Exploring Coding With and WITHOUT Computers

Where in our world do we use a set of instructions?

• Washing hands
  • Without a computer, does this count as coding?…maybe

Sandra McAulay — a Grade 7 and District Curriculum resource teacher from Bulkley Valley returned to our EDTech Education-431 Class to build on her last presentation of using technology for accessibility in the classroom by expanding to coding in primary years.  We learned about teaching skills like communication and critical thinking to young learners through coding.  Sandra also discussed how educators can complete a coding activity without even touching a computer and then discuss the application to computers.  The activity we completed to support this idea was coding each other to move through a sequence of motions.  The thing I really enjoyed about this explanation was that this activity can be adapted to students who may be restricted to a wheelchair.  All you need to do to modify this activity would be to space out the commands.  I find the adaptations to be a good resource for myself because it’s not always an easy task to adapt to students when you are starting out as an educator.

We followed this inquiry activity by connecting coding to actual computers through an app called Scratch Jr.  The app requires students/users to use sequences of directions to animate a picture provided by students.  The animation can also stem from the app’s library images as a resource for this activity. The app allows for the addition of text as well as sounds using the microphone in the device. Sandra explained how this can be used for summative assessment in the classroom through a final project. The example that Sandra provided was: students used an image of a moose and were tasked with the directions of making the moose move and talk through coding.  The final product included the moose ‘walking’ to a certain point on the screen and reciting 3 facts about moose that were recorded through the microphone.

Sandra, once again, provided us with a list of resources such as: Teamshake, Hopscotch, Dot and Dash, and using Micro:bits. Micro:bits was something that Sandra was passionate about because they are mini computers that are reasonably priced and allow for students to explore coding by programming the Micro:bit to complete tasks.

I think that as an emerging educator it is easy to get carried away with technology in the classroom and it is important to discuss how activities can be completed both with computers, and without.  Activities that don’t use computers can also be a stepping stone to focusing your students on the task before exciting them with computers.  Introduce the idea and then use the exciting tools.  This would go a long way with classroom management surrounding computers.

Sandra was also a great support for ideas for practicum.  Some of the tips she shared with us gave me that ‘aha moment’ feeling and were things I hadn’t even thought about.  This is why I like to hear from practicing educators that have been through the student teacher process because they can reflect on their experiences and give you great ideas to work with.

Tips for practicum:

• Ask the principal to come and observe
• Ask the observer to look for certain things
• Never say find a partner
• Acknowledge the positive behavior
• Always respond to ideas with ‘thank you’ even if its fantastic or terrible
• Writing key words for everyone to see
• If you don’t know left and right, just point to the direction you want them to turn
• Students that are finished early can help you to cut things out for prep
• Buy rolls of sticky magnetic sticky (looks like scotch tape)
• App to get: Decide Now
  • Enter in all of their names
  • Can pick 8 teams and it will shake it up