Curriculum

The Project has enhanced the exemplary NSF-funded Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) curriculum by adding a number of real-world, problem-based robotic design challenges to ensure that the resulting curriculum is consistent with the pedagogic expectations of high school Technology and Engineering teachers.

The resulting curriculum contains everything that BJC offers, with the addition of a range of the robotic hands-on challenges. The curriculum is known as the Beauty and Joy of Computing: Technology and Engineering version (BJC-T&E).

The student version of the curriculum is accessible HERE The curriculum is free for all to use. It is one of the approved curricula that meet the College Board requirements for use in teaching the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles course.

BJC-T&E
TEACHER
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The Teacher Page can be accessed in the same location. However, the Teacher Page is password protected for obvious reasons! Click on the GET IN TOUCH link and provide a district website and email address so we can verify that you are a teacher, and we will send the password information by email.

BJC-T&E uses the very powerful Snap! programming language. Snap! is based on the very popular Scratch language. Snap! was developed by University of California, Berkeley. More information HERE .

ExCITE uses an enhanced version of Snap! that allows students and others to control a micro:bit single board computer that is connected to the real-world using sensors and actuators!

The micro:bit is a very powerful microcomputer. It has an in-built accelerometer to detect motion, as well as a compass to indicate the direction. It has a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver to allow it to interact wirelessly with control software. And, very important for ExCITE users, it has a large number of input and output connectors that allow analog and digital sensors and actuators to be used! More information HERE .