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TASK 1.
Theme/Basis: Jurassic Park
Prompt:
In small groups, use K’nex or similar to build enclosures to hold a small, a medium, and a large dinosaur toy.
Pupils need to think about planning/design, dividing tasks amongst the team, physics like ‘strong shapes’ to keep their structure stable, etc.
Resources:
Dinosaur toys, K’nex, whiteboards and markers for planning.
Extension option 1:
For younger groups or those with less experience in similar projects, they could also be challenged to think about the space as a home/habitat. Does the dinosaur have water to drink? What kind of food to they eat and where are they getting it? Where do they sleep? etc.
Extension option 2:
To make the challenge more difficult, the final structures can be put through a ‘shake test’ where they are placed on a table and shaken to test stability. Does the dinosaur escape?
TASK 2:
The parts of this article that stood out to me were the insights into the benefits of computational thinking and IT skills to early education which are not necessarily obvious. While I think most people would list the development of skills like problem-solving, sequencing, etc., I found it really interesting that the article also presents evidence that these activities can have a positive influence on social and emotional learning (e.g. collaboration, peer support), and executive function such as self-regulation and working memory. These are probably the opposite of what one would expect!
A metaphor that I really liked in this article was the idea that coding languages or softwares that are effective in supporting the development of young children’s CT skills should be “more like playgrounds rather than playpens.” This means that while both allow for playful, enjoyable, learning experiences, they should be much more open-ended and allow for exploration and trial and error, rather than being adult-led and restricted, where the child may be developing one particular competency but missing out on any more meaningful learning involved in the process.
I think these are both key principles to bear in mind when integrating CT practices into the classroom. Allowing it to co-exist with both holistic learning and curricular learning and placing value both on the specific learning and the secondary (e.g. the collaborative aspects as mentioned above); and striving to make the learning experiences for students be as open and adaptable as possible.
I really like this one Grainne, the graphics and set up were all really clear to see and obviously all play on the theme, and I think it’s one that you could use to work into so many different units or topics for any class level. Works very smoothly too!
https://arcade.makecode.com/S05758-47969-91635-39853
My game is themed around shopping/money, with the key curricular integration being Maths.
Location: Exterior of shop
Player: A shopper
‘Food’: Coins (10c and 5c)
Enemy: ThiefThis is a simple chaser game where the player is trying to gather up coins to go shopping. I decided to use two different ‘foods’, a 10c and 5c, and tally up those collected separately. When caught by the thief loses one coin (2 in 3 chance of it being a 5c coin). The reason I decided to have two different values is that it allows for following on with ‘unplugged’ activities based on pupils’ play- throughs: they can convert their scores (ie 7 5-cent coins, 4 10-cent coins) into totals (ie 75c), convert them between c and €, compare them with others, etc. A more extensive follow-on could be taking their results to a play or digital shop and working out what they could buy. These potential activities are also why I chose to give the game a set time rather than end at a set score or set amount, as it means each play through will give a different result to use.
The use of digital technologies in the classroom interests me as it can enhance student learning in two broad but very distinct ways.
Firstly, the simple incorporation of tech into classroom activities can allow children to engage in a much more “real” and meaningful way through images, videos, interactives, etc. This has positive impacts on both their attitudes towards and engagement with learning, and on what they are getting out of the activities.
Secondly, this technology use can be brought up a level to where as well as enhancing other learning, pupils are actively developing IT skills. This is digital literacy and coding – it is also STEM-based skills such as problem-solving, computational thinking, and self-evaluating.
The Digital Strategy for Schools and the Digital Learning Strategy are both effective supports in designing a skills-focused, evidence-based plan for a classroom/school to implement best practice for using tech to enhance students’ learning.
