“I wish coding was explained to me like this when I was a child!” exclaimed Chimere Charley, an attendee of the Jacobs Institute’s December’s STEAM Workshop, “I Tynk I Can Code,” held in the Innovation Lab at the University of San Diego.  Learning Experience Specialist Alina Mitchell shared highlights of the international initiative, The Hour of Code, an annual celebration held during the month of December for one week.  It is a time when people of all ages and from all around the world dedicate at least one hour of their time to coding.

During the workshop, Mitchell introduced the concept of Code Maps using Ozobot Evo Robots. Code Mapping is a strategy integrating storytelling with hand-drawn maps that includes color codes, which communicate actions to the robots.  For example, the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood was brought to life as the Evo Robot followed the code map while completing exciting actions including spinning, speeding up, pausing and other behaviors synced to the story. Pictures and illustrations of key objects including the big bad wolf, grandma’s house, and others were included on the map to provide vividness and help guide the audience through the plot.  After the demonstration, attendees were separated into groups, given the option to create or retell their own story, and then finally, design their own code map to go along with it.  Both groups chose to retell the story of the The Three Little Pigs, an all-time favorite! 

Cross-discipline, hands-on activities are important to help engage learners and to show how learning skills transfer into multiple subject areas.  Coding, summarizing, recalling, storytelling, typing and drawing skills were just a few of the many applied to this activity.  STEAM Workshops are available to the entire San Diego community!  For upcoming dates, please check out https://www.sandiego.edu/soles/jacobs-institute/professional-learning/workshops.php.