Coding is nothing more than a set of words that tell a website, app, game or piece of software what to do. Code also forms the basis of the sophisticated tools and technologies that we use in the workplace and that are shaping and advancing all industries, from hospitality to advanced medicine. Coding languages essentially allow us to convert instructions into binary code, the strings of one and zeros that tell a computer what to do. Each language has a name, some of which will be familiar: HTML, Java, C, Python, and, of course, Scratch.
We recently learned about the Granny Cloud project as an example of our role in child led learning. Prof Sugata Mitra noticed that children did best when an adult was present offering advice and encouragement over their shoulders. He realized that there was no one as encouraging as a granny and so The Granny Cloud idea was born. In the original context UK grandmothers volunteer to support children in India in their learning via skype. They encourage, praise, guide and became a “virtual granny” to the children and they learn from the children too. We can bring the benefits of the Granny Cloud to our CoderDojo. Be warm friendly and encouraging— act like grandmas for the kids. Simply by engaging with the kids, recognising their achievements, encouraging them and sometimes offering advice.
