On a visit to a class in Sitka, Alaska, we watched second grade students gain incredible experiences in computer science skills. The teacher, Cindy Duncan, believes in teaching young children to code, so she begins the year by introducing students to Ozobots through stories.
She used “The Gingerbread Man” and taught dyads of children to develop story characters. “I teach coding and robotics because as an educator it is my job to recognize that my students are global innovators, thinkers and problem solvers,” she explained.
Related content: 6 reasons to support K-5 coding
Everywhere you turn, teachers, parents and others are talking about coding and robotics for learners of all ages. Based deeply on the ideas of Seymour Papert, robotics and coding provide hands-on and creative opportunities for learners to invent, solve problems and create – perhaps the most appropriate implementation of STEM. These experiences provide the opportunity to teach STEM in a multidisciplinary way, with a hands-on approach, which also happens to be engaging and fun.
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