Meeting ISTE Standards with the Finch
The ISTE Standards for Students are not divided by age or grade level. Instead, these seven standards describe general skills that students should exhibit in age-appropriate ways as they use technology. Computer science with the Finch can be used to meet almost all of the ISTE standards. The number of each standard is listed below with a short discussion describing how it can be met using the Finch.
ISTE 1. As students use the Finch, they will gain experience troubleshooting problems with hardware and software. In particular, students will need to distinguish between issues caused by errors within their programs (software) and issues caused by the limitations of the Finch motors or sensors (hardware).
ISTE 2. Like any computing resource, the Finch provides opportunities to practice digital citizenship. Students must care for the Finches to maintain them in good working condition for other users. In addition, working with the Finches encourages students to share programming insights with one another. This can be an excellent opportunity for students to discuss how to collaborate ethically and appropriately attribute the ideas of others.
ISTE 3. While using the Finch may require students to learn from digital resources, this standard emphasizes internet research and is less relevant to Finch projects.
ISTE 4. Students will use design thinking to create new programs for the Finch. Students must consider different potential solutions and plan how they will complete projects within the allotted time. As they write programs, students must also test and revise them to ensure that they work correctly.
ISTE 5. Computational thinking is essential for working with the Finch. Students must define the programming problem and plan which programming structures and Finch features they will use. Students must think through the logic of the program to ensure that decision statements or loops are used appropriately.
ISTE 6. Open-ended Finch challenges encourage students to demonstrate their programming knowledge in creative ways that are meaningful to them. For example, students can program the robot to dance or play a song. Students can even use the Finch as a controller to create their own video games. Students can also communicate their Finch projects to a wider audience using digital tools such as videos or blog entries.
ISTE 7. Students often work in pairs to program the Finch and must communicate respectfully and effectively to do so successfully. Working with the Finch also provides students with the opportunity to share solutions with others in their class or to demonstrate their programs for members of the wider community.