Overview:

Today’s class was all about coding and computational thinking. I had the opportunity to look at several different coding activities and even run through a game myself. I remember working through these games when I was in middle school. Once a year, we would have a class where we got to go to the computer lab and practice coding games. It was always so fun, and everyone was excited and engaged the whole time.

Computational Thinking:

Computational thinking is a new concept for me. I learned that it is a way of problem-solving. It has four elements: decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm design. I think this method could help learners become better problem solvers. Breaking down problems into smaller problems is a great way to start understanding how to solve a big issue. Following this guild will be super helpful for those who are first learning how to problem solve.

Gaming in education:

Using games in education is a great way to engage students and get them excited about learning. Educational games in a classroom will motivate students to learn new concepts. Younger students don’t always realize they are learning skills when playing a game; they just think it’s fun. That being said, you can use games as a teaching tool for all levels and ages. Teachers can use this to their advantage. In my L2P classroom, I see students playing literacy games all the time and enjoying them. They get excited when they get to choose which game they want to play that day. Although games can be a great tool, teachers must vet these games before students play to ensure they are effective.

Coding Activity:

Today, I had the opportunity to complete a coding game that my students may one day do as well. I used a website called Code, which has many different games. There are games for all ages and levels. I had much fun working through the Anna and Elsa ice skating game. It was pretty easy for me as it is geared towards younger students first seeing this concept. However, there were a couple of levels I had to think hard about and problem-solve. I used computational thinking to work my way through the problem. Below is a quick video of the last level, where I got to design code to make any winter art I wanted.

Video:

This silent video shows the code I created on the right and Elsa running through it on the left. Elsa does exactly what my code is telling her to do.