Learning about the @HourofCode with great resources from @MicrosoftEdu

Jeff sits down with Cameron Evans from Microsoft Education and educators Glenn Robbins and Michael Braun to discuss how Microsoft and Code.org are transforming the lives of more than 20 million students through code.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Links of Interest

1. Microsoft in Education
2. Microsoft Educator Network
3. @Microsoft_EDU
4. Microsoft in Education (Facebook)
5. YouthSpark (Hour of Code)

Show Topics

• Hour of CodeThere’s been lots of buzz and student participation in the Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week which was 12/8-14. Over 77 million globally have tried coding.
• Microsoft believes that every young person should have the opportunity to learn coding and it’s proud to be a founding partner of Code.org. Microsoft is working with the industry on a grassroots effort to inspire 100 million young people around the world to try coding and empower them to do more and achieve more.
• Satya recently visited the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology in the Bronx and encourages employees to participate in the Hour of Code
• Some of the many ways Microsoft is supporting educators and their students around the Hour of Code/Code.org effort include:
• Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS) places Microsoft employee volunteers and experts from across the industry into high schools across the U.S. to teach computer science to students and help address an urgent need to jumpstart computer science education during the K-12 years.
• Microsoft partners with Code.org to bring computer science professionals from Microsoft to students as guest speakers through Skype in the Classroom. Teachers can access volunteers who are experts in a range of topics from design to coding and more.
• Student Created Coding Projects
•   Catching Eggs
• http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/849c776b-e075-4c94-bfe1-c935be880c55
• Where's Waldo?
• https://www.touchdevelop.com/ymqc
• Teddy Bear
• https://www.touchdevelop.com/lhmi
• Swimming Angry Bird
• https://www.touchdevelop.com/mfsr
• Sun Collector
• https://www.touchdevelop.com/wasy
• Microsoft EducationOn 12/8, Microsoft launched Microsoft Imagine, a new cornerstone of Microsoft’s global YouthSpark initiative that connects aspiring student developers of all skill levels with the tools, resources, and experiences they need to turn their innovative ideas into reality. Whether it’s building a game, designing an app or launching a project, Microsoft Imagine strikes a balance between fun and learning, encouraging students to create, code and develop their ideas throughout their educational journey. This is another resource teachers can use to pull from for their lesson plans.
• Microsoft’s support of Hour of Code/Code.org is a part of a broader purpose…MS EDU’s goal is to provide the programs and technology to educators that can help ensure kids have 21^st century skills.
• Explore how technology in the classroom can help students, teachers, and administrators be successful beyond just the classroom.
• Microsoft IT-Academy: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/training-and-events/it-academy/default.aspx

About our Guests

Cameron Evans

Cameron Evans serves as the National and Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft Education, responsible for shaping and leading Microsoft’s empowered learning agenda in US Education.

A 20-year veteran for education and training, Cameron has been a pioneer and leader of education transformation in public schools and universities across the nation.  Cameron focuses his expertise on sustainable education initiatives that improve individual learner outcomes and the productivity of people with technology.

Cameron is a sought-after speaker and frequent lecturer on issues impacting learning, the academic enterprise, and school innovation. As the US spokesperson for Microsoft in Education, Cameron conferences and writes on literacy, STEM, entrepreneurship, gaming, leadership, and innovation monthly.

Cameron is a US Air Force veteran. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management-computer information systems from Park University and a Masters in Business Administration specializing in Global Leadership from The University of Texas at Dallas. He enjoys all forms of creative work, fitness tech, eating dessert first, and travel with his bride and daughter.

Michael Braun

Michael Braun's innovative approach to teaching Computer Science has been highlighted by the New York Times, the Seattle Times, GeekWire, Code.org, Microsoft Research, TEALS, and the Daily Edventures blog. Washington State's Governor Jay Inslee also recognized the computer science program.

A former Computer Science teacher, Michael Braun currently serves as an Instructional Coach. His focus is in the integration of technology, problem-based learning (PBL), and 21st Century Learning in the public school system. Braun supports curriculum in Common Core State Standards while mentoring teachers on innovative education.

Braun co-founded, organizes, and manages middle school and high school “hackathons” called App Day. The goal of this coding event is to give public school students a taste of computer science and basic programming over the course of a single day. Students use a web app called TouchDevelop to create their own apps on their Windows phones, Androids, iPhones, iPads, laptops, whatever device they are carrying in their pocket or backpack. App Day has received support from Microsoft TEALS, Microsoft Research, Microsoft Citizenship, Seattle Public School’s Career & Technical Education Department, the University of Washington Computer Science Department, the College Success Foundation, and individual IT professionals. The hackathon concept has been a terrific success, as a result of which, Braun has been invited to lead various other coding events and “Teacher Training” computer science workshops across the West Coast of the United States and abroad.

Full bio: http://michaelebraun.weebly.com/

Glenn Robbins

Glenn Robbins Is currently the Lead Learner at the Northfield Community Middle School. He is a digital leader who embraces Twitter (@Glennr1809) and Voxer (Grobbi143) to connect with educators from across the globe to better his students, staff and school as a whole. As a digital leader it has allowed him to bring amazing changes to a school, such as: creating and implementing a 100% secure WiFi building to allow staff and students to use BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), creating a schedule that increased instructional time by an additional sixty minutes per day, designed an APP and school Twitter account to promote more transparency within the community and lastly, developed a mentoring program that allows selected eighth graders to work with fifth grade students throughout the year to ease their transition to the middle school. He has an undergraduate degree from Rider University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Jones International University. He is currently pursuing a Ed.D at the American College of Education in Educational Leader. He was recently named Top 40 Under 40 in Atlantic City. He also is a member of the Edcamp Leadership organizing committee which was held at the University of Pennsylvania in August. He was an organizer and keynote speaker for NJPAECET2, which was by invite only for 150 educators from NJ and PA for professional development and celebrate great teaching. Lastly, he was 1 of 50 people selected out of 1000 to attend Edcamp USA, which was held at the Department of Education in Washington D.C., this past June.

Recorded in 2014