Highlights from the PD+ Community November 2023
November brings falling leaves, thoughts of Thanksgiving, and lots of great questions, insights, and inspiration in the PD+ Community! Read on to see some of this month’s engaging PD+ Community discussions!
Learning and Leading with VEXcode VR
VEXcode VR hit a new milestone in November - 7 million users and over 7 million hours of coding! And the PD+ Community helps to highlight the accessibility and versatility of VEXcode VR for teachers and students. In this post, one teacher shares creative projects her students created using Switch blocks. Check it out to get some ideas for ways you can incorporate Switch into your classroom.
Educators also asked questions about learning to code for themselves, so that they can better support their students. This conversation about coding the Down Eye Sensor, and this question about getting started with the CS Level 1 - Blocks Course give you a chance to see how other teachers are learning and leading with VR.
Problem Solving Together
Once again, this month featured PD+ users and VEX Experts coming together to ask and answer questions, and solve problems in collaborative ways. Check out this thread about sensor placement on the EXP Clawbot, to see how consideration of the intention for a project can influence where and how sensors are attached and used.
This conversation about curricular resources around coding with variables, can offer you some ideas for how to extend students’ coding experiences with VR Activities, and how to extend your own knowledge with additional PD+ resources as well.
Celebrations of STEM Learning in the PD+ Community!
Check out this thread for some inspiration from one district’s VEX STEAM Night! See how they brought students, families, and educators together in a community event to celebrate a shared love of STEM learning.
In this post, one educator shared a fun and creative Thanksgiving-themed lesson, blending literacy and coding with VEX 123. Check out the video in the thread to experience the students’ engagement for yourself!
Tips and Tricks from PD+ Users
One of the great features of the PD+ Community is sharing ideas with other VEX educators - whether you’re new to VEX or a seasoned VEX veteran, there are often tips and tricks that you’ve picked up along the way that will help others. Here are some of this month’s tidbits of wisdom from VEX educators.
- This post gives an idea for how to pivot in the moment when a robot runs out of battery mid-lesson.
- This thread features a VEX 123 inspired writing prompt sheet that you can download and use in your classroom!
- This post talks about and shares some student journal reflections after a GO classroom competition.
- This thread shares one teacher’s lessons and slideshows for teaching with Switch in her classroom.
- This post shows how one teacher incorporated VEX into morning meeting in an unplugged way.
What tips and tricks have you picked up along the way? Share your ideas in the Community!
If you visit any of these posts, don’t forget to leave a thought, question or comment! Your idea might be exactly what another Community member is looking for. And don’t hesitate to sign up for a 1-on-1 Session with a VEX Expert to explore any of the above topics more fully!