home

= **Imagine, Create, Think, Learn: Programming 4 Kids**= PETE&C, February 2009 Tuesday 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Presented by: Linda Nitsche and Chris Champion

Schools must teach students to be shapers, not just users, of technology. Learn how you can use programming languages such as HTML, Scratch and Logo to help students learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while fostering the development of problem-solving strategies, critical thinking skills and creativity.

**Why Programming? **
[|NETS for Students]

[|Partnership for 21st Century Skills]

[|Programming: The New Literacy] by Marc Prensky in Edutopia

The MIT Scratch research group leader, Mitchel Resnick, writes that what Scratch does for students goes beyond the context of technology. He describes a "creative thinking spiral" that Scratch is designed to support.
 * "In this process, people imagine what they want to do, create a project based on their ideas, play with their creations, share their ideas and creations with others, and reflect on their experiences—all of which leads them to imagine new ideas and new projects."
 * "In today’s rapidly changing world, people must continually come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems. Success is based not only on what you know or how much you know, but on your ability to think and act creatively."

media type="custom" key="3055118"

[|Life Long Kindergarten group - MIT Media Lab]

keyboard picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppdigital/2329376071/sizes/t/