Tag Archives: education

Why SwiftUI is a better option than Python for teaching coding in high school

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As a #digitaltechnologies teacher, I am always on the lookout for new and innovative tools that can help my students better understand the concepts I am teaching. In the past, I have considered popular programming languages like #Python and #Java for teaching app development. However, after evaluating various options, I have found that #SwiftUI is the best choice for my students. Not only does it make the development process faster and more intuitive, but it also provides students with a modern and visually appealing platform to build their skills on. In this blog, I would like to share my reasons for why I choose SwiftUI over other programming languages such as Python and Java for teaching app development to my students.

SwiftUI is a powerful tool for teaching coding to students in school. It has a number of advantages over using Python which is increasingly popular, making it a great choice for educators who are looking to engage and inspire their students.

One of the main advantages of SwiftUI is its ease of use. Unlike Python, which can have a steep learning curve for students who are new to coding, SwiftUI is designed to be intuitive and easy to learn. This makes it a great choice for students who are new to coding and for educators who are looking to teach coding in a way that is accessible and engaging.

Another advantage of SwiftUI is its visual nature. Unlike Python, which is a text-based programming language, SwiftUI is designed to be used with a visual interface. This makes it a great choice for students who learn best through visual cues and for educators who are looking to create more engaging and interactive coding experiences. Additionally, SwiftUI’s visual interface allows students to easily see the results of their coding, which can be a powerful motivator for them to keep learning.

SwiftUI is also a great choice for educators who are looking to teach coding in a way that is relevant and applicable to real-world situations. This programming language can be used to create interactive and visual applications for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. This means that students can learn coding skills that are relevant to the current job market, which can help them prepare for future careers in software development.

SwiftUI also offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to teaching coding. As an open-source language, there are a lot of resources available to educators and students, including tutorials, videos, and sample code. This means that educators can easily customize their curriculum and create coding projects that are tailored to their students’ interests and abilities.

Importantly for students who want to move on to active app development and publishing on the App Store there is a natural and seamless pathway. From the beginning they have access to the industry level developer tools in SwiftUI makes it easy for students to innovate and build their skills and start creating applications that meet the standards of the App Store. They can use their knowledge of Swift to add features and functionality to their apps. Additionally, the swift language and the iOS platform is widely used across many industries int he form of apps, so students who learn SwiftUI will have a valuable skill that can be applied to other areas of app development. By learning SwiftUI, students can not only create great apps for the App Store, by using two resources, a computer and time with the imagination.

Lastly, SwiftUI is a modern language that is constantly being updated and improved. This means that students who learn coding using SwiftUI will be learning skills that are relevant and up-to-date, which can help them stay competitive in the job market. This also means that educators using SwiftUI can keep learning and implementing the latest features and tools the language has to offer.

SwiftUI is a powerful tool for teaching coding to students in school. Its ease of use, visual nature, relevance to the job market, flexibility and modernity make it a great choice for educators who are looking to engage and inspire their students. Its growing popularity in the industry, makes it a valuable language for students to learn as well. This can help them prepare for future careers in software development and stay competitive in the job market.

Go try it out…you won’t be disappointed.

Where to start

  • Swift: https://www.apple.com/au/swift/playgrounds/
  • Python: https://www.python.org/downloads/

Personal finance resources for Career Educators

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The website https://moneysmart.gov.au/#find-teaching-resources is an extremely useful resource for educators. This website, provided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), offers a wide range of teaching resources and materials related to personal finance and financial literacy.

The site provides lesson plans, activities, and games that are tailored to different age groups and curriculum areas, making it easy for educators to find resources that are appropriate for their students. The materials are designed to help students develop the skills and knowledge they need to make informed financial decisions and to manage their money effectively.

Some of the topics covered on the site include budgeting, saving, investing, and credit management. The resources are designed to be engaging and interactive, making them a great way to get students interested in personal finance and to help them develop important life skills.

In addition to the resources for educators, the site also provides a range of tools and resources for students, including calculators, quizzes, and interactive games. These tools can be a great way to supplement the lessons and activities provided by the site and to help students apply what they have learned in a practical way.

Go and look at, https://moneysmart.gov.au/#find-teaching-resources is an excellent resource for educators looking to integrate financial literacy education into their curriculum. The website offers a wide range of high-quality, age-appropriate materials that can help students develop the skills they need to manage their money effectively.

Using ChatGPT for general revision

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As a parent of three growing students, I know how challenging it can be to revise and edit written assignments. The revision process can be time-consuming and overwhelming. But, with the help of ChatGPT, their revising of written assignments has become a lot easier. In this blog post, I will share how they now use ChatGPT for revision, and provide an example plan and tasks for other students to follow.

One of the most significant benefits of using ChatGPT for revision is its ability to detect and correct grammar and punctuation errors. This has saved them a lot of time and effort because they no longer have to manually proofread their work. ChatGPT has also helped to improve  vocabulary by suggesting alternative words and phrases to make the writing more readable and sophisticated.

Another benefit of using ChatGPT for revision is its ability to generate new content. This has been particularly helpful when they are struggling to come up with new ideas or need to expand on a particular topic. ChatGPT can generate new sentences, paragraphs, or even entire sections of text based on a given prompt or topic. This has helped them to add more depth and detail to their  writing, making it more interesting and engaging.

To incorporate ChatGPT into my revision process, we created a plan and set of tasks to follow. Below is an example plan and tasks that they follow:

  1. Input my text into ChatGPT
  2. Review the suggested corrections and improvements provided by ChatGPT
  3. Make any necessary changes to my text
  4. Generate new content with ChatGPT by providing a prompt or topic
  5. Review and edit the generated content
  6. Incorporate the new content into my text
  7. Proofread the final version of my text using ChatGPT
  8. Submit the final version of my text
  9. By following this plan, I have been able to effectively use ChatGPT to improve my writing and make the revision process more efficient.

ChatGPT has been a game-changer for them when it comes to revising written assignments. Its ability to detect and correct errors, suggest improvements, and generate new content has saved them a lot of time and effort. As a student, they can highly recommend incorporating ChatGPT into the revision process. By following the above plan and tasks, you too can use ChatGPT to improve your writing and make the revision process more efficient. It’s a great tool for students of all ages and skill levels to improve their writing skills and get better grades.