Nicholas,<div><br></div><div>I'd agree that we seem to be pretty much on the same page, right down to the basic rationale. While the summit itself is by invitation (due to space constraints, mostly) the rest of the events will be open and we are planning/hoping to have pretty much the same spectrum. </div>
<div><br></div><div>I completely agree that communication and collaboration should be international. But I'm wondering how we might achieve that? I'd certainly be interested gaining whatever insight comes from your eperience and I'd love to reciprocate - I'm just not sure how we might do that. I'm afraid I can't make the hangout due to work schedules.</div>
<div><br></div><div>So I hope we can figure out a way to collaborate. </div><div><br></div><div>I'd volunteer to come to PyCon UK to be a liaison , but sadly that's not practical for a number of reasons... ;) But if any of you could get to our con, you'd be welcome!</div>
<div><br></div><div>Cheers,</div><div>Vern<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 5:53 AM, Nicholas H.Tollervey <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ntoll@ntoll.org" target="_blank">ntoll@ntoll.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
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Hi,<br>
<br>
This sounds exactly like what we're doing at PyconUK<br>
(<a href="http://pyconuk.org" target="_blank">http://pyconuk.org</a>) in a few weeks time: we have an "education" track<br>
full of talks, tutorials, discussion and even an "educational<br>
resources sprint" taking place on the Sunday.<br>
<br>
Our aim is simple: we expect interesting things to happen when we<br>
bring teachers and developers together in an event that is open to all.<br>
<br>
We're having a Google hangout next Tuesday evening (UK time) at which<br>
we'll be discussing / planning what's going to happen. My co-organiser<br>
Alan 'teknoteacher' O'Donohoe gives details here:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://teachcomputing.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/pyconuk-whats-in-it-for-me/" target="_blank">http://teachcomputing.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/pyconuk-whats-in-it-for-me/</a><br>
<br>
- From my point of view it is vital that we *don't* work in isolation<br>
and that good education-related stuff happening at the various Pycons<br>
around the world is shared far and wide.<br>
<br>
We, as a Python community, are an international bunch and I don't see<br>
why sharing educational resources and experience shouldn't be an<br>
international effort either (speaking from experience as a teacher in<br>
the UK, too often matters educational are only placed in a local<br>
[national] context - an attitude that needs challenging IMHO).<br>
<br>
As always, comments, suggestions and critique most welcome.<br>
<br>
Nicholas.<br>
<div><div><br>
On 22/08/12 16:06, Vern Ceder wrote:<br>
> Hi everyone,<br>
><br>
> I just wanted to bring you uptodate on where we're at with the<br>
> Education Summit at the upcoming PyCon. This will be a "by<br>
> invitation only" event, so if you are interested (and I haven't<br>
> contacted you already) or know of someone who would be really good<br>
> for and interested in this event, please let me know about that<br>
> interest off list. One of our reasons for going with invitations is<br>
> that we want to be sure that we get a fair balance between the<br>
> various education constituencies in space available, so I can't<br>
> guarantee that absolutely everyone who wants to come will be<br>
> invited.... But I'll try.<br>
><br>
> Also we're looking for a keynote and panelists for the topics<br>
> below, so if you know of anyone that you think would be good,<br>
> please email me off list. Also if you have any other suggestions or<br>
> questions, please let me know.<br>
><br>
> There is also a google group for announcements about the summit, so<br>
> if you're interested, you should join that group -<br>
> <a href="https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/pycon-education-summit" target="_blank">https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/pycon-education-summit</a><br>
><br>
> First of all, the summit blurb is the following:<br>
><br>
> "In 2013, for the first time ever, PyCon will be holding a Python<br>
> Education Summit. This summit will be a gathering of teachers and<br>
> educators from the many venues that support the teaching of<br>
> programming in Python - schools, colleges and universities,<br>
> community based workshops, online programs and government. These<br>
> constituencies differ widely in resources and constraints, in<br>
> methods, and in goals and aspirations, yet are all working to<br>
> address the same issue - a lack of coding literacy - with the same<br>
> belief - that teaching programming is needed and that Python is an<br>
> excellent way to do that.<br>
><br>
> The goal of the summit is to bring together leaders from those<br>
> diverse constituencies to learn more about each other's efforts and<br>
> gain useful insight from them, to form connections that might<br>
> foster future collaboration, to identify common issues and begin<br>
> discussing ways to attack them, and to create an enhanced sense of<br>
> unity, purpose and community among teachers of Python, wherever<br>
> they might be. It is also our hope that the summit will serve as<br>
> catalyst for the rest of PyCon to encourage even more interaction -<br>
> hallway discussions, open spaces, lightning talks, and sprints.<br>
><br>
> Anyone attending this conference will gain a broader understanding<br>
> of approaches and issues in teaching Python, will have the<br>
> opportunity to contribute to their discussion, and will make<br>
> contacts with other teachers of Python from across the community. A<br>
> high school teacher might make contacts that allow her to enlist<br>
> the support of a community based program while a community<br>
> volunteer might gain useful guidance on curriculum design.<br>
><br>
> In addition to active involvement in the process of teaching<br>
> Python, the only requirement of attendees is engagement. The<br>
> morning sessions will include panel discussions that encourage<br>
> participation and the afternoon will consist of unconference style<br>
> breakout sessions that demand it. So please come willing to learn,<br>
> to teach, and to participate."<br>
><br>
> Also, I've developed a basic statement of the topics we'll be<br>
> covering:<br>
><br>
> "As I see it there are the three core issues that most impact<br>
> Python education today: engagement, curriculum and teaching. So I'm<br>
> proposing that we frame the topics for the summit accordingly.<br>
><br>
> Engagement - By "engagement" I mean getting people involved -<br>
> attracting learners and letting them know why they should be eager<br>
> to learn Python, recruiting teachers, sponsors and supporters with<br>
> the skills needed to facilitate that learning, and then keeping<br>
> everyone involved in the community. You could also call this<br>
> "outreach" or even "marketing". Whatever you call it, we need to<br>
> attract people who want to learn Python and the people and the<br>
> people to help satisfy that need.<br>
><br>
> Topics: How are the various education communities attracting people<br>
> to their programs? What things can each learn from other programs,<br>
> particularly in terms of increasing interest and involvement in<br>
> the Python language and community?<br>
><br>
> Curriculum - The need for uptodate, accessible and appropriate<br>
> curriculum is felt in all aspects of Python education. Community<br>
> programs need free and flexible lesson plans and teaching<br>
> materials, schools are often reluctant to offer a program without<br>
> an established curriculum, and teachers in all areas are often<br>
> desperate for curricula that can be leveraged with minimal time and<br>
> effort.<br>
><br>
> Topics: What curriculum materials are currently freely available<br>
> for teaching Python? What means can be used to increase their<br>
> quality, coverage and availablity?<br>
><br>
> Teaching - Again, teaching is a universal issue. Schools often<br>
> have experienced teachers, but ones who don't know Python.<br>
> Community programs can find Python experts, but they frequently<br>
> have little teaching experience or knowledge.<br>
><br>
> Topics: what best practices might community programs follow to<br>
> help volunteer teachers do a better job? Are there any teaching<br>
> guildes or hints available now? What strategies might help schools<br>
> qualify their current experienced teachers to teach Python? How<br>
> might we increase the number of qualified teachers generally?<br>
><br>
> Underlying themes: The two underlying and unifying themes for the<br>
> summit are communication and collaboration."<br>
><br>
> Thanks!<br>
><br>
> Vern<br>
><br>
</div></div>> -- Vern Ceder <a href="mailto:vceder@gmail.com" target="_blank">vceder@gmail.com</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:vceder@gmail.com" target="_blank">vceder@gmail.com</a>>,<br>
> <a href="mailto:vceder@dogsinmotion.com" target="_blank">vceder@dogsinmotion.com</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:vceder@dogsinmotion.com" target="_blank">vceder@dogsinmotion.com</a>> The Quick<br>
<div>> Python Book, 2nd Ed - <a href="http://bit.ly/bRsWDW" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/bRsWDW</a><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Vern Ceder<br><a href="mailto:vceder@gmail.com" target="_blank">vceder@gmail.com</a>, <a href="mailto:vceder@dogsinmotion.com" target="_blank">vceder@dogsinmotion.com</a><br>
The Quick Python Book, 2nd Ed - <a href="http://bit.ly/bRsWDW" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/bRsWDW</a><br><br><br>
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