Teaching Python: a panel discussion with perspectives from teachers, academics, makers and enthusiasts. Why is Python appealing in education? What tools and resources work well? What can the Python community do to help teachers & policy makers? Join us for an engaging and insightful discussion with a fascinating panel of experts, Dr Keith Quille, Kelly Schuster-Paredes, Chris Reina and Sarah-Jayne Carey.
Chris Reina has been involved in education since 2002, technology since 1981 and Making since 1971. (You do the maths). He is CCO (Chief Cardboard Officer) of MakerMeet.ie - who deliver Maker-led, project-based S.T.E.A.M. workshops nationwide to primary, secondary, third-level and other institutions.
He feels passionately that education is the most important thing in the world and that teaching using Maker skills is the most rewarding job there is.
Chris loves cats, kayaking, kite-flying, steampunk, pedantic semantics and knowing the meanings of ligatures, aglets, gallibanders and lexiphanic.
Kelly Schuster-Paredes is the co-host of the Teaching Python Podcast, a mom, world traveler, and teacher. Kelly has a Masters in Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology from Nova Southeastern University. She has taught in the UK, Peru, and the USA. Kelly specializes in curriculum design, educational coaching, and curriculum development. She got started with integrating technology in the classroom in 2003, dabbled with app design in File Maker, HTML, Robotics, and now spends most of her time learning more Python. She teaches Python and Computer Science to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Dublin-born, now London-based, Aimée works as Head of Partnerships for the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to 'inspire every child to create their best digital future'. The Foundation is behind the tiny-but-mighty BBC micro:bit device, a programmable microcontroller designed for education and loved the world over. Aimée works with a wide range of partners across Europe, Middle East and Africa to ensure students and teachers have the resources and support they need to get hands on with physical computing and block- or text-based programming.
I am a Senior Lecturer of computing in the School of Enterprise Computing and Digital Transformation in TU Dublin. My primary area of research is in Computer Science Education (with an emphasis on inclusion) which spans third, second and primary level’s. The main focus of my research at third level (including my PhD) was the early identification of students who were at risk of failing or dropping out of Computer Science (using machine learning techniques), as well as interventions to try and reduce attrition rates. My research also focuses on gender and inclusion, with an aim to reduce stereotypes and promote the Computer Science discipline across all levels of education. I am the co-chair of the ACM ITiCSE conference for 2022. My primary area of teaching is in Software Development, (CS1 and CS2: C#, Java and Python) and Applied Machine Learning with Artificial Intelligence. To complement my Computer Science Education research at third level, I have also been significantly involved at primary and second level Computer Science Education, from Governmental level with commissioned research, to co-authoring the leaving certificate book, to formal and informal teacher professional development, to leading a large scale national, primary and second level Computer Science outreach and research programme (http://CSinc.ie). I am also a member of the EU Commission expert group on AI and data in education and training.
Sarah-Jayne Carey is the ICT-Co-Ordinator and Computer Science and coding teacher in Coláiste Bride Presentation Secondary School- a large girls school in Dublin.
She has over 20 years teaching experience-including further and higher education. She is on the executive of the subject association for Leaving Certificate Computer Science - CESI ( Computers in Education Society of Ireland)
She is a part-time lecturer in Maynooth University and Dublin City University, working with pre-service computer science teachers, and also works with the PDST( Professional Development Service for Teachers) with the Computer Science Team.
She is passionate about promoting coding and computer science for all, and making her students aware of the many career options and possibilities in tech. She believes in using digital technologies to empower students, and to improve and enhance education and learning for the whole school community.
She started learning Python, to be able to teach Python - and still feels like a student - always learning!
