We chat every Tuesday night at 8:30-9:30 pm CST. All are welcome, especially EarlyEd teachers, leaders & experts. Co-founded & moderated by @techwnancy @JessicaCabeen & @VealHeidi
Hi. I’m Heidi, one of the #ECEchat founders & moderators. I’m also serve on the leadership team of the #ISTE Early Learning Network PLN. I’m thrilled for tonight’s chat about #Coding with Early Learners!
Aloha everyone! My name is Wendy and I am an Instructional Technology Specialist in the state of Hawaiʻi. I support our preschool teachers with early childhood tech integration! I am also a member of the @ELN_ISTE leadership team. #ecechat
I'm Jennifer Bowden, Director of Training & Education Prog. Development for Goddard Systems, the franchisor for the Goddard School and the president of the @ELN_ISTE. It's a pleasure to be here! #ECEchat
Tonight’s chat about #coding with EarlyLearners is inspired by @marinabers book Coding as a Playground! If you haven’t read it, put it on your must read list asap! #ECEchat
A1: Codingis how computers thing and work. It’s the communication piece of moving parts. I think coding helps the littles see patterns, learn direction, and achieve a goal. #ECEchat
A1: coding is giving something a code to tell it what to do? 🤷🏼♀️ it’s important bc that’s what our world is turning into! Tech Savvy is a must! #ECEchat
A1 Coding is a language that is used to give instructions to a computer or program. Almost like playing, "Simon Says!" We give instructions and the program follows them. #ecechat 🤖🖥
A1 Coding can be unplugged or tech filled. Computational thinking skills, collaborating, problem solving & critical thinking. Student's excitement and engagement in computer science are sparked by introducing it young. It is part of our future. #ECEchat
A1 Hello, everyone! I believe that some foundational elements of coding are analogous with some of the very items we know are DAP for young children such as sequencing, patterning, modularization (breaking things down to smaller parts), etc. #ecechat
A! part 3 ;-) #ECEchat I think that learning a language is an important way to learn one's own language. Beyond coding the computational thinking is perhaps even more important!
A1 I think it is important because our students are going to need to know these skills especially now that our society is shifting towards technology. #ecechat
I agree, Gail, though some argue that computational thinking—as important as it is—abstracts things too far away from the computer. Food for thought! https://t.co/msz9OfFR3m#ecechat
You'll love it. We are doing a book study with our ELN this winter. We'll be sharing some info about it during the chat. You should definitely join us! #ECEchat
Hmmmm I am not sure I see the thinking behind coding as moving further away from computer... I will have to ponder that a bit more. I know the languages and coding will change, but the thinking behind it is pretty standard high level thinking. #ECEchat
A2: Coding languages mirror human language development. Once a student is familiar with a language, they can use it to create and express themselves in new ways! #ECEchat
A1 I believe ALL young learners should have the opportunity to learn foundational coding skills simply as a matter of equity and whole child education. #ECEchat
A1: Coding is a way for our students to learn language. It is important for our younger Ss to learn about coding because they are digital natives and ready to use the technology and skills that are available to them. We just need to provide them with the opportunity. #ECEchat
A2. We think of literacy as reading and writing. Code is just the same. Code is a way of communicating and learning. We read it. We write it. We can edit and see it all play out. Think of symbols, numbers, all the bases are covered! #ECEchat
A2 #ECEchat I also like that when we communicate with technology we cannot really blame the bot or the computer or other item for not understanding, we must work to communicate more clearly - a great life lesson!
A2 Being literate means being able to understand and express one's self. There are amazing technological tools out there that allow children to do this, but also a lot there are just bells and whistles. #ECEchat
A2 - Literacy means "the ability to read and write." With coding, our little ones can use symbols (such as arrows or colors) to create (write) a coding sentence and they will also be able to read/decode the sentence back. ⬅️⬆️⬇️➡️ #ecechat
Reading and creating code is just like reading and writing in a language. What do these symbols represent and what are they communicating? It can be cross curricular with letters/sounds/ sight words/ story sequencing/ #ECEchat
A3 #ECEchat Key foundational skills in coding/coders - resiliency, syntax, "word choice", precision in language, problem solving, symbolic thought and using meaningful symbols to communicate, estimation.... (shall I continue?)
A3: Through the use of coding students can learn how to follow directions in sequential order, directionality, positional words, problem-solving, develop spatial awareness and so much more! #ECEchat
A3: The vocab is essential to introduce coding. How a code works and what is does too. I think about when I’m introducing the code-a-pillar to my Ss, they have to know that each piece is a different code before they can understand we are coding. #ECEchat
A3 I love the 7 Powerful Ideas @marinabers describes in her book, Coding as a Playground. They are perfect to introduce and have children investigate starting in preschool. Two are algorithms (sequencing in a specific order) and Debugging. #ECEchat
A3 Skills taught via coding➡️ Patterning, sequencing, cause/effect, problem solving, computational thinking, foundational mathematical thinking, algorithmic thinking & number sense, as well as so many soft skills creativity, communication, collaboration, SEL development #ECEchat
A3 (continued) #ECEchat
IF we offer students open-ended, multiple-ways-to-solve coding opportunities then we are also offering different ways to solve problems, efficiency, creativity and more.
A3 Some key foundational skills include sequence, directional and positional language, spatial and body awareness (when we do human coding), problem solving, mathematical thinking, critical thinking #ecechat
A3 pt 2: KEY is calling things what they are and having kids think/reflect. For ex. Instead of just having them do a puzzle and watching them problem-solve, talk to them about how they are trying different angles and tell them the act of trying a new way is debugging. #ecechat
A3: The vocab is essential to introduce coding. How a code works and what is does too. I think about when I’m introducing the code-a-pillar to my Ss, they have to know that each piece is a different code before they can understand we are coding. #ECEchat
YES! I love that book (How to Code a Sandcastle) I also like to use If you Give a Mouse a Cookie (If/Then) and If I were a Wizard... lots of great books for examining coding
#ECEchat
A3 (continued) #ECEchat
IF we offer students open-ended, multiple-ways-to-solve coding opportunities then we are also offering different ways to solve problems, efficiency, creativity and more.
A4 #ECEChat One of my favorite unplugged activities is really more focussed on the Computational Thinking - having learners give me specific directions on how to make a PBJ sandwich -- this works on precise language and ordering of steps...
Hi, Lauren. It's something different schools and teachers are investigating. Those that focus on the language and who give students lots of unplugged practice, really end up engaging kids. #ECEchat
A4: During recess we practice unplugged coding by creating 'obstacle courses' and the student who created the course provides friends with directions to complete (or students who are developing language can model 1st or physically guide a friend through the course). #ECEchat
A4 For this activity we used arrows and a jumprope to create a path.We talked about what the arrows mean ⬅️⬆️➡️⬇️next they created a path with the jumprope and we discussed which side would be the beginning and end point. Then we used the arrows to walk the path. #ecechat
A4 Have students create their own version of Little Codr (card game). All children have to agree on the symbols for forward, backward, etc. that the "programmer" draws. That in itself is a great teachable moment! #ecechat
A5- we have done retelling with stories, matching letters, shapes, community helpers. I love watching them get so excited with the BeeBot. I am gonna try more with my code-a-pillar soon! #ECEchat
Thanks Heidi! I've been multitasking and trying to follow along in the conversation. My Ss in the past have had coding in media production class. I haven't taken the time to engage in the process, but that will change soon enough. #ecechat
A4 Here are a bunch of different ideas for unplugged coding. Young learners need lots of concrete, whole body experiences before coding a bot to help them understand the concepts of movement, directionality, sequencing, and positional words. #ecechat
A5 I am finding Beebot/Bluebot are simple yet versatile in being able to teach cross curricular concepts ( letters, numbers, stories, words...) I think KIBO is great at introducing block coding with literal blocks. #ECEchat
A5 I really like the breadth and depth of things you can teach with Kibo. It doesn't use a screen and kids work on debugging, algorithms, modularization while also working on their collaboration, communication, creativity and problem solving skills. #ecechat
Thx for sharing this link!!! Whoa, it's full of ideas and pics to explain the different coding challenges your kinders experienced. Check it out @techwnancy | #ECEchat
A5 I am also enamored with Ozobots as a non-written language coding bot... (these little bots follow lines drawn on paper) Colorful patterns change Ozobot's "behavior" #ecechat
Q6 Dr. Bers explains, "When children play they learn by doing." How is coding an expression of play and what impact have you seen on your students as a result of their experiences with coding? #ECEchat#istelittlelearners
Seriously enjoying all of the ideas exchanged tonight. My K Ss loved coding last year. My PK Ss have not had the opportunity to try it out. May have to explore it more closely myself. Doors opening... #ecechat
A6 #ECEChat WELL, we need to be certain we are providing playful opportunities... NOT "get it right" opportunities. SO many examples "out there" are structured to teach children one way to solve a problem or create a code... this is not the best model in my opinion....
A6: they are playing while coding. They get to explore and try things their way. Things can be done in different ways. My kids have started to develop a stronger sense of direction words and counting to figure out their path! Just let them try and figure it out! #ECEchat
A6 When students code together they are laughing, celebrating, playing together while learning. They are fully engaged and filled with wonder, inquiry, & curiosity. #ECEchat
A6 Coding IS Play! Look at the many adolescents who get lost in MineCraft. This comes back to your first question, Heidi. The idea of being able to express oneself in a myriad of ways is play and literacy, both. #ecechat
RT Q6 Dr. Bers explains, When children play they learn by doing." How is coding an expression of play and what impact have you seen on your students as a result of their experiences with coding? #ECEchat
A6 Coding can be open ended.Students can create their own unique path when creating a coding sentence, wether it is with arrows on the playground with a robot on a coding grid or in an app such as @ScratchJr We all learn create and play differently and coding allows this #ecechat
RT Q6 Dr. Bers explains, When children play they learn by doing." How is coding an expression of play and what impact have you seen on your students as a result of their experiences with coding? #ECEchat
A6 I recently observed a PK4 kiddo take out a coding mat & beebot during centers & begin coding.When a PK3 classmate joined, he taught his friend hot to code the bot. They proceeded to go back and forth creating their own paths for the bot. #play#ecechat
As someone who is a big proponent of learning through play, this makes me want to explore coding for myself. Play is such a HUGE time of learning and growth, both academically and socially. #ecechat
