Our young coders at Kohimarama School have been blitzing their Minecraft programming this term.

We’re delighted to announce we’ll be running a holiday programme in the Term 3 holidays. (Thanks to everyone who’s encouraged us to take this exciting step!)

We’re looking forward to tackling some great projects and are offering three awesome days of coding:

• Dates: Monday 1 to Wednesday 3 October
• Time: 9.15am to 3.30pm (with early drop-off and late pick-up options, see registration form for details).
• Student ages: Years 4 to 8 (in 2018)
• Cost: $300 for the three days, which includes the use of a computer during tuition time.
• Venue: Churchill Park School, Kinsale Avenue, Glendowie, Auckland

There will be three, one-day coding projects for students to complete, including designing and coding a 2D game, and programming a 3D adventure map in Minecraft. Each suits a range of skills and interests, and will introduce them to a variety of programming approaches and experiences. They will rotate and do a different project each day.

PLUS

• Robot Racers: During the day, we’ll have some fun with a speed test for driving Spheros. Students will be challenged to navigate a course in the fastest time they can. With spot prizes for the winners.
• Virtual Reality: We’ll also have some VR goggles available for students to try and experience a virtual reality environment.

Schedule for each day*

• 9.15am: Sign in
• 9.30am: Welcome
• 9.45-11am: Coding session 1
• 11-11.20am: Morning tea
• 11.20am-12.45pm: Coding session 2
• 12.45-1.30pm: Lunch
• 1.30-1.45pm: Group briefing
• 1.45-3.15pm: Coding session 3
• 3.15pm: Review of the day
• 3.30pm: Goodbye and sign out

* Timings may vary. Early drop-off and late pick-up options are also available.

Coding sessions: During each session, there will be periods of instruction mixed with hands-on programming, as well as creating game designs, trouble-shooting bugs and collaboration with other students. Towards the end of the day, we also hope that students will be able to ‘test and play’ each other’s completed projects.

Places are limited: Places are limited (approx 10 per project) and students will be grouped by age/ability. When it comes to offering places we will process enquiries in the order they are received. This is designed as a three-day course and priority will go to bookings for the entire three days. (If we have any spare places, there may be opportunity to book single days at $120 each. Please indicate your choice on the registration form.)

Bring your own food: Refreshments are not provided (other than water fountains for topping up drinks bottles). Students will need to bring their own food and drinks for morning tea and lunch (and afternoon tea if they’re a late pick-up).

 

Register your interest

Please follow the appropriate age link below to register your daughter or son’s interest in a place on our holiday programme. (This does not confirm a place or commit you to signing up. We will follow up with further information.) When it comes to offering places we will process enquiries in the order they are received.

Register for Years 7 and 8

Register for Years 5 and 6

Register for Year 4

If you experience any problems with the form – or have any questions – please contact us at info@codechampions.nz

Please note: We treat all personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act. We do not share information with any Third Parties.

 

 

We’ve launched a Facebook page – hopefully it’ll be another way that we can easily keep in touch and notify you of any news.

We’ll post photos, news and ideas, updates on coding, and all sorts of things. Your thoughts and comments (and ‘Likes’!) will also be welcome!

Check it out at facebook.com/codechampionsnz

For those students coding in Minecraft with Ken Ward – at Kohimarama School and Saint Kentigern Boys’ School – you’ll need to install a ‘mod’ if you want to be able to continue your work at home.

To be able to code within the Minecraft world, we’re using a mod called ComputerCraftEdu. You will find download details and full instructions for using it at http://computercraftedu.com

(Of course, you’ll also need a copy of Minecraft on your computing device in th first place. If you don’t already have it, go to https://minecraft.net/en-us/)

Yesterday, we’re pleased to announced that Glen Eden Intermediate School joined the Code Champions family. 

It’s great to start at a new school and to see so many new young coders joining use. We look forward to some awesome coding in the coming weeks.

If you’d to know more about coding classes at GEIS – or any of our other schools – please get in touch at info@codechampions.nz

It’s great to be back coding again in Term 3 and we hope all’s going well with our young coders.

If you do have any questions or comments, please get in touch at info@codechampions.nz

Teaching Resource:	Qubes (pronounced ‘Cubes’)
URL:	https://www.qubes.nz  —  type into browser address bar rather than Googling.
Requirements:	Modern device with hardware-accelerated 3D (Laptop, Chromebook, PC, …), with keyboard and mouse/touchpad.
Supported Browser:	Chrome (latest version)  —  other browsers lack compliance with required standards; latest Firefox may work.

 

Login details

Username:	{first name} {last name initial} – {2 letter school code}  —  all lower case, no spaces.
Password:	{first name}  —  all lower case.
School codes:	School where session is attended cp  —  Churchill Park mb  —  Meadow Bank mc  —  Marist College sh  —  St Heliers
For example:	Russell Forest @ Meadowbank  ⇒  russellf-mb  /  russell Anna Dapter @ Marist College  ⇒  annad-mc  /  anna Wilma Cargo-Far @ St Heliers  ⇒  wilmac-sh  /  wilma

 Issues accessing Qubes?

• Ensure Chrome is updated to the latest version  —  https://www.whatismybrowser.com/guides/the-latest-version/chrome
• Ensure the device is updated with the latest Operating System and driver updates.
• Try another device to see if the problem persists  —  preferably of a different Make/Model.

If still having issues, email peter@learn2code.nz with:

• Student name and School where session is attended.
• Parent contact details.
• Operating System + version, Make, and Model of the device.
• The “SHARE YOUR SYSTEM INFO WITH TECH SUPPORT” URL from https://www.whatismybrowser.com/ on the device.
• A screenshot of the Developer Tools Console, straight after a page reload/refresh:
  1. Open the Developer Tools.  NOTE: If using the keyboard shortcut method, click in the Address Bar then use the shortcut as Qubes blocks those key-presses in the main window  —  https://developers.google.com/web/tools/chrome-devtools/console/#open_as_panel
  2. Ensure the ‘Console’ tab is selected.  If the console isn’t docked at the bottom (for the greatest horizontal width) then click the ┇ menu and choose the “Dock to bottom” dock side.
  3. Refresh the browser tab on the https://www.qubes.nz URL to generate a fresh console log.  Wait until the tab has finished loading  —  e.g. http://bit.ly/Qb2018T2DevCon
  4. Take a screenshot, ensuring it shows as much of the end of the console output as possible  —  https://www.popsci.com/take-screenshot-on-any-device
  5. Attach the screenshot to your email.

You may be asked to supply additional information; instructions will be provided.  Thank you for your assistance!

It’s hard to believe that we’re almost at the end of Term 2. The year is flying by.

We are now busy planning for Term 3, beginning after the July holidays, and will be continuing our after-school coding classes at several locations across Auckland. Check out venues and dates at codechampions.nz/term-3-dates/

If your son or daughter would like to join us and give coding a try, please let us know and we can check if a place is available. Or if you have any questions, just get in touch at info@codechampions.nz

This week was the last for our young coders at St Heliers School (it was a slightly shortened term as we had to avoid a school activity in the last week).

Thanks to everyone who participated. We hope you enjoyed your coding with Peter and look forward to seeing you again next term.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the coding sessions at St Heliers School should contact us at info@codechampions.nz

We’re delighted that Pasadena Intermediate School, in Pt Chevalier, Auckland, will be joining Code Champions in Term 3. They bring the total number of our schools to eight and we can’t wait to get started.

We’ll be running coding classes after school on Wednesdays.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the sessions and booking a place should contact us at info@codechampions.nz