Coding Python in Middle School

How can you bridge the gap between teaching simpler visual programming tools and teaching more complicated textual programming tools? Julia Lamorelle’s answer is Python. Julia cofounded Kiwi Compute, a new education business that focuses on teaching middle school kids how to code in Python, a language widely used in academia and industry today. She talks about why Kiwi Compute has this education strategy and how it executes it, despite challenges in setting up a Python environment and attracting qualified teachers. Mentioned in this episode: • Kiwi Compute: https://www.kiwicompute.com/ • Python language: https://www.python.org/ • Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu/ • Hour of Code: https://hourofcode.com/ • App for Python in a browser: http://app.kiwicompute.com/ • Learn Python the Hard Way: https://learnpythonthehardway.org/ • Code Academy: https://www.codecademy.com/ • Code.org: https://code.org/ • GigaTECHs winners announcement from the City of Austin: http://mailchi.mp/austintexas/us-ignite-and-city-of-austin-announce-gigatechs-winners?e=6befcb85d0 • GigaTECHs winners press conference: http://austintx.swagit.com/play/09212017-566 Our closing music is called “Katana” by Miros, used with permission, and you can find more tracks by Miros on SoundCloud, user “mirossound”: https://soundcloud.com/mirossound Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Support Pios Labs at: https://www.patreon.com/pioslabs Also check out these projects from Pios Labs: • Guidebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html