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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,
!
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
!5
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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
!! !! !! !! !
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.
!7
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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.
!8
! 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
!
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.
!
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.
!
the mee:ngs, which lasted about 15 minutes,
!9
! 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
!
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.
!
the boys reading through the booklet during !10
! 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.
!
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
!
: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
!
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
!
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
!
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.
!
professional lives be"er!
!12
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.
!
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
!
On Google Play for Android tablets (7" and up): h"ps://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=com.allcancode.runmarco
!
On iTunes Store for iPads: h"ps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/run-‐marco!/ id919554969
! ! ! !
!13
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
!
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
!
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?
!
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
!
▪How much weight can your crane liP?
Can you program a tower crane or a grab
!
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
!
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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