Hour of Code

Hour of Code

In support of students and teachers participating in the Hour of Code, I worked in partnership with my Teaching with Technology Team to develop and write the TDSB Hour of Code Website. It has been very well received and used well beyond the classrooms of the TDSB (See Doug Peterson’s Post: TDSB Hour of Code Resource). Students, classes, and schools across the Toronto District School Board participated in the Hour of Code and tweeted about it using #TDSBHOC.

I think it’s really important to begin to introduce young students to programming and coding. While careers are exploding in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, Computer Studies is not available as a course in school until Grade 10 – and even then it’s only optional. One simple way to expose our students to coding and programming is to participate in the Hour of Code.

Here is an example of how some students are participating in the Hour of Code across the TDSB.

Students in Grades 2-6 used their iPads to participate in the Hour of Code. In addition to using the activities on Code.org, they used a variety of iPad apps including: Hopscotch, Kodable, Tynker, and Move the Turtle.