CoderDojo comes to Moray College UHI
Moray College UHI hosted its first Coderdojo club on Saturday 18th January 2014 with twelve enthusiastic young people, aged between 12-17 years, who signed up for the free computer coding event on the Coderdojo Scotland website
The club was organised by Claire Griffiths, Hub Leader (North-east) Computing At Schools Scotland and supported by volunteers from Moray College UHI Computing Department, Philip, Jill and Ryan
CoderDojo is a global network of clubs that teach young people in areas specializing in computer programming and computer technology. There are now clubs in 22 countries, teaching 10,000 children to write computer code and programs.
The theme of the first club at Moray College UHI was on web design and each of the coding club members was able to create their own multimedia website adding images, music, cartoons and Google maps.
During each Coderdojo session time is spent learning a new skill. This can include for example learning to create a game in the Scratch programming language and then they can choose between extending their knowledge of the new skill area or doing their own coding work.
The first club was a great success and the young people are already planning the next one and have discussed ideas for future themes which includes:
Video and picture editing, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Advanced Web Design, Game programming (e.g. Scratch, C++).
Look out for the dates for the next Coderdojo club which will be advertised.
National website Coderdojo Scotland
Moray College UHI will also be hosting the first ever Moray Games Jam over the weekend of the 14th March. A Games Jam is a competition to create a new PC game and in some cases a board game, and usually involves the coming together of groups of individuals with an interest in or experience of PC gaming either through programming or design and/or artistic expression. Usually entering in teams, individuals will not be aware of the theme of the completion until they arrive at the competition, the structure of which is common throughout the world. Teams meet on a Friday afternoon and spend 48 hours creating a new idea/ concept based on the theme of the specific Games Jam.
The Moray Games Jam will start on Friday 14th March at 12 noon and will end on Sunday 16th March. Applications are open on Friday 14th February via the Moray Games Jam website closing on Wednesday 5th March 2014. More information about the event to follow.