tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post196281843284391861..comments2024-03-27T15:13:24.764-04:00Comments on Computer Science Teacher: HTML and Computer ScienceAlfred Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575057876858763822noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-44207673439620116112015-11-18T01:20:43.563-05:002015-11-18T01:20:43.563-05:00You bring up an interesting point. I would like to...You bring up an interesting point. I would like to pose a related question to you Alfred, as well as other commenters who seem to have first-hand experience across both sides of the table (Laura as a teacher, and Mr. Irimina as a student). <br /><br />Let's assume I don't have a choice but to teach CS using CSS. <br /><br />Perhaps the school board meant to order Java books but instead clicked on the wrong button and ended up with 300 books covering CSS, and I'm forced to make do with what I got while maintaining a standard of excellence the parents have grown to expect for their money. <br /><br />How would I do that?<br /><br />To provide slightly more direction in where I'm coming from, let's imagine I want to take the top 10 computer science fundamentals and use CSS to illustrate those fundamentals, the same way Java or C is used to illustrate the fundamentals. <br /><br />Can it be done? And if yes (and I imagine it's yes), prove it with an example. <br />Dino Doganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11939087842383622974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-52437146127145307222013-03-27T10:18:08.971-04:002013-03-27T10:18:08.971-04:00I came across your blog and find this post interes...I came across your blog and find this post interesting except the statement below.<br />'If you are preparing students to further academic student in computer science HTML, CSS etc. is still useful but it is hardly as one person suggested in Twitter as important as arrays.'<br /><br />My gateway to programming has happened through web development. I started with HTML, CSS and moved on to programming languages such as JavaScript ( with JavaScript libraries like jQuery) and PhP. Can you learn JavaScript and PhP without understating HTML? Hmm...<br /><br />I started as an English teacher and learned HTML as an entry point to web programming. I don't think there is a gateway more important than the other if they help you towards your goal...<br /><br /> <br />Mr. Iriminahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05398731213482747089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-41259077976214232692013-03-25T18:20:21.879-04:002013-03-25T18:20:21.879-04:00I would put HTML into the same category as conditi...I would put HTML into the same category as conditional formulas in spreadsheets: it would be a shame for a serious CS student NOT to have encountered it along the way. That said, a serious CS student could pick it up easily. I like Laura Blankenship's use of the term "gateway"!Debbie Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750365495430455349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-74624620530029739952013-03-25T13:49:08.920-04:002013-03-25T13:49:08.920-04:00I did something on this also a while back (http://...I did something on this also a while back (http://supercomputerscience.blogspot.com/2012/07/html-is-not-programming-so-why-teach-it.html) For my CS Principles course it has been a great way to introduce abstraction - a lead in to "real" programming. For me teaching we stuff has been a great hook to get kids into the classes. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05265930308263863141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-66342894911742877652013-03-24T22:44:49.016-04:002013-03-24T22:44:49.016-04:00I started as an English teacher who made her stude...I started as an English teacher who made her students learn HTML. I teach a little now to my CS II students as part of a web programming unit.<br /><br />It can be a gateway to CS. You can add JavaScript, PHP, or even java easily. Plus, you can teach web concepts like clients and servers, protocols, databases, etc.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10766222493968363248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-46084841119632167422013-03-24T18:37:01.112-04:002013-03-24T18:37:01.112-04:00Alfred, you're right - programming is just a p...Alfred, you're right - programming is just a part of CS (albeit a pretty useful part) but 140 characters does have its limits.<br /><br />The confusion of computer science and computer programming has always made me nuts -- I got so tired of hearing "You teach AP Java" (or C++ or Pascal, dating myself) that I started responding - "do you teach AP Biology or AP Microscope - AP Calculus or AP Calculator?"<br /><br />On the HTML front, it can be useful in a CS class or sequence (particularly when programmatically generated or programmatically manipulated) but it can also be used in, let's say an English class as a method of displaying work (or even commenting on it with a tool such as Disqus).<br /><br />There's something very empowering and cool when a student can put something up on the web and proclaim to his or her friends and family - "Look at this really cool thing I did!!!"Mike Zamanskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15069276938781711576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-17026087607264387992013-03-24T16:46:41.792-04:002013-03-24T16:46:41.792-04:00Alfred, thanks for this. I see HTML & CSS as a...Alfred, thanks for this. I see HTML & CSS as an entry point into CS. The same way I see creating video games and animations with Scratch. They are the hooks that expose students to the great and wonderful power of computing - creating tech, not just using it. I think a huge problem is that we don't have those building blocks built into our education system at the elementary & secondary levels and we always somehow land on what CS means in post-secondary, which is a wide open landscape. I saw that first-hand at UVa's School of Engineering Open House which was showing off CS and engineering in all it's wild and crazy incarnations (electrical, civil, environmental, materials, aerospace, mechanical, chemical, information, systems, visualization, nano, etc.). I think we need more resources like the Exploring Computer Science curriculum that uses inquiry based instruction to help students link computer science to the real world.TechKimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05064002021972201908noreply@blogger.com