This week we got to explore coding in the classroom and ways to introduce it to students. This was not a topic I am very familiar with so this class was especially exciting for me. We learned about different coding apps and websites for kids and got to play around with them in breakout rooms.

The app I specifically tried out was ScratchJr. This is a very simple coding app in which kids can make their own coding sequences by adding actions in a row. You can begin by choosing your character – this app has a variety of options such as animals, objects, and people. You can also choose a background image from their selection. To begin the sequences, to pick a starting action like “begin by clicking the green flag” or “begin by tapping character”. You can then add on however many actions you like. You can make your character move in any direction, change the size, add a speech bubble, and more! I had a lot of fun playing around with it in my group and would definitely recommend using it for students. The pictures and colours make it very enjoyable for kids and it is very easy to learn.

I wish I had more time to join other breakout rooms and learn about other coding resources but I’m sure I will be learning plenty of them in my years as an upcoming educator!