Welcome! I’m Bianca, and alongside Tanner, we’re your Common Sense Editors here to introduce you to innovative educational tools every Tuesday. Today, Tanner will guide us through an exciting program called Ozaria.
Ozaria, accessible at ozaria.com, is a creation of the CodeCombat team, known for their successful integration of computer science and gaming. This new program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to enhance Computer Science Education, making it a potential cornerstone for any educational program.
Ozaria is available for free trial, covering grades three to twelve, and can be accessed via the web. The trial includes the first chapter, which is rich in content and allows unlimited exploration. This trial is notably generous compared to others in the market.
Teachers can set up classes and utilize a robust dashboard to monitor student progress. Although I can’t demonstrate this feature without a full classroom setup, the platform also supports tracking of student projects. A significant aspect of Ozaria is the capstone projects students complete at the end of each chapter.
Ozaria offers an extensive professional development program, ranging from 30 to 40 hours. This could be an excellent opportunity for educators to enhance their computer science skills, especially over the summer. Importantly, no prior computer science expertise is required to teach Ozaria.
In Ozaria, students engage in real coding using either Python or JavaScript. The coding interface is on the right side of the screen, where students control a character in an adventure game. This setup will be familiar to those experienced in game-based coding. The platform includes a code bank with explanations and an autocomplete feature, which can be disabled for advanced learners.
The curriculum guide is well-organized, with each chapter accompanied by lesson slides that provide a clear instructional path. Lessons include recaps, previews, direct instruction, and concept checks, which are quizzes tracked in the dashboard. Cut scenes are integrated to offer context and guidance.
Students eventually engage in independent practice, exploring game-based examples. There are extension activities for additional at-home work or for students who finish early, such as creating maps and writing code to navigate them. Lessons are structured with regular check-ins and wrap-ups.
Ozaria offers a detailed curricular pathway, with each chapter comprising multiple sessions. The pacing guide suggests a 19-week duration, providing an extensive educational experience. The scope and sequence document outlines all covered topics, making Ozaria a standout in game-based coding education.
Overall, we were thoroughly impressed with Ozaria’s first chapter. If this program piques your interest, we highly recommend exploring it further!
Thank you, Tanner! For more reviews, visit our website at commonsense.org/education, and check out more episodes on our YouTube channel. Thank you for joining us, and we’ll see you next time!
Begin by accessing the free trial of Ozaria at ozaria.com. Dive into the first chapter and explore the content available. Pay attention to the structure of the lessons and the integration of coding and gaming. Reflect on how this approach can enhance your understanding of computer science concepts.
Engage with the game-based learning experience by choosing either Python or JavaScript to control your character in Ozaria. Focus on how the coding interface supports your learning and consider the benefits of real-time feedback and problem-solving within the game environment.
Challenge yourself by completing a capstone project at the end of the chapter. Use the skills you’ve acquired to create a unique project that demonstrates your understanding of the concepts learned. Share your project with peers for feedback and discuss the learning process.
Take advantage of Ozaria’s professional development program. Dedicate time to enhance your computer science skills through the 30 to 40-hour training. Reflect on how this training can improve your teaching methods or your understanding of coding principles.
Review the curriculum guide and scope and sequence document provided by Ozaria. Analyze how the curriculum is organized and how it supports a comprehensive educational pathway. Consider how this structure can be applied to other learning environments or subjects.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hello everyone! I am Bianca, and this is Tanner. We are your Common Sense Editors here every Tuesday to walk through a different tool that you can use in your classroom. What do you have for us today, Tanner?
We’re going to talk about Ozaria, which you can find at ozaria.com. This program is developed by the CodeCombat team. If any of you are familiar with that tool, this team has been working to bridge the gap between computer science and gaming in interesting ways. CodeCombat has been a long-running platform that has proven to be very successful, and now they’ve created the Ozaria program, which is a comprehensive curriculum for Computer Science Education. It’s quite impressive and extensive, and it could really serve as the anchor of a computer science program for you.
Let’s take a look at it. Note that it is free to try, but you will need to pay for it after the trial. It covers grades three to twelve and is available on the web. Here, I’ve logged into a trial account. With the trial, you get the first chapter free, which includes a lot of content, and you can spend as much time in that first chapter as you want. It’s a great trial, especially compared to other free trials.
You can add your classes, and there’s a nice teacher dashboard that tracks student progress effectively. I can’t show you that in detail because I don’t have a full classroom set up, but there’s also a place to track student projects. A big part of this program is that students contribute capstone projects for each chapter. Additionally, there’s an exceptional professional development experience available. This PD is extensive, ranging from 30 to 40 hours, which could be a great option over the summer if you want to brush up on your computer science skills before teaching Ozaria. However, you don’t need any computer science expertise to teach Ozaria.
Now, let’s take a look at the game experience. In Ozaria, you do real coding and can choose between Python and JavaScript. You code on the right side, and on the screen, you control a character in an adventure game. This will look familiar to anyone who has done game-based coding. You can type your commands, and the character moves based on your code. There’s a nice code bank that explains everything, and as you type, it can pre-populate suggestions. You can also turn off the autocomplete feature if you want to challenge more advanced students.
The curriculum guide is really outstanding. It looks complicated at first, but it’s very structured. Each chapter comes with lesson slides that effectively guide the lessons. For example, there’s a recap section and a preview of what everyone will be doing in class. Each lesson includes direct instruction and concept checks, which are quizzes tracked in the dashboard. There are also cut scenes throughout to provide context and instruction.
Eventually, students engage in independent practice, where they can explore the game-based examples. There are extension activities for at-home work or for students who finish early. For example, students can create their own maps in the game and write code to navigate those maps. The lessons are well-structured, with check-ins and wrap-ups.
This program offers a comprehensive curricular pathway, with each chapter containing multiple sessions. The pacing guide indicates that it spans 19 weeks, which is quite extensive. The scope and sequence outline everything covered, making it a rare find in terms of game-based coding education.
Overall, we were very impressed with what we saw in the first chapter of Ozaria. If this sounds interesting to you, we definitely recommend checking it out!
Thanks, Tanner! You can find more reviews like this on our website, commonsense.org/education, and check out more episodes on our YouTube channel. Thank you so much for watching, and we’ll see you next time!
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This version maintains the core content while removing informal language and filler phrases for clarity and professionalism.
Ozaria – A game-based learning platform designed to teach computer science concepts through interactive storytelling and coding challenges. – Example sentence: “Ozaria provides an engaging way for students to learn coding by immersing them in a narrative-driven environment.”
Coding – The process of writing instructions for a computer to execute, using a programming language. – Example sentence: “Coding is an essential skill for developing software applications and automating tasks.”
Curriculum – A structured set of educational experiences and learning objectives designed to teach specific skills or knowledge. – Example sentence: “The computer science curriculum includes modules on algorithms, data structures, and software development.”
Education – The process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, and habits, often through teaching and training. – Example sentence: “Education in computer science equips students with critical problem-solving skills and technical expertise.”
Computer – An electronic device capable of processing data and performing tasks according to a set of instructions called a program. – Example sentence: “A computer can execute complex calculations in milliseconds, making it an indispensable tool in modern technology.”
Teachers – Individuals who facilitate learning by guiding students through educational content and helping them develop skills and knowledge. – Example sentence: “Teachers play a crucial role in introducing students to programming languages and computational thinking.”
Projects – Assignments or tasks designed to apply learned concepts in practical scenarios, often involving problem-solving and creativity. – Example sentence: “Students are encouraged to work on coding projects to reinforce their understanding of programming concepts.”
Python – A high-level programming language known for its readability and versatility, widely used in web development, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. – Example sentence: “Python’s simplicity and extensive libraries make it a popular choice for beginners and professionals alike.”
JavaScript – A versatile programming language primarily used for creating interactive and dynamic content on websites. – Example sentence: “JavaScript enables developers to enhance user experience by adding interactive elements to web pages.”
Learning – The process of acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences through study, experience, or teaching. – Example sentence: “Continuous learning is essential in the rapidly evolving field of technology to stay updated with the latest advancements.”
