Date post: | 31-Oct-2014 |
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Technology |
Upload: | lynn-langit |
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Teaching Kids to Code
Lynn Langit – Developer Evangelist – Microsoft http://blogs.msdn.com/SoCalDevGal
Top Teaching Tips
Know your audience
Use relevant examples
Don’t talk AT the class
Do talk WITH the class
Combine discussion, demo and labs
Overcoming Myths About
Coding
What Technologies Do Girls Like?
TechnologiesPhones
Pictures – Visual interaction
Movies
Interactive Characters
Worlds that can be created
Social networking
Robots
An Example: DigiGirlz
Annual events worldwide
Hosted by Microsoft
For 12-17 year old girls
Learn about tech HOLs
Career info
Mentoring
Techniques for teaching teen Girls
10-10-10 (3 concepts/hr)
Action / Movement
Collaboration
Women, especially younger women, as mentors / teachers
Relevant Examples for Girls
NEW – international and virtual
Oh, and…Fun is Good!
Reminder… Check your hair BEFORE turning on your unified communications (web cam)
Some Examples…
Small BasicGames + Programming
== Fun
Environment
EditorInstant Help
Intellisense
Ribbon
Stopping a running
program
Buttons
File Buttons
• New, Open, Save
Web Buttons• Import, Publish
Clipboard Buttons
• Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, Redo
Program Buttons
• Run
This is how you make a turtle draw a line
using code.
When things go
wrong
Errors Popup
This is how you draw a square
Variables
Loops
Calculate Angle
Polygon
This is how you draw a
spirograph.
Colorful
Background
Learn More…
Watch the Small Basic site on DevLabs
Visual Programming
Is Engaging, Intuitive & Fun
Encourages Exploration
Needs no manual
Needs minimal instructions
Introduces formal programming
Objects
Properties
Methods
The Controller
Playing a game
Editing the worldTo edit, press Back
Go to the edit selection
Chose what you want to add
Instructions will be in top left corner
Only objects can be programmed in Kodu.
You can change the terrain as well
Add water
Add hills or valleys
Change texture
Change color (background and lighting)
Editing screen
ADDING an object
Editing objects
Change color
Clone
Add music
Position
Add activities (i.e. program)
Manipulating Objects
Programming – when/do
Programming Actions available
Move
Kick
Score Points
Add Music
Eat
Switch
Swear
More…
Advanced settings
Rate of kicking acceleration, Lighting, Volume, Breeze speed…
Saving your game
How to find out more
Microsoft Research Site - here
Get Microsoft Software for FREE
For high school and college students - DreamSpark
For startup businesses - BizSpark
For everyone / Express editions – VS and SQL - here