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Alfred Thompson's blog about teaching computer science at the K-12 level. Alfred was a high school computer science teacher for 8 years. He has also taught grades K-8 as a computer specialist.
Getting Together at NECC
Well it is about 48 hours until I take off for NECC. I’m really looking forward to it. On Wednesday...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 07/02/2006
Fun with the Console (C++)
Since I brought up C++ the other day I’ve had a few questions in email. Some of the common questions...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 07/01/2006
Looking for a Classroom Poster to Promote Careers in IT
The CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association) has created a poster to promote Information...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/30/2006
What about C++ Projects?
I seem to be seeing a lot more interest in C++ is high schools these days. I’m not sure what is...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/28/2006
Upcoming Webcasts on Mobile Game Development
Are you interesting in learning about mobile device game programming? Perhaps as a way to get...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/26/2006
Where do project ideas come from?
I love coming up with new programming projects for students to do. I just think that coming up with...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/26/2006
Survey Manager Sample Application
If you would like to try out some ASP .NET and database software and create something that is...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/25/2006
How will you spend your summer vacation?
Today was the last day of school for teachers in the district that my wife (a librarian) and my son...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/23/2006
Innovative Teachers Program
Are you familiar with Microsoft’s Innovative Teachers program? This program is for all teachers and...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/21/2006
Are you interested in robots?
Microsoft announced a new robotics program including a development environment called the Microsoft...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/20/2006
The Semicolon Wars
I found this article in the latest edition of American Scientist online. It’s an interesting and...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/19/2006
Creativity and Computer Science
I was reading a blog by a Professor of Computer Science that said that many people don’t see...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/18/2006
Lack of Computer Curricula Deemed 'Disastrous and Shortsighted'
I see that PC Magazine is covering the recent report from the CSTA on high school computer science...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/16/2006
More hints for using Visual Studio in the Classroom
I watched a pair of teachers teach part of a Visual Basic class this morning. Watching teachers in...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/15/2006
Looking for Career Information in STEM including Computer Science?
The Sloan Career Cornerstone Center has downloadable PowerPoint presentations and PDF documents for...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/13/2006
Text Book Writing
About 10 years ago now I was sitting in the teacher’s lounge and the mail came in. There was a...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/12/2006
The Selling of the Academy
Apparently a lot of colleges these days are working hard to attract students. Kevin Schofield writes...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/12/2006
Social Networking: Keeping Kids Safe
I’m on a kick lately about education and social computing. Part of it is because I feel strongly...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/10/2006
Teaching Students to Be Safe on the Internet
The other day I visited an elementary school in Andover MA to watch an assembly run by National...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/09/2006
So they’ve asked you to teach Visual Basic?
It’s surprising the number of times I get an email or see one posted to the Advanced Placement...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/08/2006
The New Educational Imperative: Improving HS CS Ed
The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) came out with a new report in the last week or so...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/07/2006
When group projects really work
I’ve long been a fan of group projects though I admit I had mixed results with them when I was...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/06/2006
How do you run your classroom?
Brian Scarbeau, a computer science teacher for some 21 years, answers a question from another...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/05/2006
Does your binary search work?
I just found this article by Joshua Bloch, a developer from Google of all places, that points out...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/05/2006
Visual Basic Text Books – Are you updating yours?
I last wrote about textbooks for Visual Basic last December. Now that the year is winding down and...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/04/2006
Loving What You Teach
Do you write computer programs for fun? Many of the best teachers I have known “do what they teach”...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 06/02/2006
Power Toys for Visual Studio
Have you read about the new Power Toys for Visual Studio yet? Sara Ford talks about them a bit on...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/31/2006
One computer, several users
My very first teaching job was in a pair of elementary schools as a computer specialist. I had some...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/30/2006
More Thoughts on Computer Science Teacher Certification
There don’t seem to be any comments on teacher certification at the CSTA blog. This amazes me as I...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/27/2006
Will I see you at NECC?
Pat Phillips and I will be hosting a Birds of a Feather session at NECC for teachers interested in...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/26/2006
Looking for advice on buying a laptop for a student?
Kathy Schrock, one of the all time pioneer educators on the web and in using technology in...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/26/2006
CS Teacher Certification - what ARE we going to do about it?
One of the big problems computer science teachers face is the lack of consistant certification...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/25/2006
Computer Science 4 High Schools
It seems like everyone I talk to lately is going to CS4HS this summer. OK not everyone but a good...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/24/2006
What the Tech?
What the Tech is a blog at On10.net that provides "Simple explanations of the latest tech...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/24/2006
$40,000 for writing an MSN Messenger Bot
I blogged about a third party SDK for creating MSN Messenger bots some time ago. Now though...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/23/2006
Upgrade Your Game
Do you know students who are interested in doing some game programming developement? The Visual...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/22/2006
Computer Science Beyond Just Programming
These days I have a lot of my conversations with teachers via MSN Messenger. It’s pretty easy to...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/20/2006
AP CS Teacher Web Sites
I found an interesting web page the other day. Sam Markowitz is building a list of links to web...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/19/2006
C++ and Visual Studio Express Learning Videos
Personally I think that C++ is an important computer science language. OK I don't really want to use...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/18/2006
The Myth That Women Don't Play Games
One of the things I hear from computer science teachers from time to time is that games turn girls...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/17/2006
Science Day Camps from FIRST
I see that FIRST (the people behind the FIRST Robotics and FIRST Lego League) are running Summer...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/17/2006
NECC Sessions of Interest for CS Teachers
Are you going to NECC 2006 in San Diego July 5-7? Joe Kmock and others created a list of sessions at...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/16/2006
Educational Videos
Brian Scarbeau sent me a great link to videos from the 1997 Grace Hopper Conference. If you go up a...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/15/2006
Why people should get a degree in CS or SE
Interesting article from David Lemphers on Why you should have a degree in computer science or...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/12/2006
Beta Software for Students
Do you have students who like to stay on the leading edge of technology? Are they already looking at...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/11/2006
Co-op Jobs for high school students?
Daniel Shapiro talked to a group of teachers last week and one of them suggested that we need to...
Author: Alfred Thompson Date: 05/10/2006