Bryan Young's OLTD ePortfolio
Toolbox for Teaching Coding at the Elementary Level - click here
The goal of this assignment was to create a website that could be used for staff training and engagement with the topic. This was a topic that I was not overly familiar with, but interested in because of the shifts in education.
As a department, we're going to be introducing basic coding to our students from the grades 6-9 level. I've started to accumulate a toolbox of online coding programs and resources to help us along our journey. Most of us don't have any experience with coding, but there are excellent tools out there to get us start on this path and learn with our students. There is a great push in this area from the need of students to be prepared to meet the needs of the technology sector, but also the recognition of coding as a "universal" language that all students will benefit from. The BC Ministry of Education announced in January that students in grades K-12 will have the opportunity to learn coding to further boost the tech sector in BC. Through this inquiry project, I am looking to answer the question of - can well designed and intentioned games offer alternative learning experiences for students that teach and inspire? My answer to that through this inquiry is a resounding yes. The gamified approach to teaching and learning coding has made coding accessible, understandable, and enjoyable. This page is a launching pad to not only provide you with resources, but to start an ongoing dialogue. Features have been built-in that will all you to share your thoughts and see what others are thinking.
Plague Inc. Simulation Game App
This assignment gave me a chance to explore various games that could be used for educational purposes. When I cam across Plague, Inc. it stood out to me because I could tie it in with my grade 8 science unit on diseases. Once I downloaded the app and started playing the game I could see how students would enjoy the challenge of infecting all of humanity and bringing about illness and death. There may be some concern about the premise, but it is executed in a manner that does not glorify violence as the visuals are based primarily on data and statistics on a world map. There is no sign of blood or suffering. I am a big fan of engaging students in narratives, and video games are the perfect platform for that. Students are also given the opportunity to strategize and experiment until they can successfully reach their goal. Here is my review.
