So, what do parents need to know about coding?

Ultimately CODING is all about creating precise instructions for digital devices to operate in routine ways to  meet our needs.  Whenever we use our phones, computers, or just about any other devices that has automated capabilities, someone has created the code  for that device to operate.

At our school we are striving to give students more of the best opportunities to think critically and creatively; to  improve their efforts and the products of their learning;  to collaborate more effectively; and to develop strong problem solving and reasoning capabilities.  As teachers seek to better understanding the new Digital Technologies Australian Curriculum, we are shifting our headset into new areas where students may develop those capabilities.  Coding is one of these areas.

The curriculum around  coding starts with  a focus on  younger students defining simple problems, and describing and following a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them.  As student progress through year levels they will  be more frequently designing, modifying  and following  simple algorithms involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration (repetition).  Eventually students will  implement digital solutions as simple visual programs involving branching, iteration, and user input.   Parents can find out  more about coding by exploring this site with their child: https://code.org/learn

This week’s CODE-athon challenge provides an opportunity for students to explore and develop an understanding of algorithms and how they underpin the coding process.  Most of our coding activities will be off line to begin with.

Our coding challenges will occur this Wednesday 22 June and Friday 24 June.  The timetable below shows the event, day, time and venue when your child’s class will participate.  You are most welcome to join us at that time and participate in the challenge.

We trust that children and families have been able to collect sponsors for this, our major fundraiser.    We are keen to equip our new Studio with technologies that encourage students to explore, create and collaborate.  Students  love using the green screen and digital microscopes and  with our CODE-athon funds we will be able to access a  great deal more.  We thank you in anticipation of your generous  financial support of  this event.

There  is an incentive raffle with exciting prizes  which will be highly sought after! For every $10 students raise, they will receive one ticket in the raffle.  Sponsorship  money needs to be returned in time for the raffle  on the last Wednesday of term.

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