Is coding only for geeks, gamers or geniuses?
Is coding only for people who like maths, logic, and analytical thinking? For geeks, gamers or geniuses? Or is coding a means to create for the arts, human-centred design, empathy, storytelling, human connection, building imaginary worlds, characters and adventures, social impact and creative expression.
Learn to code: Part 3 & Let’s start from Scratch
In case you missed it… On Thursday 11 May, we ran our third and final session in a three-part series of web conferences: Let’s start from Scratch and learn to code. Part 3: Let’s build a computer game and make learning about Cartesian coordinates fun. Learn about algorithms, sequencing, branching and looping.
What is the best programming language to get a job?
Coding classes for children are so much fun. They build computer games, animated stories and digital artwork. After a hard day at school, they come to us and we let our imaginations run wild and be creative. In the process, they learn timeless skills such as computational thinking, problem solving, logic, design and creativity.
But these questions makes me wonder, do children’s piano classes, swimming classes or speech and drama classes get asked the same questions?
Knight Collects the Coins in the Castle
Scratch is a versatile, online program that can be used to teach several important skills as well as maintaining a level of fun and engagement through the use of game and animation creation. Today, we’ll focus on a game called Knight collects the coins in the castle, which you can find here. This game is fun to make and play and uses concepts like x and y coordinates, sensing, decision making and variables. These are important skills, both for computer programing and for the development of problem solving skills.
Problems are an Opportunity
Running my own business means days filled with fire fighting and trouble shooting. Customers come to me with problems, employees come to me with problems, partner organisations and other stakeholders come to me with problems. But I love it. Problems are an opportunity to excel, highlight our strengths, create value and develop the best solution in the market. Problems are a call to action to move us to create a desired future.
Build Your Own Computer Game
Scratch is a great platform to learn to code because it is a drag and drop environment. You get to explore and discover computer programming concepts with minimal syntax and typing.
Learn how to build the game Forest of Danger using Scratch.
How did I get here? What’s next for Coding Kids?
My name is Emily de la Pena and I am the Founder of Coding Kids. I started Coding Kids in January 2016. Now, 15 months later we are operating at 20 schools in South East Queensland and travelling throughout regional Queensland. How did I get here? I’m not a teacher nor am I a programmer. So let me start at the beginning.
Integrate Digital Technologies
Integrating the new Digital Technologies into your already choc-a-bloc class timetable can be tricky.
The Digital Technologies curriculum has now become mandatory in Queensland state schools. The remaining Australian states will soon follow. The Digital Technologies curriculum is not a stand alone subject, it is to be integrated into current curriculum subjects.
Design functional computer rooms for better learning environments
I have seen a lot of different types of computer room layouts in my time. Some have been more functional than others. If you are designing your computer room from scratch, here are my tips on how to make it an optimal learning environment for your students.