Programming Education Practical Application Presentation at Kyoyo Elementary School in Shinagawa Ward Reprinted from the PEG page, a programming education project promoted by CANVAS.
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Today, a practice report session was held at Kyoyo Elementary School in Shinagawa Ward.
With
much attention focused on the upcoming mandatory introduction of programming education in elementary schools in 2020, approximately 50 educators attended
today’s session.
This time, in addition to open classes and lectures by the teachers in charge, a workshop for adults was also held, allowing
participants to
actually try out Raspberry Pi and Scratch.
In the 5th-grade class, students are creating projects that use programming to introduce Kyoyo Elementary School to
the new 1st graders who will be joining us next year. Before class begins,
the team
leader checks how far along each team is with their project based on the
schedule. The projects created by the teams of three are shared with one another on the server.
“Introduction to School Facilities,” “What’s Great About Kyoyo Elementary School,” “Classroom Activities”—the topics
each team wanted to present were truly diverse!
As they worked, everyone discussed what to present and how best to convey their message to the first-graders who had just started school. I was amazed to see how naturally they taught and helped one another—
whether it was figuring out how to
program or how to present their ideas.
During the presentations, the teachers in charge shared insights into the students’
behavior and progress based on their firsthand experience teaching the classes.
Additionally, Professor Kazuhiro Abe, a visiting professor at Aoyama Gakuin University, gave a presentation explaining
why programming should be taught in the classroom today,
aimed at teachers planning to introduce programming in the future.
Many educators participated in the final workshop as well.
Everyone had fun experiencing Scratch for the first time, figuring out how to make the cat move exactly as they wanted—since it responded exactly as
programmed. The “Cat Chase” game—in which a mouse escapes from a cat, a game we often hold workshops for at PEG—
is simple yet allows participants to experience the basics of programming.
With the support of the teachers at Kyoyo Elementary School, ideas for further developing the game began to emerge.
For teachers who are wondering how to get started with programming education,
this was a wonderful presentation where they could learn about practical examples and try out the teaching materials.
Professor, Keio University; Ph.D. (Policy and Media)
Director, B Lab
Chairperson, Learning of Tomorrow (General Incorporated Association)
Chairperson, CANVAS
After graduating from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, he served as a visiting researcher at the MIT Media Lab before founding the NPO CANVAS and the Learning of Tomorrow Association, a General Incorporated Association, and assuming the role of representative. He serves as an outside director for Matsuya Co., Ltd., Fuji Media Holdings, Inc., and Digital Garage, Inc.
He has served on various government committees, including the Information and Communications Council of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as well as the NHK Central Broadcasting Program Council. He also serves as a director of the Digital Signage Consortium, among other roles. He holds a Ph.D. in Policy and Media.
His publications include *Turning On Children’s Creativity!*, *What Are Smart Kids Doing on Their Smartphones?*, *The Forefront of Online Education in Japan: Considering Learning in the Post-COVID Era*,“What Is Programming Education? 45 Questions Parents Want to Know,” and “Declaration on Digital Education.” He has also provided supervision for numerous works, including “Ah, I See! Programming Education for Parents and Children Through Manga.”
