Episode 31 - 2021-22 Program of Studies: Computer Science Courses with Mr. Ken Macek

SHOW TOPIC
2021-22 Program of Studies: Computer Science Courses with Mr. Ken Macek

SPECIAL GUEST
Mr. Ken Macek, Seneca Valley Academy of Choice, Applied Engineering and Technology/Computer Science Teacher (9-12)
 
 Ken Macek is in his seventh year teaching at Seneca Valley. He has a Bachelor of Science in Education with certification in Technology Education from California University of Pennsylvania along with a Master of Education degree (also from California University of PA). He teaches all Cyber and Blended Technology and Computer Science courses for the SV Academy of Choice. Ken also currently serves on the Instructional and Professional Development (IPD) Committee within the district.  

IN THIS EPISODE, WE WILL REVIEW
• What is a “blended” course
• What courses are offered as blended courses
• What the Computer Science Course sequence is and how it helps with scheduling
• Course highlights 
• What’s trending in computer science

USEFUL INFORMATION
www.svsd.net/POS

Transcript

FULL TRANSCRIPT (with timecode)

File Name: Voices E31 Ken Macek.mp3

File Length: 00:12:19

00:00:02:22 - 00:00:07:24

Introduction: Welcome to Voices, a podcast brought to you by the Seneca Valley School District. 

00:00:10:25 - 00:00:20:07

Jeff Krakoff: This is Jeff Krakoff, I'm with Ken Macek, who's a cyber and technology instructor in the Seneca Valley Academy of Choice. Ken, thanks for talking to us today. 

00:00:20:21 - 00:00:21:27

Ken Macek: I appreciate you having me. 

00:00:22:26 - 00:00:35:07

Jeff Krakoff: OK, so I think, you know, a trend tha started a few years ago and specifically in your area is the idea of a blended course just so everybody understands, what do we mean when we say blended course? 

00:00:36:08 - 00:00:38:13

Ken Macek: So roughly around 

00:00:40:03 - 00:01:10:18

Ken Macek: three to four years ago, my principal and in the district, they started to implement a bunch of new courses into our program. And with these new courses that I'll talk a little bit about later, the idea behind them was to teach them as a blended course. So a blended class is a type of learning where it's more of something that's similar to of a collegiate course where students have two days of in-class instruction combined with three days of a cyber lab. 

00:01:11:06 - 00:01:41:29

Ken Macek: So to to further break that down just a little bit on the in class days, as I mentioned, there's the instruction. So it's more of like a traditional class where the teacher will introduce the new course material, provide the content, teach about equipment use. For example, in our program we have large format printers that make large scale printing. We have the 3D printers and then almost every single one of our courses are filled with some type of software. And that software needs to be introduced. 

00:01:42:01 - 00:02:31:12

Ken Macek: It needs to be explained, demonstrated to the students. So the the class stays are used for that. And then also once the students know how to use that technology, they're able to move on to what we call the project creation. And most blended courses are project-based learning. So there it always consists of our brainstorming day, creating the project guidelines depending on the course and collaborative group work. So almost all students are working together to meet a common goal. And one cool thing about the one, of course, is since there's two days of in-class instruction and then three days of cyber lab on the in-class days, that's when the teacher encourages the students to think beyond the scope of the project guidelines, but also while keeping them on target to ensure that project's success. 

00:02:31:19 - 00:03:11:03

Ken Macek: So it's like I guide them in the right direction without providing that direct instruction on how to do so. And the purpose to that is like I may even present new challenges to the students to utilize like real-world problem solving strategies. So it enhances that independent group problem-solving techniques. So once the in-class days are I guess you could say over, then they go into their cyber learning. And that's where the students take that knowledge or that instruction that they gained from the class sessions to complete any necessary research to meet that project goal. 

00:03:11:09 - 00:03:31:15

Ken Macek: And it's also used as a continuation of in class projects where, as I mentioned earlier, students fulfill these individual group roles. If a group is working on a completed project or independently working on projects just to prepare for that next class. So it's it's kind of neat to to see the dynamics of the class and how that all works. 

00:03:32:05 - 00:03:38:20

Jeff Krakoff: So of the courses, you know, dealing with cyber technology, which ones are offered via blended courses? 

00:03:39:13 - 00:04:13:28

Ken Macek: So, you know, if you ask me that a couple of years, I should say four or five years ago, my list would be much smaller than it is now. But it's we have a tremendous amount of courses and a little bit we'll talk about it. But currently, to answer your question, we break the courses down almost like into categories and we have a 3D modeling category, an animation category, gaming and then also programming. So when you think of this four topic areas, let's start with the modeling. 

00:04:14:00 - 00:04:53:03

Ken Macek: We have our 3D modeling, one and two. That's where the students get to gain that hands on experience, learning how to 3D modeling software. And then also earlier I mentioned about the 3D printers. So once the students make these models, they then get to bring them to life, I like to say, in class. So they're drawing something on a computer and then they actually get to watch it being printed into something tangible. The animation course that's something new that was brought a couple of years ago. But one thing that Seneca's priding itself on is we partnered with Point Park University to produce a full year CHS animation class. 

00:04:53:19 - 00:05:23:25

Ken Macek: So in that animation course, we study everything about the history of animation, about Disney, Pixar, kind of where we are today. But then we also have the full-body motion capture suits. And we were lucky enough to have what they call the small lab. And in the small lab, it's infrared cameras, very technical. But you get to put this full body suits on. And when you make the movements around the room, you could apply that motion to these models that we create in. A 3D modeling class. 

00:05:25:04 - 00:05:58:01

Ken Macek: So they're moving on, it kind of goes into the gaming realm. So we get to learn a little bit about the history of gaming, along with game design, mobile game design and even how to produce and market games. So it gives students a great background on how to work together collaboratively as a team. And then finally, we have the programming route, which one of our new courses everyone's excited about is the artificial intelligence course. So you actually get to learn about the history of A.I., but then we build a working A.I. 

00:05:58:03 - 00:06:22:15

Ken Macek: model. So any time you versus a computer in a video game or some type of program, you're like, how do they always win? Well, now the students get to learn the background behind that. How does A.I. work and then how do we try to think for itself? And then there's also 2D and 3D program 2D and 3D programming throughout that core sequence as well. 

00:06:22:24 - 00:06:36:28

Jeff Krakoff: Wow, what a great opportunity for students today that it's not that many years ago. So what with all these varieties of courses, tell me a little bit about the computer science course sequence and how does that help students with their scheduling? 

00:06:37:18 - 00:07:22:14

Ken Macek: So the computer science course sequence is something that I and Seneca Valley really prides itself on, because I mentioned earlier, we have such a robust course catalog. I'm talking hundreds of courses that the students have the opportunity to take. So at the beginning of the 2015 school year, 2015-2016 school year, I should say, we had such an increase in these courses that I worked closely with Dr. McKinley, our secondary assistant superintendent, along with many of our other applied engineering and technology teachers, various math teachers who focus on computer science to develop this pathway so that students had a series of courses to enroll in. 

00:07:22:16 - 00:07:54:01

Ken Macek: If they wanted to focus on a certain topic area. Then in the 2020-2021 school year, which is the school year, we're currently in our entire SO cyber program, updated and released many new applied engineering and technology and computer science electives, both traditional, blended cyber. So in short, that led to a discussion with Dr McKinley and also Mrs. Ramirez-Lightner, which she's our coordinator of Collegiate, Collegiate and career affairs. 

00:07:58:11 - 00:08:26:16

Ken Macek: And from that discussion, we decided we need to revamp this core sequence even further. So that included adding almost like a pathway's key. So this core sequence, it lists all the courses in in series. But then it also says that if you're more into a robotics route, if you're more into an engineering and technology or gaming or animation route, these are the courses that we recommend that you take. 

00:08:26:29 - 00:09:07:08

Ken Macek: So, for example, if a student says I'm into robotics, one hundred percent, they can begin at the eighth grade level with a new course that we created and then they can continue moving on throughout this course sequence to make sure that they are taking the courses that are recommended by the district so that by the time they are senior, they can take all these courses because there's so many times that students get to their senior year and they're like, oh, I wish I would have taken that course or tried this one. Well, this course sequence outlines it in such a way that if they choose a pathway at any time, they can move to a different pathway. 

00:09:07:17 - 00:09:41:06

Ken Macek: And if I could just add, I know our website is definitely it's filled with information. So if they go to the academics tab on our main page and hover over and click on the program of studies trying to paint a picture here on the left hand side, they could click on recommended course sequence. So everything I just talked about, they can see on our website to get a better understanding of what we have to offer and what is there and in there in that core sequence. 

00:09:41:08 - 00:09:48:22

Ken Macek: It also lists all the AP comp sci courses that we also have to offer that Seneca Valley has added over the years. 

00:09:49:07 - 00:10:07:19

Jeff Krakoff: Great. So you've mentioned some of the courses, everything from artificial intelligence to 3D programming and modeling, the animation. What are some of the highlights and what are some of the trends that you're seeing? I'm sure this changes pretty quickly year to year. 

00:10:08:06 - 00:10:12:16

Ken Macek: There is. There is. And it's a great question, because to start 

00:10:14:17 - 00:10:57:21

Ken Macek: the district's main focus, I don't want to say main focus, because there so many focuses, but it's on robotics rate. Robotics is starting to really. Take hold in our applied engineering and technology department, and with that, we released this new 8th grade course. It's called Introduction to Robotics and EB3programming. So that is the base of the computer science sequence. And then I mentioned to you about the artificial intelligence course, about programming the actual A.I. system through programming and game design, and then all the numerous AP and CHS courses that we are offering to the students between computer information systems, animation, the different programming languages. 

00:10:57:27 - 00:11:43:12

Ken Macek: So this trend is your we're starting to get the most current up to date courses and we're giving our students this opportunity to take advantage of every single one of these courses, because as electives there you have your core classes that are extremely important. And then also at the same time, there's a lot of students who, when you ask the question, what do you want to do in life? Well we want to give them the opportunity and a hands-on opportunity to actually work with professional grade software that the industry uses so that they can get a good picture of, you know, is this something that I want to do so that by the time they leave Seneca Valley, they at least in my opinion, their resume is very well padded. 

00:11:44:02 - 00:11:52:25

Jeff Krakoff: Right. Again, what terrific opportunities for students we have here at Seneca Valley. Ken, thanks so much for your time. 

00:11:54:16 - 00:12:07:21

Jeff Krakoff: Keep up the good work. I know that registering for classes will be coming up soon. So any parents or students interested in cyber and technology go to the website, check out the program of studies. 

00:12:08:02 - 00:12:08:21

Ken Macek: Definitely. 

00:12:08:27 - 00:12:09:14

Jeff Krakoff: Thanks again. 

00:12:10:10 - 00:12:12:06

Ken Macek: I appreciate it. Likewise.