Kaunuku Code Crackers learn new coding and building skills at Imagination Station.

As part of our hapori-wide kaupapa ako learning we have had a group of students of varying ages who are keen to learn about coding. Within our learning so far we have experimented with and learnt to build simple games with Scratch Junior and also the more challenging Scratch (both coding languages).

We have also looked at getting ourselves ready to use Mindstorm robotics kits from Lego. Today we visited Imagination Station for some hands-on learning of building and programming a robot to perform the task of pushing a pile of Lego bricks out of a set area in the quickest time possible. Our ākonga learnt about setting the parameters, speed, and moderating speed with turns using blocks of code. They had plenty of time to trial and refine their programme before they had a competition to see who could remove all the blocks in the quickest time. 

There were some close matches but Ty Scott was the eventual winner. Our ākonga worked hard for the whole session and were really engaged in their learning. We are really lucky to have acquired enough sets of Evo 3 Mindstorm robotics kits for us to continue this learning. Our ākonga then taught others in a Tuakana/Teina learning exchange in their coding kaupapa ako group.