The Future of Coding in Schools
Preparation:
Course organisers will send to the participants list of materials related to the course topic they can read in order to prepare for the course. Organisers will assist the participants if they need information related to the accommodation, flight tickets or any detail necessary in organising the course.
Course description
Coding is the process of using different cognitive skills together to solve a problem. The first step in solving the problem is a clear understanding and analysis of the problem. Coding provides individuals with multi-directional solutions to problems, encourages to think systematically and creatively, to relate events, to focus on problem solving, to do team work, to think critically. Also, considering the time that children spend at the computer, it will be more useful to direct them to the topic that will be most beneficial to their development.
Methodology:
The methodological approach implicates:- Ice – Breaking and Warm – Up Sessions
- Group Discussions
- Project – Solving Activities
- Questioning
- Goal – Setting sessions
- Brainstorming
- Case Study
- Problem solving
- Workshop
Objectives
- Computational thinking
- Be able to prepare an algorithm for solving a problem
- To have general knowledge about Scratch program
- Be able to create program flow with blocks
- To design educational game with Scratch
- Having general knowledge about Python programming language
- Writing code with Python
- Be able to do mathematical operations with Python
- Using variables
- Ability to use conditional expressions
- Use cycles
- Ability to use lists
- Prepare visual drawing with Python
- Designing educational games with Python
- To be able to plan appropriate coding practice for course content
- Algorithm preparation
- Using the Scratch program
- Scratch program preparation
- Designing educational games with Scratch
- Having knowledge about the Python programming language
- Reading and writing Python code
- Using variables before the program
- Using conditional expressions in the program
- Using Cycles in the program
- Draw geometric shapes with Python
- Planning the proper coding work for the topic
Follow-up
Trainees will be given soft and hard copies of all lesson materials, which they presenting to their colleagues at their own organizations to generate interest in 21st-century teaching methods with creative thinking. In addition, a mailing list of participants will be created in order to exchange ideas/experiences. Self-evaluation materials will be provided. At the end of the course the participants will accomplish a questionnaire in order to get a detailed feedback for the effectiveness of the training event.
Programme of training activities day-by-day:
Day 1 – MONDAY
- Welcome and registration
- What is computational thinking?
- What is the algorithm?
- What is the flow diagram?
- Problem solving techniques
- Why should we learn algorithm
- Example Algorithm: Number Estimating Game
- The use of algorithm in the course
- Scratch installation
- Introduction of code blocks
- Making Objects Move
Day 3 – WENDESDAY
- Designing an educational game
- Screen design
- Educational game: Alphabet
- Educational game: Fun Mathematics
Day 4 – THURSDAY
- Python setup
- Mathematic with Pyton
- Python operators
- Variable concept
- Variable types
- Workshop : Calculator
Day 5 – FRIDAY
- Conditional expressions
- Loop expressions
- lists
- Workshop Study: Factorial Calculation
- Python libraries
Day 6 – SATURDAY
- Python Turtle library
- Turtle library commands
- Drawing shapes with Python Turtle
- Color usage with Python Turtle
- Workshop: Spiral drawing with Python
Day 8 – Monday
- Workshop Study: Fibonacci Application with Python
- Use of coding in lessons
- Preparing sample curriculum
Day 9 – Tuesday
- Workshop : Prepare coding project work
Day 10 – Wednesday
- Workshop
- Feedback, Course Evaluation and Dissemination Focus