1. Digital Literacies for learning
Week 7 – Creating Digital Solutions

2. Overview of the session
Welcome
Questions from last week
Lecture responses
Preparation for next week

3. This week’s lecture Difference between programming and coding
Programming languages
Algorithms and programming
Robotics
It would be useful to remind students about the links between coding/programming and computational thinking
None of us need to be coding experts. Really reinforce that teachers and students can learn alongside each other, and that we don’t need expensive robots or programs to each it.

4. Activity – creating an algorithm
Videos provide an example of creating an algorithm
Choose a simple task, such as the one shown in the videos or in the flowchart examples on the course site.
Using either text or a flowchart, create an algorithm to explain the steps needed to complete your task.
Swap with your peers
Read their algorithm and see if you can ‘debug’ it by carefully reading their instructions and checking if there are things that are unclear (just like the Dad in the video).
The first video is quite long, so you may not want to watch all of it, but it gives you the idea of the importance of providing all the detail in the correct order. A computer is like the Dad, it is not intuitive and will do exactly what it is told by the code.
Depending on the task students choose, partners could either read for missing or unclear elements or could enact the algorithm, following exactly what has been written.
Remind the students that this is an example of computational thinking in action

5. Activity – human robots
In pairs, write a set of instructions to move your human robot from the starting point to retrieve the object.
Test it out
Try moving the object to a different location on the grid
Programming can be taught without access to a computer or robot. This is called an ‘unplugged’ activity.
Program a human computer
Create a grid on the ground using masking tape. The grid can be of any dimension (3x3, 5x5, etc) It should be large enough for a student to stand in.
Ask a student to act as a robot. The robot’s task is to retrieve an object placed somewhere on the grid. The robot must start from the bottom left hand corner.
The robot needs a series of instructions in order to retrieve the object. The robot understands words like forwards, backwards, left and right or short cuts that mean the same (arrows, etc).
Pairs of students to write a set of instructions and then test. Maybe try with one or 2 pairs/robots and if time, move the object to a different location.
Compare the different ways students recorded their programs – did they use text, arrows, abbreviations (FFLFF) etc.
The way the instructions were documented is code and it needs to be written in a way that can be understood by the computer (human or machine)

6. Coding activities Scratch - computers Bee Bots
There are many tutorials available that will help you get started with Scratch
Bee Bots
Give students time to experiment with the Bee Bots – what can they do? How can they move?
Provide students with challenges. For example:
Code the Bee-Bot to move forward for a specific distance in cm.
Code the Bee-Bot to trace differently sized squares.
Can it move through a path (using masking tape to create a path)?
Scratch Jnr – iPad app
Getting started video
ube.com/watch?v =ciWPaEgscr0&f eature=youtu.be
The Scratch Jnr website has some detailed instructions to get you started.
hjr.org/learn/interf ace
Depending on the number of iPads and Bee bots you have, you may want to rotate students through the 3 different coding activities
Bee Bots
Scratch Jnr – on the iPads (free to download if they want to download to their own devices)
Scratch – on their computers
There is also a BeeBot app on the iPads that can be downloaded to their own devices for free as well.
For the 2 Scratch programs – encourage students to make use of tutorials to work through getting started – links on slide above, or google.
Scratch is a coding language designed for children aged between 8 and 16 but can be used by people of all ages. It utilizes a visual programming environment with blocks of code to make it simple for beginning coders to work with. The program is available online so only can be used on computers
Scratch Jnr version designed for younger learners (aged 5-7) and is available as a free app for both iPad and Android tablets. Children are able to create stories and games using visual programming blocks. They can add their own voices and sounds and use the blocks to solve problems and design projects.
I doubt you will have time, but there are also other coding apps on the iPads that could be explored

7. Activity – reading task
The article by Sterling this week, considers the importance of coding in the curriculum. Imagine that a parent of a child in your class questions why you are spending so much time "playing on the computers" when their child should be learning English and Mathematics".
How would you respond?

8. Any questions?
Spend some time answering any questions students may have

9. Before our next session……….
Work through Topic 8
Read and note the lecture materials for Topic 8
Complete the reading and bring notes with you to class
Find and critique a resource that can be added to your portfolio for assessment task 3 – this could be a coding app, website, etc.