What can we expect students to learn from a 1-day coding workshop? Well, ask Jacqueline, a shy 8th-grade girl from East Bay with no prior experience in programming. She would tell you that she used HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Three.js to create her own abstract snowman. Jacqueline would also tell you that she now understands variables, functions, and loops and can code them in Javascript.
On March 30th, 2019, ChickTech, a non-profit organization advocating women in tech, hosted a free coding workshop titled ‘Bring Art to Life through 3D Optics’ for middle and high school girls in partnership with Popfizz.
The workshop was divided into three parts. For the first part, the students created a simple website using HTML and CSS. Then in part two, they learned to manipulate HTML elements using Javascript. Then finally, the students created interactive 3D objects using HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Three.js.
As the culminating project, students put together geometric shapes in creative ways to create an interactive snowman.
Designing the Workshop based on the 4 Ps
It was amazing to see Jacqueline and her peers excel in such a short time. Jacqueline wants to continue learning and explore computer science. The girls described the workshop “super fun”, “valuable” and “very helpful.”
How was this achieved? It all starts with designing the workshop based on the 4Ps described by Mitchel Resnick from Lifelong Kindergarten, MIT.
The 4Ps are:
Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play.
By providing young people with opportunities to work on projects, based on their passions, in collaboration with peers, in a playful spirit, we can help them prepare for a world where creative thinking is more important than ever before.
– from “Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play”
Team Popfizz believes that meaningful learning happens when learners take ownership of their learning. To support this, we will continue to create an environment where teachers and students are able to have an authentic and engaging learning experience.
- To experience the workshop online, try out this free course with your students.
- To learn more about the 4Ps, read this article.