April 27, 2024

Turn STEM into STEAM: Storytelling with ScratchJr

ScratchJr is designed for younger learners and hardwired for telling stories. Tips for integrating ScratchJr and coding with storytelling, from library media specialist Addie Matteson.

Never Too Young To Code

Tot-oriented robots and resources give coding lessons a friendly face.

How To Talk Code | Digital Literacy

Last summer, Bloomberg BusinessWeek devoted an entire issue to “What Is Code?” a single article by Brooklyn-based writer and programmer Paul Ford. Ford’s breakdown of key concepts pulls back the curtain on the fundamentals of computer programming and makes a compelling argument that any smart person can learn the basics—and that the basics are worth learning even for those who aren’t planning to become professional coders. It is, in part, a case for coding as a new frontier in digital literacy. There’s a growing interest in this type of education among kids, teens, businesspeople, career changers, and the generally curious. And a growing number of public libraries are already responding to this need within their communities. Here’s a look at ways in which a few libraries have made their programs a success.

Ready to Learn Coding? Here are resources. Plus: Teaching with Scratch| The Maker Issue

Resources for learning to code online and face to face, from Khan Academy to Black Girls Code; and suggested lesson plans using Scratch.

Not Your Mama’s Library Program: Lanyards give way to coding and power tools in summer tech camps nationwide

Computer coding programs and robotics are just some of the tools intrepid young patrons will be using this summer as school and public librarians nationwide gear up for technology camps.

From Scratch to Tynker: Tools to Teach Kids How to Code | screencast tutorial

A screencast tour of four free applications to help kids learn how to code: Daisy the Dinosaur, Hopscotch, Scratch, and Tynker.

Sarah Ludwig’s Picks: Top Tech Tools

“What are your go-to applications?” SLJ recently posed the question to Sarah Ludwig, tech coordinator at Hamden Hall School in Connecticut, and the subject of our April 2012 cover story.

Top Tech Trends for Teens

Educational consultant Linda W. Braun cites the hottest applications and how to use them to engage teens.