Big Ideas 2.0 @IGNITE NCCE 25
Seattle Convention Center - 611
Too much screentime? Discover unplugged edtech ideas, including unplugged computer science activities with K-5 and as well as an exploration of the importance of not forgetting how to do things "the old way" if technology fails.
CANCELLED - Tracey Sconyers, Computing Without Computers: Unplugged CS Activities for K-5
Update your elementary classroom curriculum with "unplugged" computational thinking activities that don't rely on screens. No prior computer science training necessary!
We'll cover how unplugged CS lessons help build essential skills like problem-solving, logical thinking, and teamwork, and how they are highly engaging for elementary students. We'll see how they can be naturally integrated with other subject matters like math, social studies, art, or PE, all while providing a refreshing break from technology.
We'll share recommendations and reviews of ready-to-use resources, as well as creative ideas for tailoring to your own lesson plans. Finally, we'll show practical examples of standalone lessons, auxiliary lessons to support an existing coding curriculum, and emergency lessons for subs or when tech goes unexpectedly awry.
Brian Burns, The Day Technology Failed but "The Old Way" Didn't
Imagine walking into a local coffee shop and not being able to order your favorite drink because technology failed. On July 19, 2024 technology failed and what I asked you to imagine became reality. Fortunately there were some baristas who had the fundamental understanding (aka the old way) of taking orders and making drinks. The day was saved! Another scenario to image is what if the circulation computer went down in the library. Could you easily locate a book on kittens for a student? What other old ways of doing things has technology replaced? Is there a need to know the old way? What happens when the old way isn't known anymore? How do we balance technology with fundamental understanding (the old way)?
IGNITE session
Presented by

Educator
NCCE
Tammy Brecht Dunbar, M.Ed., S.T.E.M. is a 2018-2019 Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow (India) and a Senior HP Teaching Fellow. Dunbar won the 2021 ISTE Interactive Video Conferencing Network Classroom Educator Award and 2018 ISTE Literacy PLN Award for #CultivateWorldLiteracy and was 2016 California Woman of the Year, Assembly District 12. A featured speaker at ISTE 2023’s Ignite as well as the U.S. State Department’s Global Teaching Dialogue 2023 and 2024, Dunbar is also a Distinguished NCCE Professional Learning Specialist and was the featured presenter at the 2017 Microsoft Hack the Classroom.

Chapter Leader
CSTA Washington
Tracey Sconyers is a retired computer science educator with over 15 years of experience teaching at the secondary and community college levels. She has facilitated professional development workshops for K-8 teachers, taught student summer courses and camps, and helped create nationally recognized middle school CS curricula. Tracey has served as an active chapter leader for the Washington CSTA for eight years. Prior to teaching, she spent two decades as a software developer and manager in Silicon Valley. Passionate about bridging theory and practice, she is dedicated to empowering educators and students in the rapidly evolving field of computer science.