Methodological Introduction
In the orderly world of Coders, everything worked as smoothly as in a well-designed computer. Each Coder diligently performed their daily tasks and also helped other inhabitants of the planet when needed. Coders, like small parts of a computer, worked together to make their planet a wonderful place to live. That was until a terrible day. The Coders' planet was destroyed by a Drakonid shower - a swarm of cosmic meteors. Communication between the Coders was disrupted, some Coders were also damaged. Their planet needs rebuilding, will you help the Coders?
The Coders' World collection is the first part of an original programming methodology at the early stage of children's education, developed by the LavaVision team. The applications included in the collection aim to introduce preschool children to the world of selected programming concepts in an interesting, attractive formula of games and fun, embedded in the adventures of small robots fighting to restore order on their planet. The activities proposed in the collection are based on simplified mechanisms of selected programming and IT concepts, such as:
- action plan,
- ordering,
- computer virus,
- information,
- repeatability,
- uniqueness,
- cause and effect,
- ingenuity,
- checking,
- cooperation,
- pattern,
- parts,
- responding,
- repairing,
- signs, symbols,
- searching.
By participating in the games and fun of the Coders' World collection, preschool children become familiar with the basic principles derived from the world of programming and IT. While playing with the applications, children even unconsciously apply them, not yet knowing what programming really is and what it is about. Selected concepts have been simplified enough to successfully relate them to examples from the child's immediate environment, which they encounter daily in other life situations. Therefore, this collection of interactive games is an interesting introduction and also preparation for play in the abstract, virtual world of programming.
The activities proposed in the Coders' World collection also support the development of gross motor skills, which thanks to the extensive format of the board displayed on the floor engages practically the whole body. In addition, the games and fun used in the applications support the development of logical and algorithmic thinking, important from the point of view of introducing programming methodology at the early stages of child education. While working with the applications, you can develop visual perception, including the ability to classify objects, visual-motor coordination, spatial orientation along with the ability to recognize systems and patterns. Playing with the applications also allows you to work on extending the child's attention span.
The Coders' World collection consists of sixteen richly illustrated interactive logic games and fun, with which the whole group or one user can work. In each application, we carry out a different mission, we help the Coders repair their destroyed world, and the successes achieved are reinforced with applause and congratulations. Join the Coders with your students, restore the flow of energy on their planet, providing yourself and your charges with a portion of good, valuable fun!
General Work Scenario
Teacher! How can you familiarize the youngest with the abstract world of programming concepts? Knowing the developmental possibilities of your group best, decide for yourself. Choose one of the options proposed below, or combine them in any way:
Option 1. Pass on the application command and play with the children, implementing the next boards in the application.
Option 2. Read your students a short story included on the following pages of the guide, showing at the same time a broader context of the introduced concept with the selected application.
Option 3. Add a short conversation to your activities at a convenient time of the day. You will refer to examples from the child's immediate environment, in which a specific concept also appears daily in other life situations.
