Top 3 games for Scratch beginners
As I gain experience in game design and preparing lesson plans, I realise that it is actually a lot more difficult to design games for beginner level coders than for advanced level coders. Here are our 3 favourite games for Scratch beginners.
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.”
Let’s start from Scratch and learn to code: Part 3
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.
Let’s start from Scratch and learn to code: Part 2
Part 2 is digital artwork and animation movies.
In the words of Steve Jobs, “Computer science is a liberal arts”. Let’s create digital artwork and introduce how you can make animated stories with Scratch. Learn about Cartesian coordinates, algorithms, and sequencing.
Let’s start from Scratch and learn to code: Part 1
In case you missed it…
Yesterday afternoon, Thursday 27 April, we ran our first in a three-part series of web conferences: Let’s start from Scratch and learn to code.
Part 1: Let’s build two quizzes in Scratch. Learn about logic patterns, algorithms, data storage and making maths fun.
Click here if you would like to watch the recording.
Inclusion in the Digital Technologies curriculum
Coding Mentor Shawn Phua is deaf. But this does not stop him from learning and even teaching coding, computational thinking, design thinking and robotics classes in Brisbane, and delivering the Digital Technologies curriculum.
Integrate the new Digital Technologies subject into your classroom
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.
5 principles of learning to code
Learning to code involves learning an approach to problem solving where we break down complex problems into a series of smaller, achievable problems to solve and use trial and error to identify a suitable solution to each problem. Our problem solving approach requires resilience and a delicate balance of being methodical and creative.
Bring coding into the classroom using Scratch (Part 3 of 4)
This is Part 3 in a 4 part series: Designing an 8-week course
PD workshops at the Gold Coast Libraries
Gold Coast Libraries recently spent three days taking professional development workshops with Coding Kids. We covered a range of activities and projects that will be delivered for the Gold Coast community. The local kids are going to have a wonderful time exploring STEAM at the Gold Coast Libraries.