[Dfey-nw-discuss] [Fwd: [GeekUp] Teaching Kids: sign-up now]

[Tim Dobson]

I just spotted this, if anyone feels like commenting on this the thread 
is available through the google groups web interface here:
http://groups.google.com/group/geekup/browse_thread/thread/2e6abeaedc918972

Personally (as someone else has said) I find this idea of coding for 
iPhones, a really locked down, closed and expensive platform, quite a 
sobering idea...

Yyour thoughts?

Tim

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [GeekUp] Teaching Kids: sign-up now
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 16:10:54 +0000
From: Paul Robinson <address@hidden>
Reply-To: address@hidden
To: GeekUp <address@hidden>


I've had a good day for the "let's get kids coding" project.

Today I met an IT teacher at Newall Green High School near
Wythenshawe. This is an interesting school because whilst this is in
what is considered a relatively economically deprived area, they're
quite well kitted out with equipment. Even better, my contact is well
up for this, and they're delivering an ICT diploma which means there
is a group of just under a dozen kids (14-15 years old) who are
enthusiastic about technology.

Because they've had some money for this ICT diploma there is basically
an iPhone for each of the kids (!) and they're doing training up at
the CLC[1] just outside the city centre for one day a week.

Having had a chat with my contact, it would seem there are two
projects that would be good from the kids' perspectives:

- Writing an iPhone app (no, I can't believe that's an option either)
- Writing a Facebook app (maybe RFacebook to do it with Rails? A PHP
framework?)

There is obviously some theory that needs to be covered (Q: "Do you
think they'd know what an integer is?" A: "No, no way.."), but I'm
going to probably write that up and they'll have that covered before
these projects start.

I also think we need to cover more than just code - UX, design, etc.
are all important factors in developing projects, and we want to make
this feel as "real" as possible.

It would be great to get 3-4 developers with experience of one or both
of the above areas to get involved to do a whole day (a Thursday) some
time in February or March. If nobody else is up for this, I'm on my
own here...

Also, I'm thinking the only way to make this scale is to "teach the
teachers" with some more advanced material. That would be a separate
session.

If any of this is something you feel you can commit to, please let me
know off-list. I'm going to be giving this project a name, website and
a mailing list soon so I want to collect people who want in on the
ground floor.

[1] http://www.centralmanclc.com/

--
Paul Robinson

http://vagueware.com :: address@hidden :: +44 (0) 7740 465746

Vagueware Limited is registered in England/Wales, number 05700421
Registered Office: 3 Tivoli Place, Ilkley, W. Yorkshire, LS29 8SU
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--
www.tdobson.net
----
If each of us have one object, and we exchange them, then each of us
still has one object.
If each of us have one idea, and we exchange them, then each of us now
has two ideas.   -  George Bernard Shaw