Abstract:

Children are growing up in a digital world. Everyone is surrounded by digital products and services. Using computers, smartphones or other smart devices is a common task for digital natives, but creating digital solutions is still not a common cultural technique. Education institutions are responsible prepare the next generation for participation in a digital environment.

Several initiatives like www.code.org or scratch.mit.org try to teach and motivate young children in the field of computer science. These two examples are global, web-based projects and they use graphical user interfaces instead of text-based code editors to create simple computer programs.

The approach of the CoLa-Coding Lab differs in two fundamental aspects. Firstly, CoLa gives children an overview of several aspects of the development process of digital products. The software development lifecycle includes planning, development, and deployment and all these parts are covered in the CoLa approach.

Beginning with the design of products with paper-prototyping and personas children get an easy starting point for software design.

The implementation is focused on text-based programming with a simplified version of Javascript and a child-oriented, browser-based programming interface (https://cola.fh-joanneum.at/editor). Text-based programming has a much steeper learning curve than graphical ones, but this approach is much more adapted to real software development. The output of the CoLa development platform is either a web app or a mobile app that can be installed.

Secondly, the CoLa project supports local schools. The coding lab is built like a fab lab for digital products and is open to teacher and their classes. The equipment of the room is like modern IT Start-up offices and provides an inspiring atmosphere.

Due to the pandemic situation in the last two years, the possibilities for on-site workshops at the coding lab were rather restricted. This leads to the virtualization of the lab to online workshops with blended learning and online support from tutors. Furthermore, a mobile coding lab version with Raspberry Pi home computers prepared for usage in the classrooms is an alternative to the onsite lab.

More than 450 children got in touch with the coding lab in an onsite, virtual, or mobile lab workshop and got an impression of the field of software development.

Keywords:

Coding, computer science education, lab, schools.