/teaching-kids-code

Teaching Kids Code Initiative by Coderplex

Teaching Kids Code Program Details

Time period : 2-3 months

Grades : 7th, 8th, 9th

Structure :

  • History of Programming and Computer Science
    • Story of computers and CS, why and how did we invent them, how did they evolve in the past 60 ish years
    • Connecting to the story of man landing on moon, need of computers to do it
    • Story of human computers, people punching holes into paper and using huge machines before the invention of transistors
  • What are Computers and CS? Why do we need them? What problems do they solve?
  • Where are computers used in the real world today? (can be an assignment)
  • Unplugged Exercises
    • Classroom exercises to teach computational thinking and CS concepts without using a computer.
    • Our task is to connect these exercises with Mathematical concepts they are already familiar with, like area of a circle etc
  • Visual Introduction to Basic Concepts through Scratch Program
    • Types, Variables, Loops, Conditions, etc
    • We need to connect the visual blocks / syntax with the concepts they learnt in the unplugged exercises
  • Digital Literacy (internet, security and privacy online, etc)
  • Project - Build Something from Scratch
  • Evaluation
    • Have we inspired them to keep learning, and perhaps building their career in CS? If not, why not? Where did we lack and where can we improve?
    • Evaluation of final project
      • Did they learn all the concepts, can they apply them
      • How did they approach the project building (copying from others or self-learning and building from scratch)
      • If built in teams, how well did they collaborate? How did each member contribute?
    • Asking them how and where they would use this knowledge (code / CS) in their daily life? What problems will or can they solve with it?

Aptitude :

  • Inculcating self-learning and peer-learning behaviour passively
  • Growth Mindset and Grit development

Ideas :

  • Personally interacting with kids who are not engaging actively, to make them feel comfortable and personally make sure that they are able to learn and progress
  • Providing some means to contact us off hours (mail or phone or perhaps through TFI).
  • Should we try to gamify the program? If yes, how?
  • Should we exercise the Flipped Classroom model?
  • We should provide additional resources (and assignments) after every lesson, that kids can explore on their own afterwards.