Which programming languages should my child learn?
Scratch, Python, Javascript, Java, C#. Are you starting to feel overwhelmed already? And it doesn’t get any easier when your tech-savvy friend recommends one language, your HR friend recommends another and a recent news article says that a third one is the way of the…
Glossary for New Scratchers
Compared to a lot of other programming languages, Scratch has quite a gentle learning curve. Still, getting started can be a little bit of a doozy if you’ve had zero prior experience with the kind of terminology used in programming. To help you out a bit, we’ve compiled a glossary of terms for new Scratchers!
Create an interactive stadium project in the classroom for the Commonwealth Games
It’s that time of the year again — the Commonwealth Games are nearly here! Why not get into the sporty spirit by making your very own interactive stadium, complete with sound effects, a sprinting event, and an electronic scoreboard? We can show you how! All…
Digital Technologies in Year 3-4 Classrooms — On “Convict Crime and Punishment”
In a previous post, we discussed the integration of the Digital Technologies subject into Queensland schools. Just to refresh your memory on the subject, the Digital Technologies subject has a discrete curriculum, meaning that it is its own subject, complete with its own activities and learning outcomes. Part of the aims of the subject are to cover important concepts, such as algorithms and branching (also known as decision making).
Lists
What are lists?
To give you the short answer, lists are places where you can store information, just like variables. However, there is one key difference between lists and variables; variables can only store one piece of information at a time, whereas lists can store multiple bits of information at a time.
Design thinking: Disrupting teachers
Design thinking is forcing a paradigm shift for Australian teachers, students and the entire education system. I attended a design thinking workshop for teachers at DigiTech by Design, held at Oakleigh State School. We were working in groups to solve a community problem by using the design thinking process. I overheard a teacher say, “I want to see the answer. So I can cheat and see what to work towards.”
Use GameMaker to make your own game in 2 Days!
GameMaker Studios is a game development environment that targets those who are interested in game development, but don’t know where to get started, or don’t have the technical expertise to make it a reality. Become a Game Maker in 2 days these school holidays!
Variables and how to use them in Scratch
Variables are so important becuasse they allow us to hold a bit of information in a ‘container’ so that it an be editted and used multiple times in our code. Come check out how to use them in Scratch and find out more about the ins and outs of variables!
Variables and Data Types
You may have seen the terms variables and data types being thrown around here and then, but what exactly do they mean? Why do you keep hearing about them? How are they relevant to Scratch? Let’s find out!
Booleans
What are Booleans, and what are they used for? Let’s find out!