The iStore in Sandton teaches children the basics of computers

CodeSpace is designed to teach youngsters the basics of computer programming; while Think Ahead focuses on integrating Apple solutions into education. Through CodeSpace, Think Ahead is pioneering an important IT movement which is set to impact the future of today’s children.

The initiative was initially run by Think Ahead as a holiday programme and, to date, more than 90 pupils from grades 5 to 7 across private and government schools have attended the initiative.

The events, which cater for groups of 25 pupils, are set in a relaxed environment with the focus on fun and interactivity. The youngsters leave equipped with IT skills, confidence, inspiration and an eagerness to learn more.

In a technology-driven world, learning the language of computers is becoming a critical skill for children to acquire. Whether they want to become programmers or not, computational thinking is an essential skill in the 21st century.

Coding is about solving problems, sequential thinking, creating, designing and working with others. Think Ahead facilitators incorporate these 21st-century skills throughout the programme and provide context to enable pupils to make sense of digital things.

Their approach is centred on design-based learning which draws on children’s own creativity and interests as they learn by designing and creating their own projects. Making mistakes and taking risks are emphasised as a way for youngsters to learn by debugging their code and coming up with better solutions.

CodeSpace has recently expanded its offering to include a 10-week course designed to be run as a school extramural activity, as well as CodeSpace for Girls targeted towards encouraging and inspiring young women to consider careers in technology.

The course makes use of iPad applications such as Hopscotch, and Tickle to teach children the fundamentals of computer programming such as loops, variables and conditional statements, without them having to grasp tricky computer programming lingo.

Using these tools to design their own games, art and animations encourages the children to become creators of technology instead of consumers. Computational thinking skills and mathematical skills are also put to work when writing code for real-life applications using robotic toys such as Sphero.

Details: www.thinkahead.co.za

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