Summertime – computer time
Robert Voss
We all know that reading and literacy is extremely important. The summer is a great time for all of us to catch up on reading we have put off. It is a wonderful time to add to our lists of books. Sometimes we do not realize the many types of reading and writing out there.
Kids are strongly encouraged to read and read and read all summer long. We want them to be hungry for more books. My kids read lots of books, but even with all the reading out there, they can get tired of reading. Our children often look to the examples of their parents and many of us are constantly using screens like our phones, computers, and tablets. Kids want to do what the parents are doing. Why not engage our students in what they are looking for?
Digital literacy is a different type of literacy that is not addressed directly in classrooms, but can be a great alternative to simply reading books. Digital literacy is being computer-literate. This means much more than being able to turn on a computer or play games on a phone. Like other types of literacy, digital literacy means “writing” as much as “reading”. For digital literacy, this means people having the ability to use computers to do what they want rather than just reacting to them.
There are many amazing apps out there that help kids to think like computers do and to get computers to do what they want. Many are free or low cost. Some of the best apps out there get kids to think in small steps.
Scratch and Scratch Jr. – These programs were built with kids in mind. Scratch is a way for kids to animate stories they want to tell. As students grow, the creations can get much more complex. As the complexity builds, so does the interactivity. Students often talk about building video games and Scratch is a platform for kids to get a first taste of the games. As these were created by M.I.T., the credibility is clear.
Minecraft – This app has many versions and unusual ways of approaching the virtual world. It can be great to build story worlds, develop innovative ideas, and even build creations that can be animated. There are unlimited creations that can be built in Minecraft, many of which are available online as examples.
Tynker – While Scratch and Scratch Jr. were built for a progression from storytelling to tinkering with games, Tynker is designed to teach programming. Tynker allows for development of robot programming, drone coding, and game development for school age children.
Lego – The ultimate toy brick building platform has edged into computing over the past few years. While what Lego has done is not free, the potential for kids is amazing. The Lego MindStorms projects have allowed simple coding for their associated products to make robots move, explore, and interact with their environment. The Lego Boost projects offer a simplified program to teach younger kids how to program.
When we get our students write, build, or code computers, they gain the ability to create the world in which they operate. They become the influencers of others. Using the summer to gain some control of the world in which they work, empowers our children into the future. Computers are not just toys for kids. When they are using computers, especially to develop their own ideas, they are learning! If you have specific questions or would like more ideas on this please let us know at [email protected]
Robert Voss is an Assistant Professor and Secondary Social Science Coordinator in the department of Humanities and Social Science at Northwest Missouri State University.
