For more than 40 years, The Logo Summer Institutes have offered a relaxed atmosphere with small groups of colleagues and a great deal of personal attention from experienced workshop leaders. In 2020, this annual workshop was transformed into a virtual experience, conducted via Zoom and online discussion groups. Although we did miss being together for an in-person, shared learning experience, the virtual format had some advantages. We were able to offer reduced registration fees, no travel expenses, and a more flexible schedule. People were able to attend from anywhere in the world. With continued uncertainty around the Covid-19 pandemic, the Logo Summer Institute will again be virtual in 2021.

The Logo Summer Institute offers:

• a project-based approach that supports computational thinking, and STEAM learning and teaching.
• an individualized program that accommodates novices as well as more experienced participants, teachers of different subjects, those who teach in after-school programs and other informal settings as well as in classrooms, and teachers who are currently working in virtual classrooms.
• a model of how to organize teaching and curriculum; this year with an emphasis on remote teaching and learning strategies.

The Logo Summer Institute approach to teaching and learning is progressive and learner-centered. This means that we accommodate the interests, learning style, and needs of each participant so whatever your educational philosophy and teaching circumstances, your Logo Summer Institute experience will be tailored to your personal and professional requirements.

Scratch has a central role in the Logo Summer Institute. For novices it offers a comfortable introduction to computer programming, or "coding" as it is often called. Beyond that, it enables one to create significant projects such as games, animations, stories and reports, multimedia presentations, and simulations based on personal interest and related to various curriculum areas.

The common thread in Logo Summer Institute activities and projects is creative computing – using technology to support the designing and building personally meaningful projects, and to explore powerful ideas. We use Scratch and other programming languages. For robotics and physical computing we use the Finch, Hummingbird, and micro:bit among other platforms. Some projects involve creating artifacts with 3D printing, laser cutting and etching, and embroidery. It’s unlikely that you have the equipment at home that is needed to fabricate these projects, so we are partnering with IDEAStudio to provide the necessary services at a distance. You send the file, they fabricate the project and send it to you, or if you are in the Houston area, you may pick it up..

The workshop has a flexible schedule, allowing you to manage other responsibilities during the two-week period. Sessions are scheduled for the mornings between 9:00 AM and noon (EDT). Some meetings will be intended for all participants, but for the most part, you will attend small-group sessions geared to your own needs and interests. You will be able to determine which sessions to participate in and your own best schedule for working independently on your projects. Many sessions will be repeated so as to offer you more scheduling options.

Afternoons are reserved for independent exploration and project development, and facilitator office hours where you can get assistance or drop by to chat. Informal discussions and impromptu sessions are also scheduled during the afternoons based on participants’ interests and needs. Sessions are recorded so if you miss one, you may view it at your convenience. These recordings will remain available after the Logo Summer Institute ends for review as needed.

Workshop Leaders

The Logo Summer Institute facilitators are classroom teachers and professional development specialists with extensive experience in creative computing and curriculum integration in grades K-12 and in all subject areas. They have also gained experience working with their students remotely as their schools closed during the Covid-19 Pandemic. They bring this experience to the virtual Logo Summer Institute. Since the members of the team each have their own interests and special areas of expertise, you will have support and guidance in a wide variety of project areas and technologies. Everyone on the team is fluent in Scratch and several other programming languages. The team for 2021 is:

• Alissa Blumberg of the Spence School
• Hope Chafiian of the Spence School
• Erik Nauman of the Hewitt School
• Michael Tempel of the Logo Foundation

Turtle Art - The art of programming, the programming of art

Twenty Things to Do with a Computer, 50 years later

Remote programming of Hummingbird robots

Programming the new Finch 2 robot

Introducing Lynx, a cloud-based programming environment based on MicroWorlds