EarSketch: A Web-based Environment for Teaching Introductory Computer Science Through Music Remixing

EarSketch (http://earsketch.gatech.edu) is a free integrated curriculum, software toolset, audio loop library, and social sharing site that teaches computing principles through digital music composition and remixing. EarSketch students write code in either Python or JavaScript to make music, with a focus on popular genres such as hip hop and dubstep, while learning computing concepts such as variables, iteration, conditionals, strings, lists, functions, and recursion. Attendees to this demonstration session will be introduced to a new web-based version of EarSketch that integrates a code editor, digital audio workstation (DAW) music production interface, curriculum browser, and sharing service into a single integrated browser-based learning environment. This demo is of interest to secondary and early post secondary CS educators and to computing education researchers interested in STEAM and/or broadening participation. No prior musical knowledge or experience is expected and no prior programming experience with Python or JavaScript is required.