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Coding Robots for Creative Expression When I say "robot," what image comes to mind? Take a moment to picture a robot and what it's doing. Is it assembling parts in a factory? Perhaps it's vacuuming floors or delivering packages? Maybe it's even performing surgery or exploring Mars? If you imagined a robot engaged in a task focused on efficiency, precision, or problem-solving, you're not alone. The vast majority of people envision robots solving problems. They think of robots as machines designed to make our lives easier by taking on repetitive, dangerous, or complex tasks. Few people envision robots who can dance, create art, or express emotions? But robots today are being used for creative expression. Check out this robot dancer and robot artist. By tweaking the prompts we use to introduce computer science to include creative computing challenges, we can engage a broader and more inclusive audience with computer science education. When we integrate creative expression into computer science education, we not only teach technical skills but also foster innovation, artistic thinking, and cross-disciplinary connections. This is one of the reasons I fell in love with the Finch Robot, If you are an educator looking to bring creativity to computer science, let me introduce you to the Finch Robot. The Finch Robot was developed at Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab, specifically ...

Register here for the Zoom Link to our Annual Spring Event - May 21 4:00 - 5:30 More info and registration link Agenda: 4:00 PM - Welcome and Introduction Meet Vermont AOE Educational Technology Program Manager - Josh Blumberg 4:10 PM - Keynote Speaker: Adam and Alexa Sparks, of Short Answe Why learn how to code if AI can code for you? In this 15-minute “provocation”, we’ll attempt to answer a question “Why learn how to code if AI can code for you?” that many students, educators, universities, technology companies, and business leaders are asking in 2025:To tackle this question, Adam and Alexa will dive into how people learn, the concept of “AI Literacy”, and offer a tentative direction forward for CS Education in the age of AI. 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM - Workshop Session 1 & Door Prize AI Tool Share / Grades K-12 Hosts: Peter Drescher, Charlie Macfadyen, Adam and Alexa Sparks Explore various AI tools for the classroom and how they can support teachers and students alike. Using AI for Elementary & Middle School Teachers Hosts: Ryan Dudley / Caty Wolfe Learn how to incorporate AI into elementary and middle school classrooms, with practical strategies for teaching young learners. Real-World Applications in Education: Creating a Chatbot as a Useful Tool for Educators, Middle School HS Presenter: Renee Langevin ...

CSTA -Vermont would like to introduce a new monthly feature - First Friday for CS Teachers. On the First Friday of every month, we will share 5 Tips, Tricks, or Resources that caught our attention from this amazing community. We have so much to learn from each other. Please submit Tips, Tricks, and Resources that caught your attention We'd love to share them. Resource No 1: First Robotics in Vermont https://www.firstinvermont.org/ Last week over 32 student designed robots from the best FRC teams in New England attemped to qualify for the New England District Championship at the UVM’s Patrick Gym! Sponsored by the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. This was the first time this event was held in Vermont. If you missed it, you can get a glimpse from Troy Austin's YouTube Channel or WCAX-TV news story Want more info: Reach out to First Robotics in Vermont at: https://www.firstinvermont.org/ Resource No 2. North Carolina Generative AI Implementation Recommendations and Considerations for PK-13 Public Schools https://go.ncdpi.gov/AI_Guidelines This resource shared across the Vermont School IT sparked discussion last week. Everyone was quite impressed with the framework. From the authors: These generative AI implementation recommendations and considerations have been created as a way to share information and resources to help direct responsible implementation of generative AI tools and guide AI Literacy ...