An Hour of Code Event by Microsoft?

[Bloodmorphed]

http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/youthspark/youthsparkhub/hourofcode/

I'm quite curious, who has has seen this, and what do you think of it. I briefly looked through the Code.org thing they supplied on that website and it looks a bit weird to me all the drag and drop stuff they do. It seems a bit weird to me.

Has anyone done this and is it work my time to do their "Hour of Code" stuff. I doubt they have ruby stuff in there but Javascript wouldn't be bad to touch base on annyways. 

Thought?

P.S: I think this is the right spot for this, however I'm not sure as it is off topic yeh?

 

[Tsukihime]

What is weird about all the drag and drop stuff?


I think it's weird that in this day and age I still have to "write" code.

 

[Bloodmorphed]

I just think it's weird. Don't get me wrong its pretty cool and all and very convient, I "Koded" a lot in project spark at one point (which is pretty freakin easy by the way). But it just looks weird to me, I guess I'm just used to see ",'/[i.to] crap everywhere lol

 

[Zeriab]

This event is by Code.org which is supported by many software companies including Microsoft.

Microsoft themselves have developed Kodu where you can program simple 3D games with an Xbox controller. A couple of years ago I had two days with a friend to teach 20 8th graders how to make something in Kodu. Quite fun, and all the kids got quite far, each having something playable ^_^

Haven't looked particularly into what the Code event is in more details. But I certainly like the idea

@Tsu:

Some problems are tackled well with a visual programming style. Others are better to tackle in a text-based programming language.

*hugs*

 - Zeriab

 

[Tsukihime]

Some problems are tackled well with a visual programming style. Others are better to tackle in a text-based programming language.


*hugs*


 - Zeriab

Personally I would prefer to just say "Computer, implement this algorithm" and have it do it for me, and leave it to figure out the most optimal way to do it.


It would be like a declarative language except even higher level.

 

[_Shadow_]

Google this: Scratch programming language.

This is the reasonable evolution step of LOGO language.

LOGO had a turtle doing stuff in a not so rich environment.

But hey! Now there are GUIs everywhere.

So it was about time a language like Scratch would show up.

It is an incredible tool to teach people how to make programs, by using blocks.

Thus people will get it easier.

And if you learn the basic concepts, then you can learn how to code easier.

I find this great not weird.

Imagine what you can do with this if you are a teacher!

This is a very strong tool.

Very nice thread, I can understand why you find this weird, but I believe it is a VERY nice move to the right direction.

 

[Bloodmorphed]

No don't get me wrong. I know it is very powerful teaching tool. Remember I used Project Sparks programming language they call "Kode" which is basically a drag and drop code. This taught me the basics, very very basics. But it still did it's job.

It may be weird, but I'm the type of person when I say it's weird it doesn't mean it's not good. I would love for this stuff to go mainstream and be able to do extremely good things with it. As it stands right now though, it is limited, by a lot. You can still do cool things with it but it's not as powerful as most languages... YET!

 

[_Shadow_]

Never thought of you using the word "weird" positive or negative.

I take it as neutral.

Actually your thread is interesting.

I already teach Scratch to teach programming concepts.

It made my life easier in many ways.

 

[Bloodmorphed]

Really? I'm a bit intrigued now. Mind giving me some lessons? Well... Not really lessons, but you know. I don't know how to word it lol.

 

[_Shadow_]

Really? I'm a bit intrigued now. Mind giving me some lessons? Well... Not really lessons, but you know. I don't know how to word it lol.

[SIZE=14.4444446563721px]A demonstration on how I work with this[/SIZE]?

 

[Bloodmorphed]

Yeah I guess you could call it that.

 

[_Shadow_]

Yeah I guess you could call it that.

Please give me some time since this will not be an easy task.

 

[Bloodmorphed]

No pressure, take your time, only do this if you have the time to. I'm in no hurry

 

[_Shadow_]

Since you posted, there you go.

Take it into a new thread. new post.   

Wanted to say that I won't add it to my previous reply, but I made a new post...     

Spoiler

I start by taking off my head that students understand what I say.

This is 101.

This is the most teacher's nemesis.

A student might not be able to understand what you say.

For many reasons.

I make sure that I start with explanation of a few simple terms.

Then using these terms, I form definitions of new terms.

Students smile, since they get it. Some of them say "At last! I got it!" and this is the biggest reward I can get.

The lessons go on and I introduce them SMOOTHLY into algorithms.

We talk about what a problem really is.

 

For instance....

you know, programs are called also applications (apps).

Have you heard some people calling programs with a different term? "Solutions".

Ever wonder why they call a program "solution"?

We call it that way because programs are made to solve problems.

So... to make a program.... you must first find a problem to solve.

Part of a problem, is to understand that problem.

So in order to understand it, we must express it correctly.

So that way I teach them how to make a model of a problem, using words.

Then I will teach them that there is a certain form and certain tools that help us out describe the steps of a solution.

And that way they are introduced in pesudocode.

BEFORE CODING IN A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE, while I teach them such tools (like variables, value assignment, operators, IF, FOR, WHILE, CASE) I show them how these tools work.... using scratch. 

They enjoy understanding stuff like that.

Then Java or Python, is just a bunch of syntax rules and commands to memorize. 

They already know how to speak pseudo - code (international programming language)

and they learned how things work so they can learn how to combine things to make solutions.

That's it.

 Nothing too fancy. 

 

 

[Bloodmorphed]

Take it in a new thread? Huh? I'm confused, lol.

 

[Sausage_Boi]

Crap with my son handling the computer as well as he does, I wonder if I should ease into some VERY basic drag and drop coding with him. he is only 3, though, but DAMN he can use the mouse like the best of em, and get around youtube like you wouldn't believe. And yes, I understand anything more than basic drag-and-drop is going to be well beyond his skillset, since he doesn't read yet. I just think something interactive and learning would be good for him, especially with computers being such a staple of modern life.