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This course has given me insights in to coding and computer science which I am so excited to introduce in the classroom. I have learned that introducing coding and computer science from an early age is so important for this generation of children not only to foster soft skills such as collaboration, perseverance and creativity but also to provide children with the technical skills that are required in so many jobs in today’s tech driven 21st century.
As digital learning was my specialism in college, I had some foundation in block coding and using digital tools such as Scratch, Minecraft, Lego WeDo and other block coding apps. On school placements, I used some of these digital tools for integration with literacy where children created characters from their novels and used the digital tools to enhance their comprehension skills of summarising and visualising. What striked me was that all children wanted to get involved when it came to working digitally, even the children who sometimes would take a back seat when it came to independent or group work. I noticed how children were not afraid to make mistakes when working with digital tools and actually found it exciting to try weird and whacky ways of solving things. I think using coding and computer science really fosters a resilient nature in children as there is not one right way of solving a problem, they are encouraged to use trial and error and perseverance to solve or create. It also has a multitude of benefits for children’s communication and collaboration skills as they work together to problem solve.
One major potential challenge that I have seen first hand when it comes to digital learning is lack of resources. One school I was in, each class only had access to the ipads for 30 mins each twice a week. I found the 30 minute time slot to be quite short, albeit it was better than no digital time at all! but the lesson still felt a bit rushed. More funding is definitely needed in digital resources for schools if we are serious about using digital tools as an integration across all subject areas. Another challenge I believe is teacher training. This is the first course that I have done in digital learning and I feel like there is so much I still have to learn yet in terms of feeling competent with coding. If teachers are expected to teach children coding and computer science, then more workshops, courses and modules in teacher training college need to be implemented. While a lot of digital work in the classroom is child-led, it is important that teachers themselves are competent and confident with rolling out digital programmes so that children can get the best out of their time with digital tools.
Minecraft Project: Who were the Vikings?
Curriculum Areas: History (Early People and Ancient Societies), Geography (People and Other Lands/ Trade and Development), Visual Arts, Literacy, Maths
Learning Outcomes:
– The children will be enabled to learn about and construct a Viking settlement and explain who the Vikings were, what they looked like, where they lived and why they explored
– The children will be enabled to collaborate and problem solve to create navigation tools for the early Vikings and create a map for a new area of discovery
– Use mathematics and problem solving to develop ways for Vikings to trade with others
– Document using the book and quill/ boards what the Vikings found on their exploration, including descriptions of how they dressed and sailed the seas
Student Roles:
Team Leader: Will decide on how to break down the work load and ensure everybody knows what they are doing
Researcher: Use the internet, school library and classroom resources to research what the Vikings looked like, Viking ships, trading in the past and Viking settlements
Designer: Maps out what the Viking settlement will look like. They will sketch designs on squared paper for Viking ships and outfits, ensuring designs are accurate
Builder: Uses co-ordinates, coding and minecraft blocks to design and create a Viking settlement with a Viking ship. Within this settlement, Vikings will engage with trading and conversation
Time-keeper will decide on the longevity of the project and remind each person of how long left they have at each stage
Supporting work:
Art: Using fabric and fibre to create a real life Viking outfit/ helmet. Children could also reconstruct miniature Viking ships using construction art (cardboard/ matchsticks etc).
Literacy: Read and respond to the story of Viking Boy and create character profiles of the main characters to get a deeper understanding of life as a Viking.
Geography: Map the main areas of Europe where the Vikings came from and explored. Create a digital pathway of the Viking exploration.
PE: Children take part in a orienteering course, looking for hidden treasures and trading with others.
Music: Create a soundscape to accompany a voyage on a Viking ship. Sailor song/ rhythmic music using body percussion and non-tuned instruments.
Build challenge: Create a Viking ship and use it to sail to a Viking settlement. Collect items at the settlement and trade with others for valuable items.
Digital tools can create engaging learning experiences as children have autonomy and choice in their learning. When using digital tools, children are in control of their learning, they are collaborating, tinkering and creating to solve problems through interacting with immersive games/ apps or physical digital tools such as Beebots. What I have learned from this module is that digital learning isn’t a stand alone subject, it is a key competency of the new primary curriculum that should be integrated across all subject areas in order to enhance and support children’s learning in that area. Digital tools support children in decomposing problems in to more manageable parts, abstracting important information and logically sequencing steps to completing or solving an issue. These skills are all transferrable to real life and are key digital competencies of the 21st century. As my school is a digital school of distinction, we will be using our SSE to continuously improve our teaching and learning practices to include digital tools. For example, we will have a stronger focus on inquiry based learning, allowing children to construct their own knowledge through critical thinking, collaboration and creativity.