Brian Aspinall is a former classroom teacher, current educational speaker, and university instructor at York University in Ontario. He’s from Ontario but leads workshops and other EdTech-related courses for educators all around North America. His mission is to help educators get comfortable teaching with technology—specifically technology that helps students develop relevant skills. By focusing on how they can leverage these problem-solving tools, Brian has created a dynamic community. It's also grown substantially with the release of his Code Breaker, Block Breaker, and Risk Taker books.
With a passionate teaching style, Brian hosts STEM workshops for both K-12 educators and higher education faculty members. He’s proud of the enthusiasm these educators show for this topic and he's noticed the same question coming up time and time again: Where can we get these classroom EdTech tools like the Makey Makey, Ozobot Evo, and micro:bit? With such a huge focus on shifting school curriculum to include coding, computational thinking, and problem solving, Brian has helped educators learn more about these tools, including where to get them, and advanced his mission in a variety of ways.
Besides speaking, Brian has also authored three popular books on using new approaches and technologies to spark deeper learning. Code Breaker, Block Breaker, and Risk Taker each contain tips and inspiration for educators to successfully reach their students. Having been in classrooms in the past, Brian has applied his experiences in sharing this wisdom with educators. Many of them also know the importance of connecting with today's students and capitalizing on opportunities to inspire them.
Brian's Code Breaker book.
In Code Breaker, Brian describes how to increase classroom creativity, remix assessment, and develop a class of coders. Ensuring students know how to effectively communicate their ideas and how to collaborate as problem solvers is so important in today’s world and technology can help them build those key soft skills. In the book, Brian discusses challenging students think critically, helping them identify problems, and empowering them to develop solutions. Using coding and computational thinking, students can demonstrate their learning, turn curriculum expectations into skills, and let their passions shine. And, Code Breaker is a collection of ideas for how teachers can help make this happen.
Next, Block Breaker is similar to Code Breaker and features Brian’s take on engaging students in the digital age and helping them apply what they’re learning beyond the classroom. Throughout the book, Brian references his experiences and those of fellow educators in teaching with the popular Minecraft game. Minecraft quickly became a legitimate teaching tool, especially in coding courses, since it offers students immediate feedback on a personalized platform, encourages inquiry and collaboration, and helps kids think critically about spatial reasoning. In Block Breaker, Brian has included lesson ideas and learning strategies for using this technology in 21st century teaching and learning.
Taking risks as an educator.
As for Risk Taker, this work encourages educators to take risks in the classroom with the goal of helping students discover new passions and excitement. Brian believes that, in order to prepare students for the future, they need to be creative, collaborative, and know how to communicate their ideas. By encouraging classroom teachers to take more instructional risks, they can unlock increasingly relevant learning opportunities for students. Also, passion is something we shouldn't underestimate when it comes to today’s students. Giving them the freedom to discover new ones and apply them to what they’re learning helps enhance engagement every day.
Besides Code Breaker and his other books, Brian has three instructional courses that help classroom teachers learn key coding concepts. Of course, they’re designed to empower educators and inspire them to use this knowledge and these experiences in their classrooms. It's then that they can help their students develop the same skills and insights—at whatever grade level they’re teaching. You can access the courses through Brian's website by clicking the Free Courses link in the header. There is a free Python coding course as well as paid courses on the micro:bit and Scratch.
Applying Brian's principles and becoming a Code Breaker.
Having been in the classroom, Brian understands the methods and experiences that resonate with both teachers and students. His innovative approach to instruction and dynamic way of explaining things have helped countless educators provide meaningful opportunities for students. To learn more about him, Code Breaker, and what else he offers for educators, check out Brian's website and follow him on Twitter! Be sure to follow us as well to keep up with all the latest STEM content.