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Software Engineering Demo for a K-5 Career Fair?
gmjohnston asks: "A local elementary school is having a Career Fair in a couple of weeks and I
volunteered. The idea is for parents with various jobs and careers to show and tell the kids a little bit about what their's is, why they think it's interesting and rewarding, etc. It's to try to give kids a little early exposure to some of the diverse kinds of things one can do with one's life. I'm a software engineer, so I'd like to show something that has to do with programming or Computer Science, but which would be interesting
to an elementary school student." What would be the best way to illustrate what a software engineer does to a group of primary school kids?
"I'm trying to come up with something like what got me hooked way back when, which was when my Organic Chemistry professor in college showed me a listing of a Basic program (Basic Plus on a PDP-11/70 running RSTS/E if you must know) and I realized that, computers relied on a bunch of instructions that tell the machine what to do, and that if I could change the instructions then I could make the machine do what *I* want it to do! I'll have my laptop with me and I'll be at a table that the kids will be able to gather around and see the screen (or potentially do something themselves on the laptop, depending on what I come up with). Of course, showing them the kind of code I really work on (software development tools) would likely instantly bore them to death. So, the question is: What should I show? If other Slashdot readers have done this kind of thing, what did you do and how did it work out?"
Bring loads of coffee in with you and feed it to the kids to get them hyper, give them all keyboards and glasses to simulate eye strain. Break their wrists to simulate RSI and get a megaphone with someone shouting 'code faster'...
Every so often you see a post from someone who's thankful that they learned on a C64, since it was possible to "know everything" about the system, down to the bit. For me, that same thing is true, except with a Tandy COCO1 (and later COCO2).
I found that the manuals they had, with the anthropomorphized computer dude, were exactly what I needed to learn. The funny thing is, those books were written for adults, but come across like child's manuals since it was assumed that even an adult would know *zero* about how computers work in the early 80's.
My recommendation for the kids is to have them see very basic principles in BASIC if possible, since it's so, well, basic - not that it really matters. What made it so exciting for me as a 8 year old kid was that it seemed possible to know and understand everything about the machine - especially since the book was comprehensive and it wasn't exactly huge. The combination of the cartoon character, the limited and reasonable limit on the total knowledge one could possess about the machine, and the simple, clear lessons engaged my child's mind completely and really sparked my imagination.
COCO manual and another one.
ps, mffp? (my first first post?)
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Show them how to quickly switch the browser window away from /. whenever the PHB comes by.
Generally, bash is superior to python in those environments where python is not installed.
A basic understanding of how to speak Hindi...
Something like Povray or just plain old fractal generation and manipulation which can be done in about 40-50 lines of code - change the code show them the result - let them have a go.
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Bring a cardboard box and a chair and make them sit in it for 8 hours a day for the entire school year...
How about write a simple game which has easy to change features, like colors or something. Then, show the kids the game, and show them how they can change the game.
:-)
Probably an interpreted language would be best for this. BASIC had it's moments, back in the day.
My UID is the product of 2 primes.
Bring in some anime DVD's, some pr0n, an empty pizza box, and a crusty sock. If that doesn't convince them, I don't know what will!
Set up a little Basic introduction, the old 'Hello World' schtick. 'Help' them type out the code (all 2 incredible lines of it!) and watch them marvel in thier instant command of the computer.
Show them how to write a BitTorrent client in LOGO. All the kids are doing it.
SD
âoeWho knew something as harmless as willful ignorance could end up having real consequences?â
What would be the best way to illustrate what a software engineer does to a group of primary school kids?
It depends on the programmer. I wouldn't do anything to them at all.
What do software engineers do to primary schools kids?
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I can remember 22 years ago when I was 10 years old watching my math teacher at the time programming in BASIC on the one Commodore Vic-20 that we had in the classroom. For whatever reason, I was fascinated with the mystery of how this guy knew the right things to type in to make the computer do what he wanted.
I think the things that fascinated me most at the time were seeing how programming languages could be used to create games. I spent many hours on my Commodore 64 typing in BASIC and ML source code from magazines like Compute!'s Gazette.
I'm a big tall mofo.
This seems obvious to me... Logo Primer
Demonstrate real-world applicability with a toy robot arm and a poster of a few industrial robot arms, which presumably work the same way.
Without programs, a computer is a doorstop. You know that. Help them know that. The rest is just talking about the incidentals, like whether or not your boss allows hackey-sack near the water cooler.
[
Dilbert in front of a class:
"I work in a cube, its kinda like a bathroom stall but the walls are lower"
"I spend most of my days worring about the electronic fields from my monitor are killing me"
by the end all the children are in tears..
I like this approach. We have enough competetion, the fewer of us there are the more they'll have to pay us.
Then I'd color it with bright primary colors and cel-shade it because cel-shading is fucking RAD.
Computer games are of course always a possibility (and a good one at that), but there are other options. I make music visualizers for audio players, and I find younger folks take an interest in it all the time--from all ages. It appeals to kids that are into math and science because, to them, it's something really cool you can do with subjects that are geeky. It's something to consider, at least.
G-Force music visualization
I'm honestly not whipping out a stupid Political Correctness stick, but try to think of demonstrating something that has a big /COOL/ factor for both sexes in your class, or demonstrate two things, each of which might appeal to either sex. Demoing Madden 2004 might work for the boys, but will probably be a bore to the girls.
I'd suggest showing off software about music, the WWW, instant messaging or IRC, or non-NeoMasculine games a la Madden.
In the end, consider asking any kids with your family or friends what they think is cool PC-wise. They should be able to give you insights that an adult wouldn't have the perspective to realize, and will help make your presentation a winner.
Or turn up in a sports car with a leggy blonde on your arm.
(You may need to rent these items...)
." What would be the best way to illustrate what a software engineer does to a group of primary school kids?
Pick a random Indian kid and put him in charge of the stall halfway through.
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Kids love to solve puzzles. Well, some of them at least. Bring Towers of Hanoi (physical plastic). Let them solve it (three piles of 5 disks). Then let them figure out the solution for the general case. Help them a little bit. Start with 2 disks and build it up from there. Finally, let them code the solution in Python, or some other intuitive language with an easy syntax. Prepare some routines that visuallize on the screen what's happening (e.g. moveDiskFromPileToPile(fromPile,toPile)), so they actually see it work. Disclaimer: I've taught chess to primary school kids, but am no good in Towers of Hanoi whatsoever.
Explain to them that the entire world is run by computers, and by doing things in the computer, you can affect the "real world". Then hack the school lunch network while they watch and transfer everybodies lunch money into your kids account. "And now you all have to ask Tommy for lunch, because Tommy knows computers, and you don't!" Not a direct endorsement for software design, but it'll get them to see nerds in a whole new way. Oh, then teach your kid how to fight.
If you want to get the kids interested in your job, pretend to be a fireman.
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I don't know how long or indepth this fair thing is, so you might have to adjust. ... which doesn't mean their to stupid to understand the interessting parts of what you do! In fact, 9 year olds can be even more on top of current scientific/technical things than the usual grown-up. It's just all about explaining it in a way that it doesn't bore them to death.
You should completely splitt between what you do on your job and what computers can do. Prepare a show-and-tell only lecture and pratice to explain things in a way kids of this age will find interessting. Maybe tell a story or two of interessting tidbits of your profession in general. Keep in mind that they (children) have a different sense of humor and less concepts of apstraction
The other thing is a practical one, which lot have provided suggestions to allready. I'd like to point out that you might want to explain to someone who isn't the usual future geek and all into gameboy and electronic toys allready the nature of computers and how to program them. I'd suggest a simple program that displays the fascination of automation. Maybe a very simple, tile based turtle program enviroment with your own simple set of commands (go, stop, on, off, forward, backward, left, right, north, south, east, west,... you get the point). It should be good enough to display the basic concept of computers (programmability and automation) but be easy enough to do in a time where a group of kids each can get their own shot and everybody can watch without getting bored. Both units, the show and tell and the little programming part shouldn't take any longer than 30-45 minutes each for a group of 10 children. Anyone more curious should have a chance to ask you more questions though.
My 2 cents from a geek who's been a teacher for some time aswell.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
Everyone else will probably have better ideas about how to demonstrate software engineering than i do, but as an Elementary Ed. major, my quick advice to you is be excited about what youre showing them. Kids are like little radars when it comes to attitude, and youll rub off on them if you look passionate. Have fun :)
You need things:
On the whiteboard you write the Requirements:
The CPU is only allowed to execute instructions that are written on a whiteboard by the Engineer.
The CPU is to be as literal as possible when interpreting the instructions - so if the instructions are:
Then the CPU should pantomime throwing something, because the Program does not include the instruction "Pick up the ball".
Start with just the "Requirements" on the whiteboard. As the kids come up, you explain the rules, and let them tell you what instructions to write down.
You can even have a bit more fun - if a kid starts suggesting your standard juvenile crap ("Have him scratch his butt <snicker>") you can pull a Donald - "You have been caught goofing off at work - YOU'RE FIRED!".
If you are real meanie, you can even do more of the experience:
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On a slightly related note, I knew a kid who, after watching a man drive a big truck up to his parents' house and operate a bunch of complicated machinery, told everyone that he wanted to pump out septic tanks for a living.
When I was a young kid, very many years ago, I was introduced to computers and programming in a summer school for bright students.
We were each given (or made, I don't remember) a long strip of paper about an inch or two wide, with lines making it into a long row of squares, like a single row from a page of graph paper. Each square was like a memory location. We were also given a paper clip that acted like the instruction pointer.
There was a simple instruction set, I think they associated numbers with instructions, like move forward or backward so many squares and simple arithmetic. The whole class together worked through a simple program.
There were some downsides to this. Some of the kids were totally lost on what we were trying to do. So we had to go real slow which then made it very boring for me. But the upside was that when it was over, I understood how computers worked and that simple model has helped my throughout my life as a programmer.
The key is to be really prepared and work it all out ahead of time. Make sure you have the instruction set and the simple programs all worked out ahead of time. You might want to practice it a bit. Keep it simple. Treat it like a game with rules. Forget about being true to Turing, instead focus on giving the kids something they can do and understand.
Not all of the kids will "get it". But those that do will really understand what programming is all about. Especially when you combine the simple Turing machine with gee-whiz-bang stuff on your laptop.
We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are.
-- Anais Nin
When I was a kid and saw my dad programming, he said "I think I can use this to make games." Boring strange looking text on the screen was suddenly a way to do something I was interested in. Software isn't an end unto itself (for most people) but a means to something they're interested in. Games are universally interesting to kids, though you may find another interesting topic and regardless, you should tell them how software can also be applied to all sorts of other things they may be interested in.
The Computer Science Club at Boise State University just did a presentation for ~6th graders. We presented on the inner workings of AI by showing them the complete production of a evaluation tree using a java program we wrote.
Here is the download page for it. (I know I know! The site is default template. We just setup the new software last weekend so give us a break =)
Not sure if this helps younger kids get fired up but I did work for 6th graders. =) Its also fun to watch it generate and draw the tree.
They're only young, at least give them a chance to have a life when they grow up. In fact, it's probably your moral obligation to scare them off software engineering -- I wish someone did it to me.
Squeak is an environment that is meant, among other things, to be used to teach children about programming and computers.
It's difficult to explain what it does. If I understand correctly, it is at the same time a "personal 3D environment" which can be shared, a customizable programming environment, a kind of window manager, and a teaching tool.
The special thing about it is that any part of the environment can be edited on the fly, and reprogrammed/modified. This was demonstrated by Alan Kay at his Turing Award Lecture last year. There is a stream of the lecture, although it doesn't work for me right now. The most impressive parts of the demo were near the end, so you might want to watch the parts in reverse order (or watch all of it, it was really good).
There are some examples of simple apps that can be created in the Squeak environment on the website, these should be just the right thing to impress the kids.
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Even better: StarLogo.
Runs in Java, you can spawn hundreds of multicolored logo turtles and make them all move in sync (or randomly) using the same 5-line logo program from the console - type in a line and watch the turtles obey.
Plus, they have ready-made projects (Click on Projects from the main page) that are all set to go, simple and super-cool visually, from "Slime-mold cells aggregate into clusters, using a chemical pheromone" to "Diffusion Limited Aggregation. Create fractals with simple rules".
Thats what I used in a similar situation - the kids LOVED it.
Or... Mindstorm - less abstract, hence IMHO for the beginners could be more attractive. And... you can keep the kit to play with it after the fair ;-)
Here's one that my wife uses (she's also a geek):
Decorate sugar cookies. Have kids give instructions. Do EXACTLY what they say. Gets the point across quickly how you have to be exact when you tell a computer what you want it to do.
I've actually done this at the local schools.
It's a great deal of fun, and believe it or not, it won't bore them. Adults fear engineers (especially software engineers) because they think what they're doing is something that they cannot do.
As a result, they actively ignore your attempts to educate them. They think it's just out of reach and would rather appear rude and bored than stupid.
Of course, kids don't know this yet. They're fully willing. They most certainly will understand graphs, functions, tries, and so on. They'll understand it because [as we know] it's not hard, and they're not yet programmed to avoid it.
Show them LOGO; Show them C; Show them the inside of what they think a computer is, then smash open the hard drive and toss the platters around.
They'll love it.
Show them what it means to hack, and how much enjoyment it can bring. Show them your adhoc EIDE hotplug system (so they can try it at home) - show them anything you can. They most certainly will follow.
I must say, there's nothing quite like a third-grader asking why we "don't just all use assymetric cryptography all the time", or how the world let Ben Franklen get away with messing up the plus-minus on battery schematics.
The teachers monitoring you will roll their eyes, but the kids _will_ get it.
There are people who build the bridges and there are those who engineer them. What are you? There is a big difference here and unless you are going in to talk about Engineering then say you are a developer.
I've got my BS in CompSci and just my thesis away from an MS in SW Engineering, there is a big difference. My advice, tell them you write programs. Convey that programs run stuff like the bank machines, coke machines and games. Explain that programs are all around us.
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Kids get computers, they use them from a young age. They might not know the details, but they don't know the details on how the dishwasher works either.
What you bring to the table is something else. Programming opens up the possiblity of control, something that kids don't get much of.
I think your on the right track, show them that they can make the computer do what they want. This is what made programming compelling to me as a child.
As to how, I know it is not as powerful as some other choices, but have you considered just using HTML? I know it isn't a programming language in the strictest sense, but it doesn't take much to show the basics and it is both usable and useful. It would not convey much programming, but it would convey the basic idea, computers obey coded commands that you give in a special way.
I have seen other slashdotters making the suggestion to bring a robot arm and then letting the kids interact with that arm using a programming language (i.e. LOGO-based).
I don't think that this will make the right impression on kids. Robotics is only one of several interesting hardware/software/compsci fields, but are you using a robot arm on your job every day? Though so...
(If you do, let me know. I for one welcome our robot-arm wielding software overlords!)
Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying you should pull up vim and code in C! Rather something with a nice "whoa! factor" that is still applicable to your job?
Bring a couple of devices, an iPod, a serial adapter, a mouse, and have a couple of demos ready. Explain how MP3s work. Something tangible is much more interesting!
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't give the kids a wrong impression about your work. Be honest. Those little buggers know when you are lying to them.
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They won't *all* end up EA employees ...
When I was little, I remember my first program was the old guess a number game. You know, the computer picks a number between 1 and 100 and you try to guess it. (It tells you higher or lower). I remember actually being able to understand it and thus this is may be appropriate for younger audiences. If you'd like to modify the program, you can change the bounds (from guess between 1 and 100 to guess between 1 and 1000). I also think you could write this in 10-20 lines of code (very very short!)
Lastly, you could discuss the strategy of the game and how to win the most quickly (ask the question "Using this strategy how many turns would it take at most to win?"). You can call the strategy an "algorithm" and you've taught them more CS than they'll learn for the next 5 years.
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I was asked to do something similar for computer science. I came up with this swish presentation. It's good for a 20 minute timeline and students will recognized some of the pictures. I don't think students at that age are thinking too much about career opportunities but it does give them some exposure to careers other than the "guy/lady that hangs around the school fixing computers".
Modern children can understand math quite well, they just need to be shown how fun and interesting it can be. I think this could be a great opportunity to do just that. Generate a fractal such as the Mandelbrot Set where a very simple mathematical formula produces beautiful images. Kids could experiment with zooming in to find interesting regions of the set. More advanced kids could try changing the formula slightly to produce new interesting fractals (for example, z=z^3+c instead of z=z^2+c).
To make the code simpler and more clear to beginners you would probably want to use a programming language that supports complex variables and has simple graphing commands.
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Check out toontalk for a graphical programming environment that looks like legoland.
Also see how the objects-first people are teaching programming nowadays. In the first week of class they have people drawing faces using OO programming, without loops or branches. For example, they have the students create a drawing program using event callbacks.
Squeak!
I suggest showing them Squeak. It's pretty colorful for a programming environment. It also has an implementation of a racecar and a musical keyboard, a mouse face with eyes that follow the cursor and other things that would probably be fun for a short period of time. And while they're playing with all that, maybe you can explain that Software Engineers make this stuff as well as the games on the Xbox, Gameboy, and Playstation.