Supporting Sustainable Computing Education 🌱

On Saturday 13 June, the Pytch team welcomed a group of enthusiastic educators from across Ireland to an interactive, hands-on online workshop exploring how Pytch can be used in the classroom.

The workshop formed part of our ongoing efforts to support the long-term use of Pytch in schools. By engaging directly with teachers, we can gather valuable feedback and ensure that Pytch and its accompanying resources continue to evolve in ways that reflect the realities of teaching and learning.

Exploring Pytch in Practice

We were delighted to see that Pytch is already being used in classrooms around the country. Participants ranged from teachers supporting first-year students and special classes to those already using Pytch with second-year, third-year and Transition Year groups. Their questions and contributions focused on practical classroom implementation, resource development and effective ways to manage student assignments and learning activities.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the workshop was hearing how teachers are interested in adapting coding activities to suit different subjects and learning contexts. Ideas shared during the session included using Pytch to support projects linked to English literature, Geography and coding clubs, highlighting the flexibility of the platform across a range of educational settings.

Learning from Teachers 📚

The workshop generated a number of useful suggestions for future development. Participants shared their experiences of supporting students with file management, introducing new programming concepts and helping learners make the transition from familiar block-based environments to text-based coding. This feedback is invaluable as we continue to improve Pytch and its supporting resources.

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the challenge of maintaining student enthusiasm when moving from block-based coding environments to Python. Participants felt that Pytch’s familiar programming model, combined with its extensive support resources, could help make this transition more accessible and engaging for learners.

Thank You to Our Participants ☀️

We were particularly grateful to the teachers who gave up part of a sunny Saturday morning to join us. Their willingness to share experiences, test resources and contribute ideas reflects the commitment of educators across Ireland to providing engaging and creative computing experiences for young people.

Acknowledgements 🙏

The Pytch team would like to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Róisín Faherty for her assistance in promoting the workshop. We are equally grateful to the Education Centres and to Helen O’Kelly, Secretary of CESI, for their ongoing support and for helping us connect with educators interested in computing education.

Looking Ahead

The workshop reinforced the importance of building a community of educators around Pytch. By supporting teachers and encouraging the sharing of ideas and experiences, we hope to continue expanding opportunities for young people to engage with coding, creativity and computational thinking.

As always, the Pytch team is happy to support teachers who are interested in using Pytch in their classrooms. If you would like to learn more, please get in touch at info@pytch.org.