Education students help schools teach coding

Five USC preservice teachers have created resources to help schools teach coding and robotics to children from Prep to Year 6.

The Education students recently worked with Meridan State College to evaluate the resources they had created, and presented the resources at a coding and robotics workshop for regional school teachers at the Digital Tech Expo at Mountain Creek State High School.

USC Associate Lecturer in Education Natalie McMaster said the project, called Digital Learning Designers, was an innovative way for the University students to gain wider field experience and contribute to the profession to which they aspired.

Ms McMaster said the USC students each took home a robot to work out how its functions could link to school subjects other than digital technology.

“Coding and robotics are an excellent way to revise and teach a variety of curriculum content to children who might find the content challenging,” she said.

“The resources will be available on the Education Queensland site for teachers, as well as the USC ieducate website.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for our Education students, and school teachers across the region, for the benefit of all primary school children.”

Kristine Kopelke, manager of the Contemporary Learning Hub at Meridan State College, said the USC team showed a high level of commitment and professionalism as they designed the learning activities.

“Our school students were highly engaged in the activities and I was impressed by the depth of knowledge and creativity shown by USC students,” Ms Kopelke said.

The USC students were Kathleen Pitt of Gympie, Samantha Brown of Caboolture, Sharon Pacey of Landsborough, Daniela Murray of Bells Creek, and Gillian Larcombe of Peregian Springs.

— Julie Schomberg