App-y to teach code

MEET teacher Lyndsey Balfe, who taught herself to code five years ago.

She now uses those skills to solve real-world problems and teach others to do the same.

Lyndsey was diagnosed with dyslexia 10 years ago, and that perspective informs how she teaches in a school in Swords, north Dublin.

It is especially evident in her coding class, where she asks students to design an app prototype for someone living in a nursing home.

She said: “I wanted them to consider what would happen when people with disabilities would use their apps.”

Lyndsey sees the magic of coding everywhere, and uses its logic and structure to teach woodworking, graphic design, applied technology, and construction studies.

“I find the mind-set of coding a more thoughtful approach,” she said.

“In breaking things down into steps, you’re thinking about the why. You’re thinking about the bigger picture and everything in it.

“We want to develop those kinds of critical thinking skills with our students so that they’re equipped to tackle whatever challenges the future holds for them.”

Lyndsey’s story emerges on the eve of Europe Code Week, which begins this Saturday and runs until Sunday October 24.

To mark the occasion, tech giant Apple has released new coding resources for primary school children.

Everyone Can Code Early Learners is a new resource for primary school students and educators, including a new activity guide that extends its coding curriculum resources from kindergarten to college for the first time.

Magic

As a supplemental new activity guide to Apple’s Everyone Can Code curriculum and the firm’s Swift Playgrounds app, Everyone Can Code Early Learners helps educators and families introduce coding to students in their early years.

Educators can also try Apple’s new one-hour Inclusive App Design activity to introduce students to the world of coding and app development.

The Inclusive App Design activity is available now for free in the Apple Teacher Learning Centre.