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<div>I gave to say, I am very interested in this concept. </div>
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<div>I would definitely bring Lily alone to one of these.</div>
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<div>As a sort of related topic, for a summer holidays project, I want to build a chronometer with Lily (7 years) to display how fast she can kick a football (she has had fasted shot in the class 3 years in a row and got a little upset that she almost didn't
get it this year, proud Dad section finished).</div>
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<div>I want to get her as involved as possible in code and hardware, thinking of using piezo to pick up the spikes of kicking the ball to it hitting the fence/target, IR may work for the trigger but not sure if it would catch for the end hit.</div>
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<div>Any ideas or help on this would be cool, not intension of a Hijack Richard, I think we're looking for the same answer.</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>
<br>
<div>-------- Original message --------</div>
<div>From: Paul Harwood <paul@harwood-leon.com> </div>
<div>Date:26/07/2015 11:58 (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 class="PlainText">Sharon,<br>
<br>
I absolutely love the simplicity of this idea and think that workshops around this would be really fun and accessible.<br>
<br>
I know this is a bit OT but could we/hackspace put on some workshops like this at TechHub? I think it would be really well attended too. People bring kids and lego to learn how to code!<br>
<br>
:)<br>
<br>
— Paul<br>
<br>
<br>
> On 26 Jul 2015, at 11:18, Sharon Mitchell <sharon@swansea.hackspace.org.uk> wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Hey Richard, <br>
> <br>
> Urge to throw my 2c worth in, so here goes..<br>
> <br>
>> I have been looking at coding tools to help teach my 8yr old son how<br>
>> to code.<br>
> <br>
> Great news!<br>
> <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>
> 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>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
>> <br>
>> All help gratefully received,<br>
>> <br>
>> Richard<br>
> <br>
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