Abstract:

In November 2014, Prof. Bogliolo announced in a blog post: “I’m pleased to introduce Cody and Roby“, encouraging people to participate in the European Robotics Week by organizing simple activities based on the first version of Cody Roby, an unplugged programming method. Its evolution has been fast: from the downloadable kit it has arrived up to the creation of a carpet and giant cards. By then, Prof. Bogliolo has started to bring coding not only into schools, but also to cinemas, theatres, universities and squares, during live events, involving teachers and students. Coding is for everybody, not only for programmers. This concept has been the leit motif of many literacy Campaigns that have involved Italian Schools massively. In 2016 the first coding Summers School, organized in Urbino, strengthened the sense of belonging in the active Community of teachers who participated. A Coding Treasure Hunt, led by a BOT Telegram, has been developed by the University of Urbino, becoming the main activity of Cody Trip, an educational trip to Urbino to visit the UNESCO-listed Renaissance city and live an immersive coding experience. Students can visit the Duke’s Palace and discover the most suggestive corners and monuments of Urbino and try to solve the coding riddles. CodyRoby also inspired a floor App called CodyWords, to play at forming words by programming .In the second Coding Summer School CodyMaze was invented. It’s a game played on a virtual checkerboard consisting of QR codes. Scanning them using a smartphone, you become a robot and receive instructions from a BOT Telegram, which generates a path through an invisible labyrinth. CodyMaze, the invisible labyrinth, launched the so called Coding in the Square, making adults and kids play in many Italian squares. Moreover, the structure of a new didactic game called Competence Cody Game was developed, based CodyRoby rules, which tests students with questions on various disciplines and, of course, on programming constructs. CodyRoby is also the main character of CodyDiary 3D app to play with coding and augmented reality. During the Summer School 2018, two other important variants of CodyRoby were tested: CodyFeet, for kindergarten children and CodyColor, from which also an online version was born. In the meantime, CodyRoby has landed in Europe, becoming the subject of thousands of events during CodeWeek 2019 and of the toolkits (materials and resources) of the official website of Eu CodeWeek. Its creator, Prof. Bogliolo, has become the Coordinator of the European Ambassadors of CodeWeek, bringing the Italian coding tools and the Community of Practice to a wider stage. Many Coding Treasure Hunts took place across Europe, managed by the BOT Telegram of the University of Urbino. The real battle of CodyColor was played by teachers and students of all Countries. The great participation of Italian schools has consistently characterized all the Coding literacy Campaigns, demonstrating the desire for new pedagogical approaches. A change is never easy, but the success obtained so far, shows that apparently difficult concepts can be transmitted through practical examples that make learning more stimulating, involving all age groups. It’s a creative logical process that involves a metacognitive reflection dealing with real life situations with in an analytical way. These are important skills to face the challenges of a complex society and to build future active and aware citizens.

Keywords:

Coding, Italy, STEM.