The IIE’s Varsity Waterfall educators learn robotics and coding
This course is designed for first-time teachers to learn how to bring coding into the classroom.
The IIE’s Varsity College Waterfall School of Education recently partnered with iStore Education for an exciting course in coding and robotics for first-time teachers.
Sumayya Khan, programme manager at the IIE School of Education, Sheetal Navsaria, lecturer at the IIE School of Education and Mesuli Sithole, a third-year student, have successfully completed the course.
This course is designed to teach first-time teachers how to bring coding into the classroom.
Sithole said she was intimidated by the course because when she heard the word ‘coding’ she imagined numbers, equations, and more numbers. “But as we explored the different coding platforms — swift playground, tynker, and code spark, I realised that this was not the case. I enjoyed all the platforms as they were all very insightful, I experienced first-hand what coding would be like for learners.
“The fact that they get to learn concepts while they are playing is a beautiful combination. I think it keeps them interested in what is happening which is something I would like to see in my future classrooms, learners having fun while they work and learn.”
The eight-week coding and robotics course included 90 minutes of live online sessions per week, one on-site practical robotics session, 30-minute online videos per week, and four assessments.
Navsaria said robotics and coding develop and teach skills in analytical, critical, practical, and creative thinking.
She explained that coding allows students to think out of the box and is a great benefit to their future teaching careers since it is being implemented in the teaching curriculum.
“Mesuli was a great asset for this course and I am so glad she could benefit and build her CV with this exhilarating course. As an educator, one should always believe in becoming a lifelong learner and this is a great way to enrich oneself, in order for our learners at school one day to benefit and be ready for the world out there.”
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