Coding
We are living an exponentially changing World where technology is at the forefront of every significant development. It is important that we equip learners with the tools they will need to face future job markets. Computing has become one of the most desirable qualities in potential employees. One of the skills that is crucial to this development is coding. Facebook, internet browsers, Apps and websites are all created using code. Pupils must understand how these technologies work in order to understand the world around them. Learning code will enable pupils to do many things that they wouldn't normally be able to do. It is about giving pupil the skills they need to be able to quickly adapt to new situations and environments as they arise.
It is not enough for children just to understand how to use technology; they should know how it works too. Coding doesn't just develop computing skills and it doesn't mean pupils can just become developers; it improves upon problem solving and thinking skills as well as supporting key curriculum areas such as maths and science.
The following websites and programmes are extremely useful in the teaching and learning of coding and to help pupils understand the technologies around them.
It is not enough for children just to understand how to use technology; they should know how it works too. Coding doesn't just develop computing skills and it doesn't mean pupils can just become developers; it improves upon problem solving and thinking skills as well as supporting key curriculum areas such as maths and science.
The following websites and programmes are extremely useful in the teaching and learning of coding and to help pupils understand the technologies around them.
Daisy the Dinosaur (app)
www.daisythedinosaur.com
This app is a great starting point for learning the basics of computer programming. It is a fun free app with a simple to use drag and drop interface that pupils in any year can access and use to program Daisy. Pupils will learn all about sequencing and looping by solving the challenges built into the app.
The aim of the game is to get Daisy to the star to progress onto the next level. The player must choose which commands are the most suitable to use in order to achieve this. In this particular level, the player can either choose to place the 'move' command into the 'repeat 5' command or, put the 'move' command into the 'when shake' command so that every time they shake the iPad, daisy gets closer to the star.
By the time the pupils have completed all the challenges, they have learnt the basic coding skills and can progress onto programming their own sequences for Daisy. This could involve: shrinking, turning, growing, jumping, spinning and so on.
This app is a great starting point for learning the basics of computer programming. It is a fun free app with a simple to use drag and drop interface that pupils in any year can access and use to program Daisy. Pupils will learn all about sequencing and looping by solving the challenges built into the app.
The aim of the game is to get Daisy to the star to progress onto the next level. The player must choose which commands are the most suitable to use in order to achieve this. In this particular level, the player can either choose to place the 'move' command into the 'repeat 5' command or, put the 'move' command into the 'when shake' command so that every time they shake the iPad, daisy gets closer to the star.
By the time the pupils have completed all the challenges, they have learnt the basic coding skills and can progress onto programming their own sequences for Daisy. This could involve: shrinking, turning, growing, jumping, spinning and so on.
Hopscotch (app)
"Hopscotch teaches kids to code using simple, intuitive building blocks. Kids can create games, animations and other programs in this colorful, interactive environment. Program your characters to move, draw, and collide with each other, and use shaking, tilting, or even shouting at the iPad to control them. Hopscotch was inspired by MIT’s Scratch and gives kids a creative way to learn the fundamentals of computer programming." https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/hopscotch-coding-for-kids/id617098629?mt=8
In this video I talk through the process of making a simple game using Hopscotch. It is the perfect app to move onto after the pupils have grasped the basic concepts of coding from simpler apps like Daisy the Dinosaur. Children will need to be taught how to use this app and what each of the commands do. Once they have grasped these concepts, they can be free to be as creative as they can be and create something truly amazing.
The game in the video above could be made harder and more complex by adding more obstacles for the character overcome, or even having the obstacles moving in random patterns.
The next step on from this would be to introduce the pupils to Scratch. Scratch is very similar to Hopscotch in the way it works, but it uses more commands and is a lot more complex. This means that videos, animations and games can be more complex and the pupils can create something really magical.
The game in the video above could be made harder and more complex by adding more obstacles for the character overcome, or even having the obstacles moving in random patterns.
The next step on from this would be to introduce the pupils to Scratch. Scratch is very similar to Hopscotch in the way it works, but it uses more commands and is a lot more complex. This means that videos, animations and games can be more complex and the pupils can create something really magical.
Scratch
http://scratch.mit.edu/
"Scratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation with people from all over the world. As children create with Scratch, they learn to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically. Scratch is designed and maintained by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab." http://scratch.mit.edu/parents/
The following video further explains how to use scratch and why it is such an effective tool for learning in the classroom.
"Scratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation with people from all over the world. As children create with Scratch, they learn to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically. Scratch is designed and maintained by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab." http://scratch.mit.edu/parents/
The following video further explains how to use scratch and why it is such an effective tool for learning in the classroom.
(Taken from http://llk.media.mit.edu/scratch/Learning-with-Scratch.pdf)
Scratch can be used in maths to create games, literacy to create stories and even science to create science experiments. I cannot wait to start teaching with it in my classroom.
Scratch can be used in maths to create games, literacy to create stories and even science to create science experiments. I cannot wait to start teaching with it in my classroom.
CodeClub - Setting up a coding club in school
"Code Club is a nationwide network of free volunteer-led after-school coding clubs for children aged 9-11." https://www.codeclub.org.uk/
Code Club creates projects for their volunteers to teach during after school clubs. They make projects that teach children coding through making games, websites and animations. Code Club has designed it's own syllabus to be taught across four terms. Each term the pupils learn and make progress in coding whilst having the opportunity to use their imaginations to create fun and diverse projects.
In term one pupils will learn the basic of Scratch to create toys, games and animations. Term two allows pupils to progress through Scratch and encourages them use high levels of creativity and problem solving. Term three is all about HTML and how it is used to make websites. Term four introduces real life programming, looking at fractals, ciphers and turtles.
Code Club aim to have a club in place at every single primary school in the country.
Code Club creates projects for their volunteers to teach during after school clubs. They make projects that teach children coding through making games, websites and animations. Code Club has designed it's own syllabus to be taught across four terms. Each term the pupils learn and make progress in coding whilst having the opportunity to use their imaginations to create fun and diverse projects.
In term one pupils will learn the basic of Scratch to create toys, games and animations. Term two allows pupils to progress through Scratch and encourages them use high levels of creativity and problem solving. Term three is all about HTML and how it is used to make websites. Term four introduces real life programming, looking at fractals, ciphers and turtles.
Code Club aim to have a club in place at every single primary school in the country.
Above is a screen shot from the Code Club website. As you can see the website is very easy to navigate. All you need to is select a postcode and you're ready to go.
"Code Club is about fun, creativity and learning through exploring. It’s important that the children enjoy their time at Code Club and that it doesn’t feel like another school lesson. They should understand that they’re in charge of the computer, and can (and should) make it do what they want, not the other way around.Other benefits of Code Club, such as learning about computational thinking, or developing expertise in coding, are secondary to these two objectives. Having said that, children will absorb all these wonderful skills as they work through the projects rather than through didactic teaching." https://www.codeclub.org.uk/about
"Code Club is about fun, creativity and learning through exploring. It’s important that the children enjoy their time at Code Club and that it doesn’t feel like another school lesson. They should understand that they’re in charge of the computer, and can (and should) make it do what they want, not the other way around.Other benefits of Code Club, such as learning about computational thinking, or developing expertise in coding, are secondary to these two objectives. Having said that, children will absorb all these wonderful skills as they work through the projects rather than through didactic teaching." https://www.codeclub.org.uk/about