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<div>Thanks for the unplugged links Richard, I'll check them out, as Paul said, workshop on this unplugged programming would be great as a kids tutorial for the space this holidays. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8px; ">No animals were harmed in the making of this email. However, several thousand electrons were severely inconvenienced.</span><br>
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<div>-------- Original message --------</div>
<div>From: Richard Morgan <richard.morgan@avocation.co.uk> </div>
<div>Date:26/07/2015 12:29 (GMT+00:00) </div>
<div>To: Swansea Hackspace <hackspace@swansea.hackspace.org.uk> </div>
<div>Cc: </div>
<div>Subject: Re: [Swansea Hackspace] Teaching Children to Code </div>
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<div dir="ltr">Thanks Sharon,
<div>Very good point and a great idea, so much so that I've now gone to <a href="https://code.org/learn">https://code.org/learn</a> and found their 'unplugged' pages.</div>
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<div>It's the 'educating' I'm after for Max to understand the principles that underpin coding skills as a foundation. I learned by jumping in and tinkering with existing code off the web, and as such I know 'a bit' but can't class myself as a coder. For Max's
age these days I see coding as a key skill to have under your belt because it opens up so many possibilities.</div>
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<div>Appreciate you taking the time to respond. I think our weekends are going to be busy :-)</div>
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<div>Thanks for all the comments everyone.</div>
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<div class="x_gmail_extra"><br>
<div class="x_gmail_quote">On 26 July 2015 at 11:18, Sharon Mitchell <span dir="ltr">
<<a href="mailto:sharon@swansea.hackspace.org.uk" target="_blank">sharon@swansea.hackspace.org.uk</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="x_gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex; border-left:1px #ccc solid; padding-left:1ex">
Hey Richard,<br>
<br>
Urge to throw my 2c worth in, so here goes..<br>
<span class=""><br>
> I have been looking at coding tools to help teach my 8yr old son how<br>
> to code.<br>
<br>
</span>Great news!<br>
<span class=""><br>
> I've looked at Scratch (can't get it to install on Mac and site is<br>
> down) and Tynker (paid US offering), code-Cade,y I have used but not<br>
> right for Max at 8yrs old.<br>
><br>
> For UK are there better resources that I can use to educate him?<br>
> Ideally something that will align with School if possible - any ideas?<br>
<br>
</span>If you want to EDUCATE your son and get across the CONCEPT of coding (as<br>
opposed "here's this particular tool, I am going to TRAIN you to use<br>
THIS tool" you can do a lot worse than plain old LEGO, graph paper and<br>
pencils..Hear me out :)<br>
<br>
What is code.? It's simply a collection of explicit instructions given<br>
in a particular order executed upon certain conditions.<br>
<br>
"LEGO blind builds" and "graph-paper programming" are a great primer for<br>
this concept. A tutor-student pair act as "computer" and<br>
"programmer" in turn. The "programmers" job is to describe a LEGO<br>
structure / pixelated graph paper picture to the "computer" who<br>
builds / shades what has just been described (the "computer" is "blind"<br>
remember).<br>
<br>
You'd be surprised how often these simple describe-copy creations go<br>
wrong! But it's a great way to get across the importance of there being:<br>
<br>
1) zero room for ambiguity in your instruction<br>
2) ordering of instruction has importance<br>
3) some ops are conditional on earlier ops (the blue 4x4 only goes on<br>
if the red 6x2 is in place for example)<br>
<br>
I don't believe you need to throw (expensive) resources at the problem<br>
of "getting kids to code"* what I have described would work as well in<br>
an outdoor classroom with no electricity as it does here in the UK.<br>
<br>
Sorting and searching can be covered with a "structure" of kids (OK,<br>
you'd need more kids for that, I'm sure someone will let you<br>
borrow.? :) ) Have them line up into a 1D array, make them into a<br>
FILO, whatever :)<br>
<br>
These activities are great for those that learn in a different style<br>
(proprioception as opposed verbal/linguistic learners but I'm<br>
digressing here).<br>
<br>
So, yeah, I think what I'm trying to say is don't get too immersed in<br>
what tool to use to deliver this material. You'll find you already<br>
have what you need at home right now.<br>
<br>
HTH<br>
<br>
- Sharon<br>
<br>
* tbh I don't believe the answer to _any_ problem is to throw more<br>
resources at it, that way an arms race starts :)<br>
<span class="x_im x_HOEnZb"><br>
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><br>
> All help gratefully received,<br>
><br>
> Richard<br>
<br>
</span>
<div class="x_HOEnZb">
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<div class="x_gmail_signature">Kind regards,<br>
<br>
Richard</div>
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