Coding @ MDE

There's a new after school program here at MDE! Coding @ MDE aims to harness students' interest in technology in order to introduce them to computer programming. The program is facilitated and lead by Kevin Duggan, a parent-volunteer who is also is head of a St. John’s-based data security software company, with assistance from his son Liam as well as the Learning Resource Teacher here at Macdonald Drive Elementary. We are fortunate to have Mr. Duggan lead the group as he not only provides expertise in the area but, he is also a real-world example for the students of the career possibilities that computer programming may open up to them.

Coding @ MDE provides students the opportunity to use basic coding concepts, develop a positive attitude toward computer science, persevere at challenging tasks, build their problem solving skills, and work collaboratively with their peers. It really is amazing to watch the students' enthusiasm as they work together to create their own programs and share what they discover. The after school program utilizes Scratch, which is a free , visual, animated software language developed by MIT.  It is typically recommended for Grades 4 and up and can be used for a variety of educational and entertainment purposes. Users can program their own interactive stories, games, and animations. It is a great platform for creativity and hands-on learning. For younger children, MIT has also released a free iPad app, Scratch Jr., for children ages 5-7 where they too can program their own interactive stories, games, and animations.

At the end of each session, many parents are curious to see what their children have created and their kids are enthusiastic to share their creations. This engagement is forming the building blocks for careers in technology, which is something that we are very excited about providing here at Macdonald Drive.