Introducing Computer Usage and Programming to Children

to Nurture Creativity

• Slides used at KidsINK, 2011

• This talk is best viewed with the • This talk is best viewed with the

accompanying notes. Contact me if you

want the notes

– vishyp at twitter

Parents like kids to be creative (and famous)

.. Kids know what they want to do

“Oooh!” Something hurt Rohan’s heart.He wanted that star.

Where do Computers come in?

First,Introduce computers to kids as a tool

for *their* hobby they are already

passionate aboutpassionate about

e.g., Computers for budding writers

Then, show them how they can make the

computers do new stuff (programming),

again, for their hobby

Blogspot for writing stories

Google Images

Word

Processor

MS Paint

Browser

Google Images

[WITH parental

guidance]

Go Social. Involve their friends

Publish work at

pensnpastels.com

Social widgets

CREATE

CONSUME

As a Computer Scientist, I know that computers are more fun

when you MADE stuff with them.

Plus, I also believe that thinking to program develops thinking

in general – what they call algorithmically.

But how to do it? Doesn’t make sense to start with a textbook

so young.

So I did some research online and came up with the following

steps

Light Bot: Great mental model of how a computer is an

instruction-follower & not a magic box.

DOWNLOAD it,

TODAY.TODAY.

Kids LOVE it!

And it’s real

programming

Next? Alice, Animation, Lego Mindstorms, Web pages,

BASIC.

Or, Acting, if the child wants!

Resources

• MS Paint

• Google Search, Images (SUPERVISION)

• Light Bot: Google for “Light Bot”• Light Bot: Google for “Light Bot”

• Scratch: scratch.mit.edu

• Alice: www.alice.org

• www.pensnpastels.com

• Google Earth: earth.google.com

Go with the Kid’s interest & pace

PC or MAC, not iPad & Wii

Show the tools & tricks. Step away.

See familiar stuff through kids’ eyes. Re-learn.See familiar stuff through kids’ eyes. Re-learn.

Computers are not Magic, they are Magical