Learning to code is a popular topic in educational circles these days and rightly so I think. When young people code their own apps, games, stories, or websites they have a chance to think critically, troubleshoot, problem solve, and collaborate. It’s a way to create something real that can be seen and used by lots of different people.
Of course, very few teachers are proficient coders. But, we don’t have to be. There are several apps and Web-based tools that make it possible to learn the basics of coding. Up to now the number one favourite coding application for school age children was probably Scratch. However a new application called Tynker may soon change that. It is quite similar to Scratch and can even import Scratch projects.
The Tynker Learning Platform is a program designed to teach computer programming skills to students in primary and secondary schools.
Tynker is an on-line program that uses games and puzzles to teach the basic concepts of coding. Once children move their way through this program, they can start to learn a programming language. Individually-paced work allows students to move at a comfortable pace and they can really see what they have accomplished. It is an extremely accessible way to reach into a complex and often difficult area.
Tynker believes that “computational thinking and computer programming should be part of the core curriculum in education.” By creating the Tynker Learning Platform, Tynker’s goal is to:
- Provide every child with a solid foundation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) thinking abilities to prepare them for 21st century degrees and careers.
- Enable children to learn Computer Science concepts through discovery, creative activities and experimentation.
The Tynker Learning Platform is available in standard and premium editions. The standard edition is free and includes:
- An integrated development environment
- Classroom management tools
- Grading
- A programming skills starter pack
The premium edition includes:
- Lessons plans and solutions that teach animation, storytelling, game design, physics, math, art, etc.
- Puzzles that teach program concepts
- Class assessment charts that evaluate class as well as individual student performance
- Tynker Character Studio
- An extended media library
To ensure that all learners have the opportunity to gain access to the Tynker Learning Platform, the standard edition of the program is being offered for free at www.tynker.com Just click on Get Tynker today for your class from the schools section of the site. If you feel that the Tynker Learning Platform is right for your school, you can upgrade to the premium edition whose price is “based on the number of seats purchased for a classroom,” states Tynker.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK_EWkzmw64[/youtube]