ASU Reps Visit FDR Middle School to Support Technology Courses

LEVITTOWN –Arizona State University (ASU) representatives Kimberly Reynolds and Nicholas Matula visited Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School on Thursday, January 30, and Friday, January 31, to support educators using technology within their content areas.

ASU and Verizon Innovative Learning, which focuses on digital inclusion and technology infused curriculum, encourage Title I middle schools to apply for elective course curriculum grants. After FDR and Neil A. Armstrong Middle Schools applied, they awarded a $15,000 grant to both schools. The grant supports the implementation of two Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Gateway Units – App Creators and Computer Science for Innovators and Makers.

The Computer Science for Innovators and Makers unit allows students to discover computer science concepts and build their skills by creating personally relevant, tangible and shareable projects. Students learn how to program by blending hardware design and software development to produce a physical computing device, interactive art installation or wearable device. They also plan and develop code for microcontrollers that bring their physical designs to life.

To support the Innovators and Makers course, Reynolds and Matula visited FDR to provide teachers and Tiger Techs with training on 3D printers, virtual reality and augmented reality. FDR also recently received a drone and Reynolds supervised drone flying instruction with students.

“Drone flying prepares students for many possible career pathways,” said Bernadette Barone, instructional coach and STEM integration at FDR. “Students will continue to practice flying the drone while BTSD teachers become certified drone pilots.”

The other unit supported by the grant is App Creators. This course introduces students to the field of computer science and the concepts of computational thinking through the creation of mobile apps. Students collaborate as they design and develop mobile solutions to real-world problems in areas that interest them from health and emergency preparedness to education, school culture, and other topics.

FDR just launched the courses for 2020 and Armstrong launched them in the fall of 2019. Successful completion of both electives positions students well for a transition into PLTW high school-level computer science courses and prepares them for a digital-focused future.