STEP Training
MIT STEP offers a teacher licensing program that can be done entirely at MIT or in conjunction with courses at Wellesley College. This program licenses students to teach mathematics or science in grades 5-12. The Scheller Teacher Education Program, offered through the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, prepares MIT students to become teachers who are competent to teach in their field, willing to challenge established norms, able to bridge the boundaries among disciplines, and eager to help students develop the desire to question and explore. Click here for more info on STEP and here for more info on classes.
For Educators
STEP is actively engaged in many research and development projects, designing and testing new learning technologies for use in formal and informal education. While some projects are in limited testing with partners, others are freely available for all to try and to use (some complete with curriculum and assessment). Find out more about these projects on the projects page.
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Computer Programming Tools in Schools
Computer Programming Tools in Schools (CPTS) is a multi-language curriculum that uses Scratch, StarLogo TNG, and Etoys to teach fundamental computer science concepts and programming skills in the context of homeland security-relevant topics including food safety and risk models. These three tools are beginner-friendly programming tools developed by different labs at MIT and University of Illinois but share a drag-and-drop graphical interface. The CPTS curriculum is designed for use in an introductory course for middle or high school students with no prior programming experience, with the goal of engaging students' interest in computer science and preparing them for further studies in this and related fields. All the activities are project-based and student-centered, using a variety of formats, including games, simulations, and interactive media.
The curriculum includes an Intro Unit that involves at least two of the three tools, and 4 topical units. The materials are presented as a menu of activities that teachers can select from and adapt for their particular contexts. The Intro unit can take from 4 to 7 days while each unit activity can take between one to three 45-55 minute class periods. Although the unit is designed for computer classes, the activities also highlight the value of simulations modeling in modern science and the use of a design process to build programming projects (see image below).
The pilot materials (below) were developed during the summer of 2011 and being tested during school year 2011-2012 by computer teachers from the Boston and greater Boston area. More activities will be added in the middle of the school year to bring the total topical units up to 4.
For more resources on each of these tools and to download the tools, please visit their respective websites: Scratch, StarLogo TNG, Etoys.
CPTS is an 18 month project funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has within its mission a goal of increasing underrepresented groups like women and minorities in computer science and related technical fields.
Intro Unit
The goal of the CPTS Introductory Unit is to introduce three beginner-friendly computer programming tools to students with no prior programming experience. It’s also possible to just introduce and compare two tools, if three feels like too many. A project is “passed” from tool to tool to illustrate each programming tool’s strengths, following a progression from “one” to “many.” See table below for a description of each project. On days 1-2, students make a simple project using Scratch and then play with already built projects to experience a range of possible programs (games, simulations, puzzles). They repeat this process for StarLogo TNG and Etoys. Finally, on day 7, students reflect on and discuss the similarities and differences between the three tools. After completing the Intro unit, students (or teacher) can choose a tool and work through any of the topic-based units.
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Scratch |
Etoys |
StarLogo TNG |
| Draw an insect and program it to move in response to a spacebar press (like tapping a jar with an insect in it); add randomness to movement.
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In this interactive project, students estimate how long it will take one beetle to eat the leaf and also how many beetles would be needed to eat the leaf in less than 30 seconds. |
Create a breed of insects, create lots of agents of that breed and scatter them, program them to move on their own; add food agents using the same process and program insects to “eat” the food and reproduce. |
| Play with Scratch Demo Projects |
Play with Etoys Demo Projects
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Play with SLTNG Demo Projects |
Food Safety Unit
| Scratch | Etoys | StarLogo TNG |
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Explore product recalls - when it is not safe to eat certain foods. (Build up a project while reusing modified example code.) |
Safe Cherries - uses Etoys to make a public service announcement suitable showing on YouTube or for local TV stations to broadcast |
Program a bacteria growth model using a step-by-step tutorial. |
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Add game elements, keyboard control and sound. (Also, conditional statements and variables)
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Egg Drop Soup: a game that uses facts about egg freshness to increase game’s level of difficulty. The project models a simple home test for freshness. |
Virtual lab investigating the relationship between temperature and bacteria growth |
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Introduce a character that can temporarily relieve outbreaks like Mad Cow disease. (Interobject communication through broadcasting)
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From Farm to Fork: a schematic model of a food distribution network in the form of a game. The game uses keyboard input to move an egg from chicken to table. |
Extend the basic bacteria model by adding (programming) moisture conditions as a parameter |
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Amazing Farm to Fork: an egg travels a maze guided with a joystick. The project’s flap raises questions about the cost of shipping millions of tons of eggs. |
Design and program an extension to basic bacteria model |
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Food Distribution: models a good distribution network and cycles of supply and demand. |
Design and program a game based on the bacteria model |
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Food Safety Sudoku: a game that uses a set of icons from the web site Food Safety.gov to teach safe food handling practices. |
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Bacteria Colonies: a simulation of the growth of three kinds of bacteria colonies under a variety of conditions. A graph plots changes in the number of each type. |
Transportation Unit
| Scratch | Etoys | StarLogo TNG |
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Explore the concept of keeping travelers safe using Scratch. (Break down how key elements of an example project works.) |
Flight Plan Chicago: the challenge in this game is to land a plane on a digital image of a local runway. The player controls the plane’s motion with a joystick. |
Investigate the relationship between food growth rate and the number of houses that can be sustained in a food transportation and consumption model. |
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Extend the security screening example to keep track of search statistics. (Introduce variables and conditional statements.)
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Skywriter School: a game that visualizes the flight path of an aircraft to a runway. The pilot drags the aircraft to the runway and then that path is flown by the aircraft automatically. Web site references include airman test information from faa.gov and career information from dhs.gov
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Analyze (break down) and interpret the code in the model.
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Modify the gameplay of the security screening example to include screening inbound and outbound passengers. (Delve into sensing.)
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Etoys |
Brainstorm ideas for extensions or further investigations. Implement one extension using the design process.
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Computer Security Unit
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Scratch |
Etoys |
StarLogo TNG |
| Cryptography - encrypt and decrypt messages |
Steganography: this project shows the names of a number of kinds of steganography in current use. |
Why does my download speed vary? How do hackers attack websites? Use a network simulation model to investigate these and other questions. Also introduces students to graph theory, an area of discrete math. |
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Cloudy Day: Make a project that uses Morse Code to conceal a message. Include reference web sites as clues to solve the puzzle. |
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Cyber Careers Info: Use a quotation of basic information from www.dhs.gov in a puzzle that challenges the plyaer to solve a simple ciphered message. |
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Mr. Morse's Class Snack: Create an illustrated book for children that conceals coded messages. |
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Design Process Support
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Kernel Design The Kernel Design Process is a multi-level iterative framework to guide students in developing their ideas from "spark" (brainstorming) to "serve" (communicate).
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Game Design (Materials created for SLTNG but can be adapted for other tools) |
Most up-to-date materials can be found at SLTNG Game Design webpage
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