WESTMEATH – Just before the Christmas break Westmeath Public School students spent a week using popular video game, such as Angry Birds, learning how to write code for computers.
The computer programming training was part of a world-wide project called Hour of Code (hourofcode.com) which helps students learn the basics of writing code. The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics.
The Hour of Code is organized by Code.org, a public non-profit organization dedicated to expanding participation in computer science by making it available in more schools, and increasing participation by women and under-represented students of colour. An unprecedented coalition of partners have come together to support the Hour of Code too — including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the College Board.
Hour of Code activities are self-guided, and in the case of Westmeath, were led by Principal Debra Metzger.
“We decided to do the Hour of Code after the information was forwarded to me from the RCDSB (Renfrew County District School Board) IT department,” Principal Metzger said. “I had taught computer coding at high school back in the day and had always enjoyed seeing the engagement of students when they realize that they can have creative control over the computer. According to a recent news release there are more than one million computer programming jobs unfilled in North America. Robotics and applications are gearing up so it would be prudent to look carefully at this and encourage our children to delve a little deeper into the computing world.”
Ms. Metzger said her students, from Kindergarten to Grade 8, enjoyed participating in the Hour of Code program which had them work with popular video game avatars such as Angry Birds and zombies. Students, through coding, programmed zombies to move through a maze and reach a goal, represented by a computer sunflower.
“The Hour of Code was extremely well received,” Ms. Metzger said. “The structure of the instruction is well designed to ensure students meet with success. Students were reluctant to stop the task even when the home bells were indicating the buses were arriving and they had to leave. All classes could take part.”
