ICT in Practice issue 9

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ISSN 2053-5104

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ICT in Practice Transforming education through sharing knowledge and practice Created by educators from around the world

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ISSUE 9

AUTUMN EDITION OCT 2014

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http://www.bitsandbytes.cards

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P4 / BITS &BYTES Computational thinking unplugged!

P8 / MINECRAFT Minecraft Club: Content and Reflections

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P12 / ALLCANCODE Allcancode: an adventurous coding game

P16 / PROGRAMMING Programming in the classroom

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www.ictinpractice.com

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“Coding is all about unleashing our creativity, in the process of making something beautiful through our thinking.” !

(Yasemin Allsop)

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From the editor ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Where did September go?

Honestly it felt like a week, the week of September. Now there are poorly translated Christmas lyrics blaring in the Carrefour that serves the community here in Shanghai, while Halloween costumes are for sale. Clearly, these are some of the worst aspects of globalization.

Yet I cannot help but be reminded daily that we are all part of that global community. I live with Chinese nationals, Turks, Indians, Germans, Koreans … my days are blessed with hearing many tongues and sharing in the “Third Culture” of overseas life. !

As a teacher I experience first hand the clashing and blending of educational philosophies. All expats in Shanghai are tied to education in one form or another.

Either we teach at international schools or send our kids there, or both. In my school alone over fifty

nationalities are represented. Of course we debate the proper role of technology. A few families insist that the Waldorf Model, one that eschews the use of technology on campus, is the best one. Other families question why we do not give iPads to our students in addition to their MacBook Pros. !

As the high school technology integration coach I find myself in the middle of the debate where, I hope, I can contribute elements of research and reason into discussions that can quickly lose objectivity. My view is simple. ICT in education should never really be about the technology. The focus must always be on efficiently and effectively facilitating learning, among both students and faculty.

That means ongoing, robust professional development for teachers and skills development for students. That means taking risks and seeing failure not as a dead end, but rather as iteration to success. It means doing what we have successfully done in the past, yet now seeking means and methods that make our past experience even more relevant, differentiated, and focused on the

specific needs of the students we find before us.!

It means risk. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Who dares, wins!

ICT in Practice is a wonderful example of that risk taking. From modest beginnings this publication now shares ideas from great minds with thousands of colleagues across the globe. It has branched out to forum talks and monthly seminars that discuss cutting edge issues. These efforts bring together a global community working together, to share and grow, in our chosen fields; to be better than we can be alone. !

So put on your tackiest pirate costume and jump on board this one-horse open “slee.” This edition of ICT in Practice is ready to ride! !

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Christopher Carter!

Social Science Team Lead/ Tech Coach/Teacher!

Concordia International School Shanghai, China! chris.carter@concordiashangh ai.org!

Twitter: @christocarter!

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Contents ‘Bits& Bytes: Computational thinking unplugged!’

by Andrew Mills page 4-7

‘Minecraft Club: Content and Reflections ’

by Timothy Weih page 8-11

‘Allcancode: an adventurous coding game’

by Kostas Karolemeas page 12-13

‘Reflections of a teacher on GBL in education’

by Marcin Siekanski page 14-15

‘Programming in the classroom’

by Ben Eilenberg page 16-17

‘Tower Cranes’

by Nicola schofield page 18-19

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BITS & BYTES: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING UNPLUGGED!

by Andrew Mills

h"p://www.bitsandbytes.cards

The beginning of the new school year in

computers” or that they are experts in

England heralded the introduction of a new

computers, but nothing can be further from the

curriculum for primary schools that was

truth. These children are simply adept at

described by some as a “revolution in

operating an interface, not a computer. If this

education”. In what was a world first, these

continues then this generation of children will

changes include the study of computer coding.

be nothing more than passive consumers,

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unable to influence products and services of

The inclusion of computer coding is a move

the future. If we want this generation of

that should be applauded, especially given the

children to be a generation of creators then

increasing pervasiveness of software and the

they need to understand computer coding.

Internet. Twenty years ago the thought of

This is not to say that every child should be a

shopping online was scoffed but since then the

computer programmer when they grow up but

prevalence of the Internet has grown

given the current trajectory of technology it

exponentially and this is set to continue and

will be important for them to be able to

escalate well into the future. We see children

understand how computers work and the way

using tablet devices and computers now, and

computers approach a problem. In the future

instantly think these children “know

computers will touch every facet of their lives.

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By including computer coding in the na:onal

purchases stretch already over-­‐stretched

curriculum we are preparing our children for

budgets and why are we going down this path

the future, but are we?

when there are countless studies saying we

In some respects referring to it as “computer

should be limi:ng the amount of “screen :me”

coding” in the curriculum is a misnomer

children have each day why are we

(especially for children in KS1). What is actually

encouraging more screen :me? I know my

being taught is the mindset – the ability to

children don’t need another reason to stare at

approach a problem and devise a step-­‐by-­‐step

a screen.

solu:on to the problem. What is actually being

Over two years ago, before the announcement

taught is logical thinking – but I guess calling it

that computer coding would become part of

“logical thinking” isn’t as sexy on the

the na:onal curriculum, I was grappling with

curriculum as “computer coding”.

this same issue – teaching children the

I shake my head with despair when I read

fundamentals of computer coding with a

about primary schools and parents rushing out

computer or expensive electronic device. APer

to buy tablets and electronic devices for

several months I had the answer – a card

children in KS1 classes simply so they can

game. A card game called “Bits & Bytes”.

comply with the new curriculum. These

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Bits & Bytes teaches computa:onal thinking

captured and sent back to the start. Or the

(or as I prefer to refer to it – the fundamentals

children may be very lucky and discover a

of computer coding) through a simple card

precious gem like a ruby on Earth but is called

game that children of all ages have fun playing

a “Func:on” on the planet Ram. If they

– no computer or knowledge of computers is

discover this gem then the child can play this

required.

card and create a func:on – for example: IF <wall in front> THEN <knock down>; or DO

The rules of the game are simple.

<keep going forward> UNTIL <there is a wall in front>; the limit on the func:on they create is their imagina:on.

APer a few :mes playing, children start crea:ng their own rule for what each card does, which is great. We want children to be crea:ve.

If children master this level of play then it can become more difficult.

Between two and four children can play at

Either the children can put two or more decks

once. Each child takes their turn in moving

together, making the game grid much larger

their “programme” (which resembles a

and thus more complex, or they can even write

monster and their home planet is called Ram),

their very first computer program (without

with the objec:ve being to get their

using a computer). In this version of the game,

programme home. They take it in turns issuing

each child takes it in turns to lay out every step

instruc:ons – turn right, move forward, turn

in advance that is required to take their

around and so on. If they uncover a wall in

programme from start to home. They then run

front of them they cannot move and need to

their programme through each step/

think of another way to reach home. Sounds

instruc:on (effec:vely a line of code). If they

simple right? And it is.

encounter a wall, a bug or the dreaded

But that’s just the basic rules – this is where

Seepeeu then their sequence of instruc:ons

the children start geVng crea:ve – and

doesn’t work and they have to debug their

crea:vity is incredibly important for computer

code. While they do that the next person has

coding (coding is one of the most crea:ve

their turn and so on.

industries).

This en:re process of laying out their code in

If the child uncovers a bug they can be sent

advance and then debugging is the exact same

back to the start or they can play a different

process as wri:ng a computer program and

rule where they send somebody else back to

the children are doing it without a computer

the start (for children playing who are age 4-­‐5

(and in most cases they don’t even realise they

we recommend everybody goes back to the

are coding). Their eyes light up when you

start). If they uncover the dreaded overlord,

explain to them what they have done.

Seepeeu (pronounced CPU), then everybody is !6

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But the game does much more than this.

fundamentals of computer coding. To be

Every part of the game has been designed to

precise, they are learning:

make children feel comfortable with

•Problem solving – Breaking down problems

computer coding – ready to actually code.

into their components

The terminology in the game (for example: the character names) uses common

•How a step-­‐by-­‐step process leads to a

computer terms. The font used is commonly

solu:on

found in coding user interfaces. The backstory

•The sequencing of instruc:ons (and once a

of the game explains how computers basically

child has mastered the game they can create

work.

their own programs – just like real coding)

Why a card game you might be asking? Out of

•Algorithms (an algorithm is a series of

all the poten:al formats Bits & Bytes could

ordered steps taken to solve a problem or

have taken, a card game provided the most

achieve an objec:ve)

flexibility and encouraged the most crea:vity.

If it had been a board game the players would

•Developing a logical mindset

be limited to the extent of the board, if it

•And much more, and all without a computer

were an app the player would have been

or any required computer knowledge on

limited to what the programmer of the app

behalf of the teacher or parent.

allowed, but a card game is different.

Children can increase the game grid to make

My background is in computer programming.

it more complex (or decrease the size of the

I’m passionate about it and teaching children

grid to make it easier), they can change the

to code (I volunteer to teach coding to

rules, and within the same game it’s easy to

children in years 5 and 6 at the local primary

have different versions of the game to suit

school). I’m so passionate about teaching

the more advanced children.

children to code that when it came to funding the first producAon run of Bits & Bytes

Not only that a card game is affordable (the

(through crowd funding) I wanted to not only

price of one cheap netbook is the equivalent

raise funds but also raise games to donate to

of 10 games of Bits & Bytes, which up to forty

primary schools in the UK. At the Ame of this

children can play at once), it doesn’t take up

arAcle we have raised almost 150 games that

space, children from age 4 through to age 11

will be donated to 15 primary schools – that’s

can play the game, it doesn’t ma"er if they

15 primary schools that will be able to teach

can use a computer already or if they are a

up to 40 children at once the fundamentals of

boy or a girl. It’s a card game.

computer coding at no cost to them. It’s

Children play Bits & Bytes and they are

something I hope to be able to conAnue in the

learning computa:onal thinking – the

future.

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Minecraft Club: Content and Reflections

by Timothy G. Weih, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Educa:on University of Northern Iowa, USA The purpose of this arAcle is to describe a

gameplay goals. In addi:on, the librarians, at

computer club that was based on the video

my request, had placed numerous books

game MinecraL in hopes that others interested

related to the content of MinecraP in the

in developing either a MinecraL Club or any

conference room for the boys to browse

kind of a computer club, will find this

through while they discussed the game.

informaAon useful. The club met in July of 2014

The books included :tles from the following

at a public library located in a rural town, i.e.,

categories: animals, farming, and crops; rocks,

under 10,000 populaAon and not close to a

minerals, gems, metals, and mining; land

larger city, in the Midwestern United States.

features, biomes, and trees; tools and

The members were eight boys ranging in age

weapons. Each of these categories was further

from 9-­‐12. The structure and organizaAon of

defined with specific items that were part of

the club followed a format similar to a book

the game. Moreover, there were nonfic:on

club, but instead of a book, the main text was

and fic:on books about survival, hun:ng,

MinecraL.

camping, engineering, architecture, smel:ng,

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masonry, and Medieval Europe-­‐all topics within

Content

the game. The books were spread out on the

The club met on Mondays and Thursdays

conference table before the boys, and they

weekly during the month of July from 10:00

would casually pick them up, browse through

a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the mee:ngs were

them, talk about the content in rela:on to the

scheduled to fit around the library’s busy

game, and the books were available for them

summer schedule. The mee:ngs began with

to check out from the library. The purposes of

the boys gathering around an oval table in a

the books were to help the boys see the

small conference room. This was for the

rela:onships between the game, literature,

purpose of developing some camaraderie

and subjects of study in school, i.e., social

between the boys with the common

studies, science, engineering, architecture, and

associa:on of MinecraP through discussion

math. Equally important, the books could help

and sharing. The boys talked about the content

the boys have a deeper understanding of the

of the game, their personal achievements, and

contents of the game, thereby increasing their

updates to the game, and they set personal

knowledge and enjoyment.

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The boys also brought items from home to talk

the boys met at the library’s desktop

about and share that were connected to

computers to actually play the game. There

MinecraP (ar:facts of the game). These items

were eight computers, separated into groups

included things they made, books, ac:on

of four computers to a table, with a large

figures, legos, paper craPs, plush figures,

library reference desk service area that

clothes, and soP tools and weapons. The

separated the two groups. This was located in

purposes of these items were to further build

the central, open part of the library

conversa:on around the contents of the game,

surrounded by the library’s bookshelves, and

thereby fostering a game-­‐based culture within

not in a separate room. The library had

the club.

reserved and set aside these computers just for

During the first club mee:ng, the boys were

the club’s use. The boys played the game on

each given a booklet that contained a

these computers for the remainder of the club

statement about the purpose of the club for

mee:ng :me.

the members which was to play and have fun

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with MinecraP and to talk about the game and

Reflec7ons about the Club

learn more about the contents and gameplay

Loca7on

with each other. The booklet had the mee:ng

The library performed as a central loca:on

agenda, which was to first meet for 15 minutes

within the community that most of the boys

in the conference room to talk, share, look at

were able to ride their bikes to, thereby

books, and set personal goals for gameplay for

providing for easy access for them. Some boys

that mee:ng. This was followed by one hour of

were brought by their parents along with

gameplay on the computers during which

younger siblings and the parents remained in

members can talk, share, and help each other.

the library browsing books, a"ending other

The mee:ngs concluded back in the

programs with their younger children, or doing

conference room for the last 15 minutes to talk

their own job-­‐related work on their personal,

about gameplay, achievements, and game

portable computers.

strategy.

Some:mes the parents, along with the boys’

The booklet contained the club rules, which

siblings, interacted during the :me the boys

were the following: use school or library

were playing the game, thereby making the

volume for your voices; when someone is

computer club more of a family literacy event,

speaking listen without talking; it is okay to

than a detached club. Addi:onally, other

disagree, but act kindly and use friendly words;

children in the library frequently stood next to

and always let your club leader know where

the club members while they played MinecraP,

you are in the library, for example, if you go to

which furthered a sense of community.

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the restrooms, or if you are leaving to go home. Finally, the booklet contained some

Schedule

basic direc:ons for how to get started in the

The club met twice a week for four weeks

game and some essen:als about how to play

during the month of July. There were many

the game. Following the conference por:on of

advantages for this type of schedule.

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the mee:ngs, which lasted about 15 minutes,

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Since the club met on Mondays and not again

the conference :me and using it during

un:l Thursday, I had an ample :me to create

gameplay on the computers. The same

any materials that I saw the club members

procedures and rules were followed for each

needed and get them ready for the next

mee:ng, thereby lending a sense of stability

mee:ng. I also had :me to work out any

for the children.

details that came up with using the library and

The Books

the computers. Most importantly, the

The library staff gathered several dozen books

members had a long dura:on to get to know

all related to the content of MinecraP from the

each other and develop trust and friendship,

categories and topics that I had given them.

and this scheduled frame also gave me plenty

These books were placed in the conference

of :me to develop working rela:onships with

room, and I sca"ered them around the oval

the library staff.

table that the boys sat at so they could readily

Mornings worked out well because most adults

see them.

from the community were at work and not

Ini:ally, the boys expressed surprise to see the

using the library, and the hour and half of each

literature connec:ons of MinecraP, and

mee:ng period gave us enough :me to

the boys frequently picked up the books and

develop camaraderie before gameplay, and s:ll

looked through them, but they did not bring

have enough :me to play the game. I had

them to the computers, and they did not check

ini:ally planned for the boys to meet back in

any out during the mee:ngs. The reason for

the conference room to discuss their gameplay

this could be that they were very focused on

and have some kind of a conclusion or wrap-­‐up

playing the game, rather than reading books.

for each mee:ng, but from the start, it was

They may have checked out some of the books

difficult to get the boys off of the computers,

aPer the mee:ngs or even at a different :me

so this never did workout. So, to conclude, I

while visi:ng the library. Seeing literature

would tell them when our mee:ng was almost

related to the content of the game, rather than

over, and then they either leP with their

only manuals on how to play the game, was a

parents, or rode their bikes home.

new experience for most of the boys, and one

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that may have delayed results, so I recommend

Procedures

keeping this component of the club.

The club was structured around the format of a

The Ar7facts

book club with the video game taking the place

The ar:facts were objects either self-­‐created or

of the main “book” or text. Book clubs were

purchased by the boys that were related to the

planned ac:vi:es that the library frequently

game. This went over very well. All the boys

held, therefore, something that was familiar

brought items to talk about and share. There

not only to the library staff, but also to many of

was some mock sword figh:ng that took place,

the children in the club. Giving each member a

but all in good fun. A standing source of

booklet that contained the purpose of the club,

an:cipa:on, amusement, and challenge was to

what happens during the mee:ngs, club rules,

be the first one to spot the ever-­‐roaming plush

and some basic direc:ons for how to play the

Creeper that hid in different loca:ons around

game, proved to be very useful. I saw many of

the conference room.

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the boys reading through the booklet during !10

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I stressed that they could bring something self-­‐

wanted the library to be an interac:ve learning

created, and this is very important considering

place for children. Having the computers in a

not all families have the same abili:es to

central loca:on also made the gameplay

purchase items and specialty clothing. For

component of the club accessible for the boys’

example, one boy brought his self-­‐developed

families and other children in the library who

journal of handwri"en craPing recipes (a major

frequently par:cipated lending a community

component of MinecraP).

context to the events.

Library Spaces and Materials

I had purchased a classroom teacher’s version

The library conference room with its large, oval

of MinecraP from MinecraPedu that I downloaded onto the library’s computers.

table situated in a smallish room with huge

When choosing this version, members, who did

windows overlooking the library’s prairie

not have personal accounts, could play without

gardens provided a place, away from the

having to purchase an account first. This

computers, during which the boys could

worked out well, because several of the boys

develop some camaraderie with each other. It

did not have their own account, and the ones

was a :me to joke around, have mock sword

that did, did not know how to log in with their

ba"les, talk about new updates to the game,

user name and password. Since I already had a

plan out game strategy, browse books, and to

version downloaded on the computers,

share personal MinecraP ar:facts. I had hoped that we could also conclude each mee:ng in

members were ready to play immediately.

the conference room, but once the boys were

Conclusions

actually on the computers, they did not want

This was the first video game club that the

to leave un:l the very end.

library had ever hosted and the first for all of

The library computers were sufficient to play

the boys as well. The library staff were very

the game, but somewhat slow in loading it. The

suppor:ve and helpful which made for a

boys made good use of the :me wai:ng with

posi:ve learning environment. The boys were

con:nued discussion started in the conference

very excited during each mee:ng to talk about

room. A major drawback was that the two

and play MinecraP together. Even though the

tables of four computers each were separated

game can be played online with mul:ple

by a large library reference desk area. This

players, these players are usually not actually

hampered collabora:ve gameplay since they all

physically with each other, and most of the

wanted to play together, which they could

boys had never experienced playing a

online, but they also wanted to be physically

mul:player game, on their own computer,

close to each other for talking, sharing, and

alongside the people they are playing with.

helping each other.

When this happened during the club,

The loca:on of the computers in the middle of

collabora:ve gameplay took on mul:ple levels

the library was somewhat bothersome for a

of communica:on with the boys helping each

few of the adult library patrons because of the

other, sharing roles and tasks within the game,

noise the boys made while playing. Even

narra:ng their gameplay aloud, and in essence,

though the game itself has very soP internal

collabora:ve gameplay became very real and

sounds, the boys got excited when playing and

very exci:ng. A game-­‐based culture emerged

their volume would rise. The library staff were

through MinecraP Club.

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not concerned about this and said they just !11

WHY WE CREATED ALLCANCODE?

by Kostas Karolemeas

C o m p u t e rs a r e e v e r y w h e r e ! I n o u r

The art of programming a computer (coding) is

smartphones, in our TVs… even in our

about puVng together those step-­‐by-­‐step

refrigerators!

instruc:ons. Everyone can master it. It takes

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:me as it is the case with any art but we founded Allcancode just to make it doable!

These incredible machines have changed the way we do things. Think about a text editor

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that helps us write down our thoughts. Also

Our game

think about social networking and messaging

We believe that the best way to master

apps that helps us communicate with each

programming is by making it a fun process

other. Computers have also changed the way

through games. Star:ng from younger kids (6

we think and make decisions. They give us

to 12 y.o.) we designed an adventure game

access to informa:on in ways it was not

where Marco is the main character. He starts a

possible before. Think about the knowledge in

long journey towards learning more about

Wikipedia and the power of Google Search.

himself. Down the path friends will help him

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and enemies will hinder him. Levels or series

They are arguably an extension to our brain!

of them present a goal that the player needs

Imagine the power of being able to control

to achieve by giving step-­‐by-­‐step instruc:ons

these machines. We would know how to give

to Marco.

them step-­‐by-­‐step instruc:ons on solving a

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problem. Then we would just feed them with

A writer of children's literature provides the

relevant pieces of informa:on just get the

storyline. He works close with the game

solu:on fast and without geVng :red. The

designer while the end result is validated by

solu:on that could make our personal of

teachers in classrooms.

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professional lives be"er!

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Our visual programming language

Current Status

We have chosen a custom visual programming

We have delivered the first 10 levels that

language over a real one. It is easier to

teach simple instruc:ons, repeat-­‐n-­‐:mes and

understand and more fun to apply.

repeat-­‐while. The next 10 levels due in

Professional developers tend to argue on

October 2014 will introduce if-­‐then-­‐else. This

which is the best programming language. In

will complete the first set of levels. The next

reality there is no best or worst but more or

set will introduce the concept of memory (i.e.

less suitable for a specific problem /

variables). In parallel that set will foster the

applica:on. Once one masters the art of

development of simple algorithms. The goal is

programming using any language she can then

to gradually present goals, which are more

learn and apply any other really fast. The

difficult to achieve and thus require complex

computer language is a means for expressing a

logic.

solu:on so that the computer can execute it.

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The goal is to learn how to put together the

The game is available:

solu:on in the first place. Our visual

For browser on Windows and Mac:

programming language avoids the syntac:c

Directly: h"p://marco.allcancode.com

sugar of real ones. This makes it easier to read

T h r o u g h C h r o m e S t o r e : h " p s : / /

and understand without sacrificing its

chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/run-­‐

expressive power.

marco/objdeaibfajdoeikopmgincdhjiufle

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On Google Play for Android tablets (7" and up): h"ps://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=com.allcancode.runmarco

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On iTunes Store for iPads: h"ps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/run-­‐marco!/ id919554969

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Reflections of a teacher

on GBL in education

by Marcin Siekanski The history of humanity is a consequence of

14-­‐18. I’ve improved lessons using various

educa:on and the ability to teach and learn.

games. I’m teacher of history and history and

Almost all inven:ons have had to follow the

society, so the game bias has been targeted

hard road to being accepted by socie:es or

towards the humani:es horizon.

cultures. The ability to read or write hundreds

For Example:

of years ago, had magician s:gmatas and

The history of Europe and World

problems with social affirma:on. In our recent

•Ancient :mes-­‐ Rome Total War, Europa

history we see the same problems with

Universalis Rome, Ceasar, Mount and Blade…

medical inven:ons, electricity, photography,

•Medieval :mes-­‐ Rome Total War BW,

the beginning of movies ... and finally

Crusader Kings, Sims medieval, Mount and

computer games. Every young genera:on has

Blade…

their own way of learning and exploring.

•Modern :mes-­‐ Europa Universalis, Empire

Technological and scien:fic progress is moving

Total War, Victoria, Mount and Blade, Hearts

very fast. Almost every country has a problem

of Iron, Capitalism…

of “educa:on lagging behind the cogni:ve

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abili:es” of the young genera:on. Games

I’ve highlighted only a few of the computer

could improve the educa:on process and also

games. I’ve used many more but these are

make it more a"rac:ve. The biggest and most

simple biased towards history and wri:ng

important world resource isn’t oil, gas or

about the whole project / in:a:ve would have

uranium but the youngest representa:ves of

been very long and elaborate. APer entering

our society.

into the world of game educa:on, my new

!

role started, nevertheless the teacher posi:on

The old-­‐fashioned way of teaching is making

isn’t disappearing at all, on the contrary, it is

educa:on dull and una"rac:ve. It does not fit

evolving to a higher level and it’s going to

with their needs, whilst computer games, on

become much more conscious. Because of a

the contrary are an ideal fit. I’ve been thinking

lack of scenarios to match to lessons, I’ve

for many years about how to best use games

saved many of them. I’ve copied them to

to improve the learning process. Finally a year

every computer so that students know what to

ago I created a small group of students aged

do and had the same materials to use.

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Books were used to describe events, names

corpora:ons, it could also be an invaluable

and various concepts founded in the game.

source of money. Profits taken from

I’ve changed the tasks to be undertaken from

connec:ng educa:onal systems with game

those that were old and dull, oPen made by

producers would be beneficial for both sides.

people, who had some:mes never seen

The simplicity of this “task” is lying between

school, par:cularly since the fall of the iron

the group of open-­‐minded educators and

curtain to new tasks.

game producers. If we could connect these

For example:

groups and create a communica:on link, GBL

•Take a screenshot when you see a gothic

could create real fundamental advances.

castle, an Arabic castle and describe them…

Throughout my years of research, I’ve found

•Try to win the ba"le of Waterloo as

basics to biology, geography, social sciences…

Napoleon.

for almost every subject found in every

•Find the names of medieval clothes in your

curriculum.

book and make a screenshot of everyone

I’ve put below screenshots of various games.

men:oned in the task.

Try to imagine that every screen is a por:on of

•Write about various scenarios and why

names, conclusion. Every second is huge step

you’ve chosen these op:ons?

in a process of learning and remembering, but

Of course there were many more tasks. A

there is of course the teacher’s part which is

number of posi:ve conclusions exceeded my

always the most important.

expecta:ons. These abili:es/skills were vastly improved: •Crea:vity •Ability to self-­‐ educa:on and seeking for answer •Ability to communicate both orally and also in “wri"en word” •Students found an a"rac:on in books to find solu:ons to ”quests” in a game •There was a higher tendency to explore internet for wisdom than for “:me-­‐killing” sites •Imagina:on And much more… the game market is like a gold mine. I’ve been researching it for many years. For open-­‐minded educators it could be a great tool to teach with. For games

PROGRAMMING IN THE CLASSROOM

Written by Ben Eilenberg Generalist Teacher/Robotics Coordinator at Silverton Primary School.

Ini:ally it is important to not just have the students’ sit in front of the computer and create a program but actually be introduced to a process and encouraged to take risks and understand how to problem solve. The grade 1-­‐2 students got in to small groups and played some games that other people had created in Kudo. In my opinion, it is important to have the students reflect upon what was good or One of the big ques:ons being asked these

bad, what type of game it was and how did

days appears to be, ‘how can we integrate

you win or finish the game. As a class, the

programing into the curriculum? It is also an

students also discuss what other styles and

i m p o r t a n t q u e s : o n a s t h e N a : o n a l

types of games they have played that they

Curriculum, in Australia is slowly introduced.

enjoyed. From there, they then think about

One of the key requirements is having

what type of game that they want to create,

students learn to write computer programing.

the audience that they would create it for,

As a grade 1-­‐2 teacher, I believe that it is

how the game would be played and how the

important to introduce students to simple

game will be finished.

programing at an early age a n d m a ke i t f u n a n d educa:onal. Within the classroom, I first introduced the students to ‘Kudo’. (A game making plazorm created by MicrosoP). The aim was to get students engaged in using a fun interac:ve plazorm, which linked in to game consoles that they already use, such as Xbox.

As a group, they then go away and plan their game. This involves answering the previous ques:ons and crea:ng a storyboard of their game. Once they have planned, then they create their game in ‘Kudo’. At the end of each session, students have to reflect upon 3 areas, how did they work as a team, what challenges did they face, what did they work on and what do they s:ll need to work on?

They then use this at the start of each session to remember what they needed to work on and tackled any challenges that they have faced, using problem solving skills.

APer the students complete their games, they invite other groups to play them and reflect upon what they liked and what could be improved. This gives the students a chance to go back and improve upon their games before releasing it to the rest of the school community.

Throughout this whole process, other

parts of the curriculum are linked in to the process. Within literacy, students read ar:cles and books on computers, programing and technology. In the area of the humani:es, students research the history of computers, how it has changed over :me and what affects it has had upon society.

By star:ng this process within lower

levels of the school, their programing and problem solving skills can become more complex and detailed as the students move through the school. From using Kudo, students can move on to wri:ng their own code using program such as Python, following the same process. The process also helps the teachers to assess t h e s t u d e n t s o n t h e i r u n d e r s t a n d i n g

o f

p ro g ra m i n g , te a mwo r k , wri:ng and computer skills within the classroom.

COMPUTER SCIENCE UNPLUGGED!

TOWER CRANE

by Nicola Schofield So, I passed a building site for Crossrail in

▪What’s their purpose?

London and I started puzzling about tower

▪Where are they used?

cranes. I looked around me in London and

▪Why don’t they fall over?

there are SO many cranes – oPen building

▪How much weight can they liP?

huge skyscrapers. How did they even get the

▪What couldn’t we do without them?

cranes into place on the building sites?

▪How do they work? (takes you to a

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web site which may contain unsuitable links,

This is a tower crane and here are the

be warned – “ Think before you click”)

ques:ons I have about tower cranes in

▪How do they get on site?

par:cular:

▪Who controls them? where from?

▪How were tall building built

before cranes? What are the alterna:ves? What’s the benefit of a crane?

▪What other types of cranes are

there? Next :me you are out & about, why not look out for different types of cranes and take some photos for this blog?

▪Which birds/ animals look or

move like a crane? Why? How do they get food?

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PS If you are interested in Crossrail and how they made the tunnels

Image from www.krhicranes.com/

! ! ! !

under London you can watch the BBC documentaries here -­‐ it’s fascina:ng!

! !

Can you:

computer-­‐controlled crane! We will develop

▪Draw a crane

prac:cal algorithms and look for pa"erns that

▪Design a crane

can be turned into procedures and repeat

▪Make a crane in Lego/ Meccano/

instruc:ons. We will then develop these ideas using a Logo program.

wood etc

▪Test your crane & modify/ stabilise it

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▪How much weight can your crane liP?

Can you program a tower crane or a grab

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machine game? You could just write an

In school, we will be using Phil Bagge’s Human

algorithm or you could have a go in Scratch 2.0

Crane ac:vi:es to start thinking like a

eg h"p://scratch.mit.edu/projects/2520260/ h"p://scratch.mit.edu/projects/100080

US Mega Geography Quiz—FREE

by Margaret Taylor Owl & Mouse Educational Software

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1100 varied and interes:ng ques:ons about the United States. The ques:ons challenge the player to think, to make connec:ons.

Playful and intriguing , Professor Quill’s Quiz is a great way to learn about the United States.

APer students learn “Where is Arizona?” they need to learn “What is Arizona?”. In order to have an idea of the en:re US you have to know what the various parts are like, the differences between them, and how they connect; what happened where and why there.

It is not important to know the state bird of 50 states; it is important to understand that the Saguaro Cactus Flower would belong to a state which is largely desert , and select Arizona, not Michigan or Louisiana or Kansas.

www.yourchildlearns.com/quiznew/us-­‐ geography-­‐quiz.html

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Yasemin Allsop!

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yallsop@msn.com!

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