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ever had one of those moments like you're talking to someone

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and they bring up some skill they learned way back when,

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like years ago in school.

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And it turns out that thing is still super relevant

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to what they do now.

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All the time.

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Right, it really makes you think

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about those foundational things we learn

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and which ones really stick with us.

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Definitely.

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Well, today we're diving into this article.

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It's from hackscience.education.

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Okay.

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It was posted on April 6th, 2024.

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And the title is,

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Let's Diversify Computer Education.

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Interesting.

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And it got me thinking about that very idea.

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Because the article opens with this awesome story

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about this former student.

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Oh, cool.

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And like 12 years after being

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in this particular teacher's computer class,

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he has a job interview in IT.

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And totally credits that class with his success.

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Oh, wow.

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That's amazing.

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Isn't that something?

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Yeah, it really speaks to, you know,

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the long-term impact that a good teacher

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or a good educational approach can have.

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Absolutely.

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Like what was it about that class

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that made such a difference over a decade later?

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Yeah.

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So the article's main argument is that we should be,

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quote, preparing students to be fast soul computer users.

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End quote.

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I like that.

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Yeah.

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Right.

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And what does that actually even mean?

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Like in the practical sense.

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Right.

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It's a great phrase.

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But what's the application, right?

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Exactly.

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I think, you know, it's kind of like,

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you know, if you think about someone who knows

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how to use a specific tool.

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Okay.

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Versus someone who understands the broader principles

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behind a certain like category of work.

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I see what you mean.

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Right.

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So like, you might be amazing at using a hammer.

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Sure.

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But if you need to like build a bridge,

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that's not really gonna help you.

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Right, right.

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So a fast soul computer user,

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I think what the author is getting at

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is someone who isn't just comfortable

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with the specific piece of software,

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but they understand the underlying concepts

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of how computers work,

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how operating systems function,

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how to troubleshoot problems, you know?

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They're able to approach any new digital challenge

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with confidence because they have

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that deeper understanding.

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So it's more about like the adaptable skill set.

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Exactly.

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As opposed to like just the,

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the rote learning of a specific program.

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Exactly.

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It's like learning different languages.

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Yes.

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You know?

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It opens up new ways of thinking and communicating.

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It's like having more tools in your toolbox, right?

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Totally.

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And the article gives us really interesting example

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of a classroom where they have Windows computers,

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Macs and Linux machines.

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Oh wow.

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All in one classroom.

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All in one room.

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That's wild.

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Yeah. I mean, imagine that.

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I mean, I can see how that would be like incredibly valuable

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to be exposed to all these different ways of doing things.

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But also, wouldn't that be super confusing?

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I mean, logistically, I'm sure it was a nightmare

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for the teacher, but.

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Yeah, I bet.

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Think about the problem solving skills

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that those students developed.

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Constantly switching between different interfaces,

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file structures, keyboard shortcuts.

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Yeah, yeah.

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It forces you to think on your feet and adapt.

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I mean, I bet there were some frustrating moments,

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but probably a lot of aha moments too.

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Totally.

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And speaking of like, you know, different environments

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and things like that.

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The article also mentions a bunch of different software

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used in this classroom.

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Google Docs, Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, OpenShot,

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iMovie, Windows Movie Maker.

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Some of these, to be honest, I'm not even familiar with,

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like OpenShot.

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Oh yeah.

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OpenShot is a video editing software,

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kind of like iMovie.

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But it's open source.

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Which means it's free to use and modify.

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It's got its own quirks, you know.

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It's got its own interface, its own set of features.

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But even if you're familiar with other editing programs,

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it would still challenge you in a different way.

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Exactly.

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And it's not just about using a bunch of random programs.

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It's about understanding that there are multiple ways

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to achieve the same goal.

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And each tool has its own strengths and weaknesses.

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And that's such a valuable, like, you know, real world skill.

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Absolutely.

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And that kind of critical thinking is so important.

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Especially in a world where technology

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is constantly evolving.

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Of course, you know, the reality is that a lot of schools

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are very Chromebook heavy these days.

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For sure.

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And I get it.

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They're affordable.

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They're easy to manage.

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Right.

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But I also wonder if, like, that uniformity

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maybe has some downsides.

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Yeah, there's definitely pros and cons.

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I mean, Chromebooks are great for basic tasks.

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Sure.

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Internet access.

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But they do kind of limit students' exposure

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to those different operating systems.

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And the flexibility that comes with, you know,

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having to navigate those differences,

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it's kind of like if you only learn how

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to drive an automatic car.

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OK, yeah.

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You might be a great driver.

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Right.

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But if you were suddenly put into a situation

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where you had to drive a stick shift.

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You'd be lost.

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You'd be in trouble.

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Yeah, that's a great analogy.

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Yeah.

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The article also brings up this point about the importance

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of, quote, autonomy, end quote.

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Yes.

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In computing choices.

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I love that.

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I love that idea.

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Like giving students that ownership, right,

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to make their own decisions about what tools to use.

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Empowerment.

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Yeah, but how do we balance that with, you know,

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the structured learning that obviously has to happen as well?

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Right.

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It's finding that balance.

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Like we need to provide that strong foundation

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in core concepts, but also create opportunities

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for students to explore those different options,

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to experiment, you know, maybe even

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make some mistakes along the way.

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I think that's how we really learn.

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Right.

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And there was this phrase in the article

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that I really liked about being an, quote,

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active assessor, end quote, of IT.

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Oh, interesting.

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You know, empowering those students to evaluate tools.

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Choose the right one for the task at hand.

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And not be afraid to step outside their comfort zone.

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So if we, like, zoom out a little bit here,

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and we look at the big picture, it

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seems like what we're talking about with diversifying

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computer education, it's not just

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about using a lot of different devices.

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It's about fostering a certain mindset, right?

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Absolutely.

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Flexibility, problem solving, informed decision making.

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It's about preparing students to be confident,

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adaptable users of technology, no matter

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what the future throws at them.

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And that brings us to a question for you, listener.

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Ooh.

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If you could design the ideal computer education

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environment, what would it look like?

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What would you prioritize?

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Cost.

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Ease of use.

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A really diverse, challenging learning experience.

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It's a tough one, but I think it's a really important question

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to think about.

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For sure.

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Thanks for joining us for this deep dive.

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Yeah, this was great.

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It was really fun to talk about this.

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A lot to think about.

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Absolutely.

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Really interesting article.

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Yes, definitely.