sZiV9ZRuoj9wBUEzqh5SRSnFA 5k9qUuXIPZhBuwY0NwigBmNPujpFPEOpHyBdcf9xL2zVMpTt4jtrgfFFfkDdrNmq /lejUQKstTam5jDA40u+WHEaqr3futOeZeL2vjcMRh14R05jesij6QoyPkce04Qk dr278rKWXZnkDcKlbeinV/TP8g3hnVX9AZESKojgP5cWgi6z7FjlMXTHprtkLqa4 6+cUnFtLiak9k23uayAoKYCNeSt0T1oHceHcB7nAvGFKrfi4YoQTqt/tqpx5j8g= =vu+y -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list Edu-sig@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
