CoderDojo Tramore

The Online version of Coolest Projects is also open for registration as of today!

Registration is open for Coolest Projects 2024 - Raspberry Pi Foundation Our free online technology showcase is open to all young creators up to age 18, anywhere in the world. Registration closes on 22 May 2024.

Coolest Projects Ireland is open for registration !! See for more info

Coolest Projects 2024 CD community call JOIN US FOR COOLEST PROJECTS

The European Astro Pi Challenge is back for 2023/2024!

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen () will be overseeing this year's young people's programs on board the 🧑‍🚀🚀💫

Learn more: http://rpf.io/blog-ap-2324

Launch kids' code into space with the European Astro Pi Challenge 2023/24 - Raspberry Pi Foundation Young people can send their code to space through the European Astro Pi Challenge 2023/24. Astro Pi Mission Zero opens today.

Hi all - we're appealing for new volunteers to help with the coderdojo sessions if anyone would like to help us out and give it a try 4pm to 6pm Saturdays please let us know here

Tramore Coderdojo term tickets are ready for booking! This term again we're offering Scratch for beginners aged 7-13 and Python for older coders & we just can't wait to get back to creating!

Starting back Saturday Sept 16
Places can be booked here: -

Tramore | CoderDojo Tramore in Ireland

**VOLUNTEERS NEEDED**
Waterford Libraries are hoping to start Coder Dojo groups in Carrickphierish and Central Libraries this year.

Would you be available to volunteer with a Waterford Dojo, providing encouragement and support to young people to help them resolve coding problems themselves?

Some experience with computers or coding is welcome but not essential. Email us on [email protected] for more info.

CoderDojo Tramore Coder Dojo Waterford Calmast Waterford Volunteer Centre

Hi Coderdojo Parents -
Please note we are not able to hold a session next Saturday, Feb 4th due to a lack of volunteer availability -
but we will be back in business as usual Saturday, Feb 11th,
so hopefully see you all in 2 weeks then.

Happy New Year 🥳🎉 Our new spring term will start on 14th January at the usual time from 4 to 6 in the Gaelscoil. Book your tickets now. Link in the comments ⬇️

CoderDojo Tramore would like to say a massive thank you to
NearForm
for their kind donation of the equipment, you can see in the pic - we now have a 3d modeling/game engine corner and some very happy coding ninjas! Wonderful support for your local community coding club, thanks!

Improving volunteers’ experience and development

Volunteers are the backbone of CoderDojo — without the thousands of people who have given their time and skills over the last ten years, CoderDojo simply would not exist. We want everyone who volunteers with us to have a great experience, irrespective of where they are, how long they are involved, or their specific role. In line with this, we are working to improve the CoderDojo volunteer experience for current and future volunteers.

Community input

Over the coming months, we will be developing additional training resources specifically for CoderDojo volunteers. We’d like you to help shape them. To make real improvements, we need the input of community members like you who have experience of volunteering with CoderDojo. What training resources and activities would you find useful? If you are currently or have been previously volunteering with CoderDojo, we invite you to take part in our feedback and decision-making process as a volunteer contributor.

What contributors will do

Volunteer contributors will take part in monthly one-hour online sessions for a six-month period. The first two sessions will focus on training and development for volunteers. Between all the sessions, you will be provided with resources to review and share your feedback on. If you want to contribute, we ask that you commit to setting aside two hours per month to attend the sessions and review and give feedback on resources.

What contributors will gain

Volunteer contributors will have early access to new training and initiatives in development, and will significantly contribute to shaping them. We’ll also add you to a private channel on the CoderDojo Global Slack instance, where between sessions you will be able to discuss your inputs with the group of volunteer contributors. You will receive a letter of endorsement for your contribution to the project. We can also provide you with a recommendation on LinkedIn.

We are aiming to have a representative sample of volunteers from the community involved in the project. Therefore please be aware that we may not be able to accept all applications.

Apply to be a volunteer contributor



The post Improving volunteers’ experience and development appeared first on CoderDojo.

https://coderdojo.com/2022/05/17/improving-volunteers-experience-and-development/

Improving volunteers’ experience and development - CoderDojo Volunteers are the backbone of CoderDojo — without the thousands of people who have given their time and skills over the last ten years, CoderDojo simply would not exist. We want everyone who volunteers with us to have a great experience, irrespective of where they are, how long they are involved,...

5 free online courses to learn powerful new skills

Learning new skills is a key motivation for a quarter of volunteers who get involved in CoderDojo. Our online training courses provide a practical way for you to learn new skills when it suits you. Afterwards, you can practise and develop these skills in your Dojo, which means even more people can benefit. Find out about some of our online courses below. The courses are available on demand on the FutureLearn platform, so you can join at any time and get free, time-limited access by selecting the ‘Join with limited access’ option when you register. Choose one to sign up to today!



Build an interactive website

On this course, you will discover web development and learn to build your own interactive websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Along the way, you will learn about the box model, which describes how websites are laid out by browsers.

Introduction to Web Development

Create and control electronic circuits

On this course, you will learn how to support young children aged 5 to 11 years old as they work through physical computing projects, whilst also developing your own knowledge and skills. You will develop your skills to teach young learners how to create electronic circuits, and how to control them using block-based programming languages. You will build projects involving connecting both inputs and outputs to a Crumble microcontroller or a micro:bit.

Teaching Physical Computing to 5- to 11-year-olds

Explore how AI technology works

On this course, you will learn about different types of machine learning, and use free online tools to train your own AI models. You will delve into the problems that machine learning can help to solve, discuss how AI technology is changing the world, and think about the ethics of collecting data to train a machine learning model.

Introduction to Machine Learning and AI



Discover cybersecurity principles

On this course, you will be introduced to the core ideas of cybersecurity. You will learn the different attacks that individuals and devices are vulnerable to, and how to prevent them. Explore malware, malicious bots, SQL injections, and physical threats to data. You will also build your knowledge of the different tools that protect data and websites. These include strong passwords, biometrics, two-factor authentication, and firewalls.

Introduction to Cybersecurity



Learn how to support young people with SEND

On this course, you will examine the common barriers faced by young learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in a computing classroom or coding club, and how to address these barriers. You will explore a number of general approaches and specific computing activities that will help to include and engage learners.

Supporting Learners with SEND in Computing



New training in development

Over the coming months, we will be developing additional training resources specifically for CoderDojo volunteers. We know that to make real improvements in volunteer development, we need the input of people like you who have experienced volunteering themselves.

What training resources and activities would you find useful? We are looking for a number of people who have been or are currently involved in volunteering with CoderDojo to contribute to the feedback and decision-making process. You can find out more and apply to be a volunteer contributor here.

The post 5 free online courses to learn powerful new skills appeared first on CoderDojo.

https://coderdojo.com/2022/05/16/5-free-online-courses-to-learn-powerful-new-skills/

5 free online courses to learn powerful new skills - CoderDojo Learning new skills is a key motivation for a quarter of volunteers who get involved in CoderDojo. Our online training courses provide a practical way for you to learn new skills when it suits you. Afterwards, you can practise and develop these skills in your Dojo, which means even more people can b...

New resources, with something for all ages

Our latest resource round-up has something for everyone — from young coders just starting out on their learning journeys, to more experienced coders, to Dojo volunteers.

Beginner’s luck

For younger coders attending a Dojo for the first time, our platform Code Club World is a great place to start learning to create with code. It has concise written instructions, and its mobile-friendly nature means it’s a fantastic choice for the beginners in your Dojo. One champion in the United States described it as “an amazing resource for starting kids”.

Check out Code Club World



Next steps

Once your Ninjas have worked their way through the Home and Scratch islands on Code Club World, they can develop their skills and independence with our new project paths. We recommend they try the “More Scratch: broadcast, decisions and variables” path next.

More Python? Yes please!

For more experienced coders who are looking to develop their skills in Python and have already completed our Introduction to Python path, check out our new More Python path. Once young people have finished the path, you can celebrate their achievements with this certificate!

See the “More Python” path



E-learning for volunteers

It’s not just young people we have great new resources for this month. Adults can develop their skills too with our new 30-minute child safeguarding e-learning module. It includes explainers, printable resources, and interactive quizzes. Additionally, everyone who completes the module will be sent a certificate of completion by email.

Access the e-learning module

Website updates

We recently updated an integration on our community platform for Dojos that use Eventbrite. That means you can now connect your Dojo’s Eventbrite account to your Dojo on the CoderDojo platform. Then, any events that you create on Eventbrite will appear on your Dojo page and in the search results on the CoderDojo platform.



It’s really easy to connect your Dojo’s Eventbrite account with the CoderDojo platform. See how to do it in the video below!. It has some great benefits:

Parents, volunteers, and young people who visit our website will be able to find your Dojo and book a ticket quickly and easily.

It will help us understand the global community and Dojo sessions better.

Finally, thank you to everyone who helped with our recent user testing to improve how the CoderDojo website works for people who are looking for a Dojo. We really appreciate your input. We can’t wait to share more updates with you soon!



The post New resources, with something for all ages appeared first on CoderDojo.

https://coderdojo.com/2022/04/11/new-resources-with-something-for-all-ages/

New resources, with something for all ages - CoderDojo Our latest resource round-up has something for everyone — from young coders just starting out on their learning journeys, to more experienced coders, to Dojo volunteers. Beginner’s luck For younger coders attending a Dojo for the first time, our platform Code Club World is a great place to start...

We’re hiring a Communications & Engagement Coordinator!

CoderDojo Community Coordinator (Communications and Engagement)
Location: Dublin or remote within Ireland, with regular travel to Dublin and Cambridge (UK)

Salary: €28,500 – €33,750 p.a. full-time equivalent, dependent on experience

Basis: Permanent; part-time or flexible

Eligibility: You must be eligible to work in the Republic of Ireland

The role

The CoderDojo Foundation support young people around the world to learn about computing and how to create with digital technologies, in fun and social environments. Through the pandemic we have been working hard to support Dojos to run online activities when in-person meetings aren’t possible, and we are supporting Dojos to return, where possible, to in-person sessions. In a world where digital skills are even more important and where so many young people have missed out on opportunities to learn them, CoderDojo has a critical role to play.

Reporting to the Head of CoderDojo, the CoderDojo Community Coordinator (Communications and Engagement) will be responsible for communicating and engaging with our global community of volunteers. You will produce effective content including emails, social media posts, and website copy. The ideal candidate will be an excellent writer and content creator who can also engage directly with a community of volunteers. You will be a driven and efficient coordinator with experience of communicating with audiences from a range of different cultures and backgrounds. You will have an agile attitude to work, and you’ll be ready to try new approaches, evaluate them, and iterate on them.

You don’t need to be an expert in computing or digital making, but you do need to bring a passion for our mission and a willingness to learn. Previous involvement with the CoderDojo movement would be a significant advantage.

We strive to make the Foundation a place where talented people who care about our

mission can do the best work of their careers. We have a flexible and collaborative approach

to all aspects of our work. If you’re the right person for the job, we’ll make it work for you,

and you can be confident that you’ll be working with an exceptional team.

Responsibilities

Collate and write engaging content for email campaigns and one-off emails, including our monthly newsletter.

Manage and monitor our social media channels, regularly posting exciting content.

Produce concise and helpful content for platforms including our website and blog.

Present live and recorded webinars, and contribute to the creation of other multimedia content.

Engage with our volunteer community through our communications channels so they feel connected and celebrated, are aware of relevant opportunities, and take an active role in informing the development of the programme to reflect their needs and interests.

Work closely with other Raspberry Pi Foundation teams including Code Club, Youth Partnerships, Informal Learning, and Communications to ensure coherent communication about other programmes and visibility of CoderDojo community news.

Monitor and report on the effectiveness of our communications, and make recommendations for improvements to increase our reach, including to young people who are experiencing educational disadvantage.

Undertake other tasks to support the smooth running of CoderDojo when required, including responding to email queries from our community and moderating engagement with online courses.

Experience and personal attributes

We recognise that everyone has the potential for growth, and we welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they have some, but not all, of the experience and personal attributes listed here.

Experience of managing multiple communication channels that support a volunteer community or membership organisation, ideally on a national or international scale.

Experience managing the social media presence of a community organisation, ideally on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Slack.

Confident using a range of communication management tools such as Salesforce Pardot, Meltwater, and website content management systems.

Excellent communication skills; you should feel comfortable presenting to different audiences and be able to write clear and engaging material.

Good data and analytical skills, and the ability to use data effectively to improve our work.

Comfortable managing a varied workload, including the ability to deliver to high standards when under pressure.

About us

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a UK-based educational charity working to put the power of computing and digital making into the hands of people all over the world. We want more young people to be able to harness digital technologies for work, to solve the problems that matter to them, and to express themselves creatively.

Established in 2008 and first known for our product — the wildly successful Raspberry Pi computer — the Foundation has developed education programmes, learning experiences, and products that are helping millions of young people learn vital new knowledge and skills.

Through Code Club and CoderDojo, we support the world’s largest network of free informal computing clubs for young people. Tens of thousands of educators have taken our online courses, and millions of people use our free online learning resources.

Across all of our work, we work hard to engage young people who come from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the field of computing or who experience educational disadvantage. We work all over the world, with teams based in the UK, Ireland, North America, and India, and partnerships with mission-aligned organisations in over 40 countries.

We are at the forefront of the global movement to help young people learn about computing and digital making. You can read more about our mission, values, and goals in our 2020 Annual Review.

Benefits

In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a range of benefits for all of our colleagues, including:

24 days’ annual leave

Generous company pension scheme with 8% employer and 4% employee contributions

Life assurance and long-term illness insurance policy

Investment in professional development and learning

Flexible work hours as needed, to fit around childcare or other commitments

Generous family leave policy

Cycle-to-work scheme and season ticket loan

Private healthcare

Timetable for applications

Closing date: Monday 25th April 2022, 9am BST

Phone interview: Week commencing 25th April 2022

First-round interview: Week commencing 2nd May 2022

Second-round interview: Week commencing 9th May 2022

We are currently expecting all interviews to take place online, though with the relaxing of COVID-19 measures we may invite candidates for a face-to-face interview if appropriate.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. If successful in the selection process, you will be required to undergo a background check to confirm that you are a suitable person to work with children. Further background checks will be made at regular intervals thereafter.

The post We’re hiring a Communications & Engagement Coordinator! appeared first on CoderDojo.

https://coderdojo.com/2022/04/04/were-hiring-a-communications-engagement-coordinator-2/

We’re hiring a Communications & Engagement Coordinator! - CoderDojo CoderDojo Community Coordinator (Communications and Engagement) Location: Dublin or remote within Ireland, with regular travel to Dublin and Cambridge (UK) Salary: €28,500 – €33,750 p.a. full-time equivalent, dependent on experience Basis: Permanent; part-time or flexible Eligibility: You must...

5 tips for resuming in-person sessions

Many of you are planning to run an in-person Dojo session soon — perhaps your first in a long time. We are here to help you! In this blog you will find five useful tips for returning to face-to-face sessions. If you are planning to run your coding club in-person soon, there is also an opportunity for you to receive a goodie pack for your Ninjas!

1. Check local health authority guidance

Before you schedule a session you will need to check the guidance of your local health authorities and confirm that indoor in-person events can take place. You should check whether there are restrictions regarding the type of activity, as well as any concerning your venue.

2. Speak with venue staff

You should speak with staff of the venue you have previously held your in-person coding club in. Ask them about the measures they currently have in place and their expectations on you and other club participants. You may be required to visit your venue ahead of your first in-person coding club session, so that you can be briefed on the health and safety measures that you will need to take. If this venue is no longer available you should reach out to other suitable spaces in your local area.

3. Reach out to members

The circumstances of some of the volunteers, parents, and young people that previously attended your club may have changed since you last ran in-person sessions. Others will be very excited to return. Check in with your past members and see who is available to attend upcoming sessions. This is a great opportunity to tidy any contact lists you have of volunteers and parents. Remove those who are no longer able to attend so your list is up to date.

As well as this it’s important that those attending know the rules and what to expect. Send details of how your club will run in advance of the session, including any guidelines volunteers and young people will need to follow during the session.

4. Promoting sessions and recruiting mentors

Promoting your Dojo

When promoting your Dojo sessions it is good practice to avoid using jargon and be clear about the types of activities that will be included so both those new to attending and past participants are put at ease. For example: “Beginners will learn how to make a simple game using the drag-and-drop block-based programming language Scratch. Those with more experience will be supported to create a website about something they care about. Those wishing to work more independently can use our step-by-step projects website with mentors supporting alongside.”

Use our social banner templates, flyers or create your own for free using Canva. You can upload our templates and combine them with text and other elements to create awesome images to promote your upcoming events.

Update your Dojo profile page if the times of sessions or venue has changed. You can create your ticketed event on the community platform or if your Dojo is currently using Eventbrite you can connect it to your Dojo page, so your Eventbrite ticketed events show up on the CoderDojo Platform.

Recruiting and reconnecting with mentors

You might like to first host a mentor meet up session to reconnect with and recruit mentors. This can also be very helpful to see the skills available and help with planning what tasks different volunteers will do at upcoming sessions.

This handy video can explain to them ‘How to be a Mentor’ and once they have registered on the community platform they can avail of our e-learning modules which go into more detail.

5. Get them excited

Develop learners’ skills, creativity, and independence using our new project paths. You can use Coolest Projects Global as their motivation to complete a project! The online showcase and live-streamed ceremony celebrates all levels of websites, games, apps, hardware, and Scratch projects by creators up to 18 years of age.

Similar to previous years, all creators will receive a certificate of participation and have the opportunity to be selected as a favourite by our VIP judges. But this year, there will also be:

Digital and physical swag for participants

New project topics such as health, environment, community, art, and more

Direct feedback for all creators about their projects from the judges

Celebratory medals for category favourites selected by the VIP judges

Tip: Use these presentation slides to get Ninjas excited about Coolest Projects Global!

Win a pack of CoderDojo goodies

To apply for a pack you must be planning to run an in-person coding club session, or a session with a combination of both online and in-person elements between 1 April and 8 May 2021. You should have a ticketed event already created on the CoderDojo platform (Zen) or another ticketing platform to apply.

Apply for a CoderDojo pack



The post 5 tips for resuming in-person sessions appeared first on CoderDojo.

https://coderdojo.com/2022/03/23/5-tips-resuming-in-person-sessions/

5 tips for resuming in-person sessions - CoderDojo Many of you are planning to run an in-person Dojo session soon — perhaps your first in a long time. We are here to help you! In this blog you will find five useful tips for returning to face-to-face sessions. If you are planning to run your coding club in-person soon, there is also an …

Three resources for teaching text-based programming

Are you planning to run a Dojo session soon? Do you want some new project ideas to try with your Ninjas? You may remember our post about moving young people from block- to text-based programming and how this can open up new creative opportunities for young coders: this is because there are things that only text-based programming can do.

In this blog post, we will explore the text-based programming language, Python, and share three resources to help you teach it. People often compare text-based programming to learning a language. Python is particularly popular among educators in English-speaking regions because its syntax is similar to the English language.



1. ‘Introduction to Python’ project path

This resource guides the learner through a series of step-by-step projects that are arranged in a path. Each project introduces the learner to a new skill and is intended to develop their confidence and independence. There are six awesome projects in this path. Ninjas will learn to draw shapes, edit images, and create frame-by-frame animations!

Get started with ‘Introduction to Python’

2. Certificates

Once a Ninja has completed the ‘Introduction to Python’ path, you can celebrate their achievement with this editable certificate.

Download editable certificate

3. ‘Introducing Python in your club’ webinar

If you would like more in-depth information about introducing Python in your Dojo, we have the perfect webinar for you. The recording includes a discussion on the scope of this powerful programming language, as well as practical tips and resources to help you teach it.

Listen to the recording

Things to keep in mind

These projects are aimed at young people aged 11 to 13 years old, though younger children at the right skill level can also use them. Bear in mind that young children are still developing coordination and dexterity, therefore they may be slow at typing. It is important that adults who support them are patient. You could encourage Ninjas to practise their typing skills for a session first to see how competent they are at typing using both hands. There are many free online tools to help develop typing skills, such as these lessons from Typing.com.

It is also inevitable that children will make mistakes when they type out code — making mistakes is actually an integral part of the learning process! However, to ensure that your Ninjas do not become overly frustrated:

If you know the solution, then support them to identify the problem themselves by asking leading questions. If they still aren’t finding the mistake, then you can explain the solution, but get them to type the code themselves.

If you don’t know the answer, then be honest about this! It is good for your Ninjas to know that you are still learning too. You can then work out the issue together.



Once your Ninjas have some cool Python projects under way, you can encourage them to take part in Coolest Projects 2022! Registration is open until 11 May 2022.



The post Three resources for teaching text-based programming appeared first on CoderDojo.

https://coderdojo.com/2022/03/04/three-resources-for-teaching-text-based-programming/

Three resources for teaching text-based programming - CoderDojo Are you planning to run a Dojo session soon? Do you want some new project ideas to try with your Ninjas? You may remember our post about moving young people from block- to text-based programming and how this can open up new creative opportunities for young coders: this is because there are things th...

5 steps to independent project making

Develop learners skills, creativity and independence in five steps; using Coolest Projects Global as their motivation! The online project showcase and live-streamed ceremony celebrates all levels of websites, games, apps, hardware, and Scratch projects by young creators up to 18 years of age.

If it’s possible for you to run some online or in-person sessions between now and 11 May, use Coolest Projects Global to inspire their creativity! You could also email the parents of your Dojo attendees about this opportunity.

Imagine

Encourage young people to start thinking about project ideas. To help them decide what to make, you could:

Suggest topics that they are interested in

Ask them about other projects they have made

Talk about the skills they already have

Use our design workbook to help your Ninjas think about how they can contribute to their community or express themselves with technology.

Remember: No idea is too small or too big and all skill levels are welcome.

Coming up with project ideas can be a challenge for some young people.

Here’s a quick exercise you can follow to brainstorm ideas in your Dojo! pic.twitter.com/boM5Zp6MgJ

— CoderDojo () January 24, 2022

Make

Once they have their idea, our free step-by-step project resources are a great place to help young creators get coding. When coding a Coolest Project entry, participants can work by themselves or within a team of up to five young people.

Vrishank from a Dojo in India created this “Rocket Blaster” game in Scratch

Test, debug and iterate

Testing your code regularly is important for young coders. Running the code each time you add in a new line or segment of code is good practice. This helps to identify where any issue is in the code quickly.

Our new project paths offer tips for debugging. They highlight common coding issues and the solutions to them that young people can follow.

Once young people have the initial or “Alpha” version of their project made, encourage them to share it. Have their family or peers try it out. This “user-testing” can provide useful feedback for Ninjas to iterate and improve their projects.

Present

While the young people complete their projects, ask them to share what they have done at the end of a session so they can practise talking about what they’ve made.

For Coolest Projects, creators write a description of their Scratch project or record a two-minute video to demonstrate their project, to be included in the online showcase gallery. You can register projects on the Coolest Projects website until Wednesday 11 May 2022.

Remember: Projects don’t need to be finished to be entered into the showcase.

Rocío from a Dojo in Spain demonstrates her “Glofe” project

Celebrate

Recognising young people’s achievements empowers them to continue their learning journey. Young people will see their project among hundreds of others in the showcase gallery. This enables them to feel connected to and inspired by other creators around the world. Each participant is rewarded with digital and physical swag, including a certificate of participation. Their work is also recognised with direct feedback about their project from the judges. Join the live online event in mid-June to celebrate the community and find out which projects our world-renowned judges chose as their favourites!

Inspire your Ninjas for a chance to win!

We’ve developed a series of social media and email banners to help you encourage participants in your Dojo to enter Coolest Projects Global. Between now and the end of March each time you share these banners on social media ( Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) and tag and we’ll enter you into our prize draw to win some cool swag!

Download banners

The post 5 steps to independent project making appeared first on CoderDojo.

https://coderdojo.com/2022/02/25/5-steps-to-independent-project-making/

5 steps to independent project making - CoderDojo Develop learners skills, creativity and independence in five steps; using Coolest Projects Global as their motivation! The online project showcase and live-streamed ceremony celebrates all levels of websites, games, apps, hardware, and Scratch projects by young creators up to 18 years of age. If it....