Careers in programming
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify the skills and habits good programmers develop and use a range of approaches to program a solution.
Key learning points
- Programmers have to develop good habits when developing code.
- Programmers come from a range of backgrounds and have a range of experiecnce.
- There are alternative approaches to programming solutions.
- Appending to a CSV file is just like appending to a standard text file.
Keywords
Programmer - a person who writes computer programs
Solution - a means of solving a problem
Append() - a file handling mode that allows a program to write extra data at the end of a file without erasing the existing contents of the file
Common misconception
There is only one correct solution to a problem when programming.
There are lots of different approaches to solving a problem in programming. Some solutions can work better than others but the first stage in getting a solution is ensuring that it provides the expected outputs that are required.
Teacher tip
This lesson models some alternative approaches to programming, which are different to those modelled in other lessons. It is important to explain to pupils that the approach used previously has been used to explain and demonstrate how code is working.
Equipment
Pupils will need access to a device that can edit and run Python programs. Examples in this lesson use the RPF Code Editor https://oak.link/python-editor
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Writing to a CSV file happens:
Q2.To write data to a CSV file, you need to:
Q3.What does the join() method do?
Q4.Which of the following is a dynamic data structure?
Q5.Arrange these steps for writing data to a CSV file in the correct order:
Q6.Arrange these steps for using the join() method:
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the file operations with their descriptions:
prepare the file for writing
add data to the file
finalise and save changes
Q2.Which file handling mode allows you to add data to the end of a file without erasing its existing content?
Q3.Appending to a CSV file is similar to:
Q4.Is there only one approach to solving a problem in programming?
Q5.What do programmers include in their code to explain its purpose or functionality?
Q6.What is a benefit of having multiple approaches to programming solutions?
To help you plan your 11 computer science lesson on: Careers in programming, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 computer science lesson on: Careers in programming, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 computer science lessons from the Programming: dictionaries and data files unit, dive into the full secondary computer science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.