I set out to learn the fundamentals of CircuitPython for the Circuit Playground Express (CPX). I had no prior experience in Python programming but in four weeks I had imagined making greater progress. I had an expectation that it would be more of a plug-and-play experience, giving me the ability to get right to coding. Even after downloading the MuEditor (code editor), downloading the necessary drivers and libraries, I learned a valuable lesson in hardware and software setup processes. After around four hours of troubleshooting, I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. As tough as the lesson was, it’s something I can take with me as I look to do other projects in programming. Another aspect of my learning that I didn’t expect was coming to understand the terminology of both CircuitPython and the CPX. It was a bit of a learning curve as I was troubleshooting. It was much easier once I learned terminology like terminal and hidden files. In the end, I was able to get the CPX working with CircuitPython and some sample code. The sample code allowed me to start changing aspects of the neopixels(lights). I didn’t get to the point of programming any of the sensors but will be something that I strive to continue learning.
Looking through the resources I discovered along the way, I learned some interesting things about CircuitPython and myself. First off, I underestimated the usefulness of video. There were two great tutorials that covered the setup of both software and hardware which aligned with the ideal combination of technology, pedagogy and content knowledge for me (Mishra, 2006). I am a visual learner and I found it much easier to watch someone do it before trying it myself. The video format also still gave me the ability to pause or rewind as needed. I find my first instinct when researching something new is to Google, attempting to find information that I can quickly skim to get my answer but turning to a how-to video on Youtube may give me a better chance of finding the answer I am looking for. If not for an unexpected issue of hidden files when copying from a Mac, the videos would have worked perfectly. My use of social network resources, namely Twitter groups, was unhelpful for what I needed. Both Adafruit and CircuitPython, were far too broad or project specific. However, I could see a place for these resources as I progress in my knowledge of Python. I had a similar experience with affinity group resources on Reddit. The Adafruit and Python groups I was able to find focused far more on different uses or fun things to try and were not rooted in the basics which I was looking for. Thinking in retrospect, this resource would have been an interesting place to pose my troubleshooting issues. At the time, I was uncomfortable taking a risk and admitting my inability to get it working in a community of experienced users. By far the most helpful to me and the only reason I was able to ultimately get the CPX to run was thanks to a help forum. The Adafruit learn webpage gave me a step-by-step guide on how to troubleshoot the particular issue I was having and also provided a link to a Github account with sample code that I used. The clip below details what I was able to learn about the CPX and CircuitPython in these four weeks.
As I take on a new role next year as a K-8 Computer Science Teacher and Technology Coordinator, I am preparing for my fair share of challenges. When I look to troubleshoot a network connection or develop computer science curriculum, establishing a network for learning is going to be essential for my success. Even though I have a network of educators in Chicago that I can turn to for help, I know that there will be times when I need more than that. Using this experience, I have realized other places I can turn to when trying to learn something new. I now realize new capabilities for using Reddit and Twitter to find people are very knowledgeable in specific areas. Another realization about the resources I use to learn new things is the role video can have in my learning. I seem to skip over video as a way of learning far too much and this could be a great way of troubleshooting in my new role. Using these resources in my professional life will help me achieve the personal growth I’m seeking.
References
Ada, Lady(n.d.). Adafruit Circuit Playground Express. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython/troubleshooting Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.
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A highlight for me was the question “What was something you stopped doing over the school year?” Just having finished the school year, I hadn’t stopped to think about this. I came to the realization of how I had let my cooking/healthy eating go. I continued to think about this after the chat, trying to pinpoint the time of the year when it changed for me. I came to the conclusion that it was right around the beginning of February. Thinking about this for next year, I want to be more intentional about my eating and do a better job. Another takeaway came from the question ”What is something you are going to try from this chat?” A few people had mentioned in previous questions that they would read as a way of taking time for themselves. I felt this would be a great way of slowing down and relaxing. Overall a Twitter live chat gave me a different sense of community. I was surprised by the amount of people that I had things in common with. It made me interested in trying different groups, especially ones focusing on computer science. I recently took on a new position for next year in K-8 computer science and technology coordination. While I have a lot of ideas, it would be beneficial to connect with colleagues that have more experience in the area when I need support.
References Menon, Tanya (2017). The secret to great opportunities? The person you haven't met yet. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/tanya_menon_the_secret_to_great_opportunities_the_person_you_haven_t_met_yet
Since my last blog post I have had some ups and downs. I spent around 3 to 4 hours struggling to figure out why my download of the CircuitPython libraries (required to run the CircuitPython code) kept prompting me with an error message “not enough disk space.”
Troubleshooting, I went back and forth uninstalling everything and reinstalling it, trying a new Adafruit CPX, downloading an earlier software version, and comparing several setup sources. I finally discovered, thanks to the Adafruit Website by scrolling to the bottom of the page, that Mac’s have an issue with hidden files when copying. Since the download takes up nearly all of the 2mb available on the device, I was required to go into the terminal and follow their step-by-step guide to get it to work.
For me, I will continue to learn Python for my own personal growth. But when considering TPACK and the implementation of the CPX technology in the classroom, at this point in my experience, I don’t believe I could justify dedicating the time to grasp the necessary technological knowledge to make the concepts of python coding accessible to my students (Mishra, 2006).
While there was frustration setting up the CPX for CircuitPython, it was gratifying to figure it out using the resources that I found. I was quickly able to load some sample code that was provided within the download and start remixing to see what would happen. After joining the CircuitPython Twitter group, I came across a tweet about a weekly newsletter that provides updates to CircuitPython and its capabilities for growing my CircuitPython knowledge. Through the newsletter, I was introduced to Adafruit’s Learning Guide GitHub account that detailed examples such as, code to use a servo motor, I could play with to learn more. I have learned so much in such a short amount of time!
References
Ada, Lady(n.d.). Adafruit Circuit Playground Express. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython/troubleshooting Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.
Teaching 21st century skills in collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving can be intimidating. There are often a lack of teaching resources for the most current technologies but if teachers want to stay relevant and engaging to their students, they need to be inventive. In a lesson plan I created, I looked at the Adafruit Circuit Playground Express which has some amazing potential for its $25 price tag. In my Network Learning Project, I have been focusing on the CircuitPython software that can be used with this device but for this lesson I chose to use Microsoft’s drag-and-drop MakeCode. The change in software allows for the technology to have less of a learning curve and allow less experienced coders to jump right in.
Thinking about Hobbes five core competencies Access, Analyze, Create, Reflect and Act, a design challenge was a great opportunity to include all core competencies in a lesson (Hobbs, 2011). The design challenge required students to develop a prototype for the problem “How can I make riding a bike at night safer?” In the lesson, students are creatively developing a design and prototype to solve the problem presented. Working with a partner they will have twenty minutes to finish their prototype before one member from each group switches and must explain their prototype to someone else. The closure of the lesson involves students writing a reflection of their own design after seeing someone else's. This multifaceted 21st century lesson touches on each of Hobbs’ five competencies with an emphasis on analyzing and creation.
Student Work
The inspiration for this design challenge involved a student that was leaving school one day. The school is located in a high traffic part of downtown Chicago. At the time, I was coaching 8th grade soccer and we had just got back to the school after a game. By the time we got back to the school it had gotten quite dark. Even though the student had all the necessary safety equipment to be riding his bike in the dark, it still made me uneasy to be riding in such I high traffic area in the dark. The design challenge was inspired by this experience. While not all students may be able to relate to riding their bikes in these types of conditions, they surely would have seen others people experiencing this. The Circuit Playground Express (CPX) is a versatile piece of technology that can be used in so many different ways. The CPX has the ability to make sounds, detect various motion, emit light, and tactile programmable buttons. Through the use of Microsoft’s MakeCode, the CPX can be programmed to do some amazing things. Student’s took on this challenge and discovered innovative ways that this technology could help someone riding a bike in the dark. Some students focused on the use of sounds and the gyroscope(picture below). When the CPX senses that it has been turned upside down (equating this motion to someone falling off their bike) using the gyroscope, an alarm would sound to alert others around them. Other students focused on the use of light patterns to draw more attention to the bike rider. Some students combined elements of both. Creating a horn using the buttons and speaker, while also including a variable strobing light pattern. Pictures have been included below.
References
Ada, L., Halbert, D., Rembor, K., Park, J., & Barela, M. (n.d.). Adafruit Circuit Playground Express. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-circuit-playground-express/overview Adafruit Circuit Playground Express editor. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://makecode.adafruit.com/ Dam, R., & Siang, T. (2019). 5 Stages in the Design Thinking Process. Retrieved from https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin/Sage. ISTE Standards for Students. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
The term “21st Century Learning” is often discussed in education but what does it actually mean? This phrase has become convoluted with its varying definitions. 21st Century Learning refers to the changing perceptions of skills and methodologies educators are using to ensure student success in this ever changing world (Martin, 2018).
Growing up in a rapidly evolving world, students need to hone the skills of collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and apply their learning (Goertz, 2015). The importance of these skills is changing the way that we teach. The STEAM, inquiry based, learner centered approach to teaching helps reinforce these skills and mindsets in students (Goertz, 2015). As I think about my own classroom, I find that students have a genuine curiosity in project based learning (PBL) that is exciting to see. As I think about my gradual change of the curriculum, I am constantly trying to find more opportunities to implement these PBL ideas.
One of the most challenging things when thinking about 21st century learning is the changing uncertainty. It’s hard to know if everything you're doing in your classroom is really preparing students with the skills to make them successful. Thinking about 21st Century Learning as I move forward, I want to take a more active approach to instilling life long learning in my students and include more opportunities for project based learning. If you would like to look at the presentation I have linked it here. References Goertz, P. (2015, February 27). 10 Signs of a 21st Century Classroom. Retrieved June 9, 2019, from https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/10-signs-21st-century-classroom Martin, K. (2018, December 27). The Key to 21st Century Classrooms Isn't Tech. It's Evolved Teaching. - EdSurge News. Retrieved June 9, 2019, from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-06-04-the-key-to-21st-century-classrooms-isn-t-tech-it-s-evolved-teaching I’m learning how to code a Adafruit Playground Express using CircuitPython. While I don’t intend on becoming an expert in this short amount of time, I would like to obtain a working knowledge of some of the most fundamental aspects of Python coding. I'm striving to take control of my own learning and develop an area of inquiry (Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000). I will be facilitating a camp this Summer that is using the Adafruit Playground Express and it is my goal to be able to show more than just the drag-and-drop MakeCode by Microsoft. Already, I've found some very helpful resources to start coding and setting up my Adafruit Playground Express. I quickly realized I underestimated the amount of set up time that this would entail. Having the right hardware is only the half of it, the other half is ensuring the right software. Just in my first resource, Youtube by Core Electronics, I had to make sure that I had a coding editor and the most recent drivers to support CircuitPython.
When thinking about affinity spaces, in the past, I had turned to them for my own hobbies but never considered using them professionally (Gee, 2017). Already a Reddit user, I quickly was able to find a few great affinity groups to join. The first was a Adafruit group and the other was a Python group. As I continue, I may need to find some more specific groups to join that will be a bit more helpful. The last resource that I came across was a blog post that was linked to the Adafruit website by Kushal Das. This resource gives some coding example to a more complex program but could be helpful to remix later. Overall, I feel that I am already well on my way to learning the basics of the Adafruit Playground Express. My goal for the coming week is to learn how to program the RGB LEDs. References Bransford, J., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.), How people learn: brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368. Gee, P. (2018). Affinity spaces: How young people live and learn online and out of school. Phi Delta Kappan 99 (6), 8-13. Retrieved from https://www.kappanonline.org/gee-affinity-spaces-young-people-live-learn-online-school/ Being a newer teacher, I find myself seeking advice from experienced colleagues regularly. Thinking about the resources I use to learn new things, or my Professional Learning Network (PLN), I often go to the people that I interact with on a regular basis. The personal connections that I have made with experts is a clear strength of my PLN but in Jeff Knutson’s (2017) article From PLN to Practice: Tips from 5 Educators on Personalizing Your Professional Learning he showed me that I need to find my “21st century teacher’s lounge.” Using a concept mapping tool called Popplet to map my PLN, I quickly began to realize that I rely heavily on personal connections, when there are many digital resources that I could be utilizing. As I continue to grow and diversify my PLN, I will remind myself of Tanya Menon’s (2017) TED Talk The Secret to Great Opportunities? The Person You Haven’t Met Yet and the importance of human interactions not being transactions. One of my weaknesses is the feeling of guilt when asking for help from my PLN. Tanya Menon’s (2017) establishment of the idea that this was not a humane way of looking at interactions was important for me. It was important for me to take away the idea that by asking for help both individuals can benefit. It was valuable exercise to map out my PLN because it helped remind me of the people I have around me that are ready and willing to help. It is easy to forget or just overlook the relationships you make along the way.
References Knutson, J. (2018). From PLN to Practice: Tips from 5 Educators on Personalizing Your Professional Learning. Retrieved June 2, 2019, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/from-pln-to-practice-tips-from-5-educators-on-personalizing-your-professional-learning Menon, Tanya (2017). The Secret To Great Opportunities? The Person You Haven't Met Yet. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/tanya_menon_the_secret_to_great_opportunities_the_person_you_haven_t_met_yet (n.d.). Retrieved June 2, 2019, from http://popplet.com/ |
AuthorMy name is Ryan MacLeod and I live in Seattle, WA. I am currently a K-8 Lab Coordinator. I have a passion for educational technology integration and curriculum design, especially when it comes to the social sciences. Archives
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