From Lightbulbs to Logic
Sean P. Hickey · 2017
In K-12 classrooms, introductory computer science most often focuses on programming. However, teaching software really only tells half the story of how a computer works. Teaching hardware from an early point in a CS sequence helps to complete the picture for students and demystify what is happening under the hood of the machine. In this hands-on workshop, participants will work in teams to build computational circuits using switches, wires, breadboards, and LEDs. Starting from first principles of boolean logic and binary arithmetic, participants will collectively assemble a working multi-bit addition circuit. This workshop targets K-12 teachers (especially middle school and high school) who have experience teaching programming. Attendees should bring a laptop, if possible.