CS471: Computer Science Pedagogy - Incorporating SEL into Lesson Planning (10 Points)

Assignment Goals

The goals of this assignment are:
  1. Understand the principles of social emotional learning (SEL)
  2. Develop a lesson plan that integrates SEL into a computer science topic
  3. Reflect on the importance of SEL in teaching and learning

The Assignment

Assignment Overview

In this assignment, you will develop a lesson plan that integrates social emotional learning (SEL) into a computer science topic. Specifically, you will explore data encoding using ASCII characters and design activities that foster SEL skills such as collaboration, empathy, and self-awareness.

Instructions

  • Develop a Lesson Plan: Create a detailed lesson plan that integrates SEL into teaching data encoding with ASCII characters.
  • Include Activities: Design engaging activities that foster SEL skills.
  • Assessment: Outline how you will assess students’ understanding of both SEL and ASCII encoding.
  • Reflection: Write a reflection on the importance of integrating SEL into computer science education.

Considerations

  • Integrating SEL: Consider how SEL principles can be naturally integrated into the lesson without feeling forced or artificial.
  • Fostering Skills: Think about how the lesson can foster specific SEL skills such as collaboration, empathy, and self-awareness.
  • Assessment Strategies: Consider various assessment strategies to gauge students’ understanding of both SEL and ASCII encoding.
  • Resources: Provide resources and tools that students can use to explore ASCII encoding, such as ASCII tables or online encoding tools.
  • Reflection: Encourage students to reflect on their learning experience, both in terms of the computer science content and the SEL skills developed.

Examples

The following are a few examples of how SEL might be incorporated into various computing topics:

Data Encoding with ASCII Characters

- **Introduction to ASCII**: Introduce ASCII encoding and its importance in computer science.
- **Collaborative Encoding Activity**: Students work in pairs to encode a message using ASCII, fostering collaboration and communication skills.
- **Empathy Exercise**: Students reflect on the challenges of encoding and decoding, including identifying the shortcomings of encodings for those with expanded language character sets.
- **Self-awareness Reflection**: Students reflect on their own learning process, identifying strengths and areas for improvement upon the ASCII standard.

Collaborative Programming (Teamwork, Communication)

  • Lesson: Pair programming or group projects.
  • SEL Focus: Emphasize collaboration, effective communication, and empathy.
  • Example Activity: Students work in pairs to develop a small application, switching roles between driver and navigator, reflecting on collaboration.

Debugging Challenges (Resilience, Problem-Solving)

  • Lesson: Debugging exercises and overcoming coding challenges.
  • SEL Focus: Foster resilience and problem-solving skills.
  • Example Activity: Students debug code with intentional errors, reflecting on resilience.

Ethical Considerations in Computing (Ethics, Empathy)

  • Lesson: Exploring ethical dilemmas in technology.
  • SEL Focus: Encourage empathy and ethical reasoning.
  • Example Activity: Students debate ethical considerations of AI, focusing on empathy.

Inclusive Design (Empathy, Inclusivity)

  • Lesson: Designing software with accessibility in mind.
  • SEL Focus: Teach empathy and inclusivity.
  • Example Activity: Students design an accessible web page, reflecting on inclusivity.

Data Encoding with ASCII Characters (Collaboration, Self-Awareness)

  • Lesson: Teaching data encoding using ASCII.
  • SEL Focus: Enhance collaboration and self-awareness.
  • Example Activity: Students work in pairs to encode a message using ASCII, reflecting on challenges.

**Cybersecurity and Digital Citizenship (Responsibility, Ethics)

  • Lesson: Exploring cybersecurity principles and responsible online behavior.
  • SEL Focus: Foster responsibility and ethical behavior.
  • Example Activity: Students create a “Digital Citizenship Pledge,” reflecting on responsibilities.

Algorithmic Bias and Fairness (Critical Thinking, Empathy)

  • Lesson: Analyzing biases in algorithms and data.
  • SEL Focus: Encourage critical thinking and empathy.
  • Example Activity: Students analyze a dataset for biases, discussing social impacts, fostering empathy and critical thinking.

Design Questions to Help You Begin

Please answer the following questions in your README file before you begin writing your program.
  1. How can SEL principles be applied to teaching data encoding using ASCII characters?
  2. What are the key SEL skills that can be developed through this lesson?
  3. How will you assess students' understanding of both SEL and ASCII encoding?

Submission

In your submission, please include answers to any questions asked on the assignment page in your README file. If you wrote code as part of this assignment, please describe your design, approach, and implementation in your README file as well. Finally, include answers to the following questions:
  • Describe what you did, how you did it, what challenges you encountered, and how you solved them.
  • Please answer any questions found throughout the narrative of this assignment.
  • If collaboration with a buddy was permitted, did you work with a buddy on this assignment? If so, who? If not, do you certify that this submission represents your own original work?
  • Please identify any and all portions of your submission that were not originally written by you (for example, code originally written by your buddy, or anything taken or adapted from a non-classroom resource). It is always OK to use your textbook and instructor notes; however, you are certifying that any portions not designated as coming from an outside person or source are your own original work.
  • Approximately how many hours it took you to finish this assignment (I will not judge you for this at all...I am simply using it to gauge if the assignments are too easy or hard)?
  • Your overall impression of the assignment. Did you love it, hate it, or were you neutral? One word answers are fine, but if you have any suggestions for the future let me know.
  • Using the grading specifications on this page, discuss briefly the grade you would give yourself and why. Discuss each item in the grading specification.
  • Any other concerns that you have. For instance, if you have a bug that you were unable to solve but you made progress, write that here. The more you articulate the problem the more partial credit you will receive (it is fine to leave this blank).

Assignment Rubric

Description Pre-Emerging (< 50%) Beginning (50%) Progressing (85%) Proficient (100%)
Lesson Plan Development (25%) Lesson plan lacks clear structure and integration of SEL principles. Lesson plan includes basic structure but integration of SEL is superficial or forced. Lesson plan is well-structured with thoughtful integration of SEL, but lacks depth in some areas. Lesson plan is comprehensive, well-structured, and seamlessly integrates SEL into the ASCII encoding topic.
Activities Design (25%) Activities are unclear or unrelated to SEL and ASCII encoding. Activities include some connection to SEL and ASCII encoding but lack engagement or creativity. Activities are engaging and foster SEL skills, but could be more closely aligned with ASCII encoding. Activities are highly engaging, foster specific SEL skills, and are closely aligned with ASCII encoding.
Assessment Strategies (25%) Assessment strategies are missing or do not align with the goals of teaching SEL and ASCII encoding. Assessment strategies are present but lack clarity or alignment with SEL and ASCII encoding objectives. Assessment strategies are clear and aligned with SEL and ASCII encoding objectives but lack variety or depth. Assessment strategies are clear, varied, and deeply aligned with both SEL and ASCII encoding objectives.
Reflection and Considerations (25%) Reflection is missing or lacks insight into the importance of integrating SEL into computer science education. Reflection includes basic insights but lacks depth or consideration of specific SEL skills and resources. Reflection is thoughtful and includes consideration of specific SEL skills and resources but could be more comprehensive. Reflection is insightful, comprehensive, and includes deep consideration of specific SEL skills, resources, and the broader context of computer science education.

Please refer to the Style Guide for code quality examples and guidelines.