Problem Solving

Code.org is a website dedicated computer science instruction. The site is geared toward increasing diversity in computer science. Code.org includes a variety of computer science lessons that are age appropriate and build on each level with increased concepts. There are both offline and online projects that students can tackle with progressively more difficult lessons. The program includes short tutorials to increase student interest in programming and computer science. Students watch video instructions delivered by famous programmers, then use blocks of code to program mini-games with some familiar characters from Minecraft, Disney, and other popular game apps. The students determine what blocks of code they have to use to meet their end goal and solve problems such as debugging, along the way.

Scratch is a block-based coding language created by MIT's Lifelong Kindergarten Group. Scratch allows students to learn and put to use all the essential elements of coding and computer science. The options for what students can create include creating variables to building functions. Students snap drag-and-drop blocks of code together to create programs for animation, digital storytelling, art, math, and songs. With Scratch, students can also program a variety of peripheral devices for robotics, science, and engineering learning. Scratch includes text-to-speech and language translation. Students code the actions of multiple characters or screen elements and they can also add sounds, images, and textual elements to build almost anything. Students create programs to solve a variety of problems or a given end goal.

Minecraft: Education Edition is an open-world game program where students can enhance their creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive online environment. In classroom mode, teachers have the ability to interact with the students in one central location. Teachers can create goals that lets students use programming to perform tasks in the game. Students perform experiments with introductory chemistry and explore underwater biomes and oceanography. The students are led through a variety of steps to solve problems in creative ways while being engaged in the online environment of the game.