Exciting new partnership

I am excited with the prospect of working with Caitlin from the University of Canterbury who is completing her PhD in Computer Science.  My new job as the Head of the Centre for Innovation has led me down this path to providing opportunities for our Junior School staff and students to coding and computational thinking.  We know that starting children early and giving them opportunities to understand how everyday objects use code, and how they work is just as important as being consumers of technology.  The programme of learning which Caitlin is leading us through, involves - thinking, problem solving, and lots of trial and error.  Many of the NZC Key competencies can be developed through this course.  Our meeting today with all the Junior School staff proved to positively enhanced the wonderful work that is already being done at this level.  I am hoping that staff and students will learn together and from each other.  I want to allow children to have fun in using these digital tools to produce creative and original pieces of work. As we push the boundaries into new and uncharted directions for girls in computer science, we realise that we are entering a world that is fluid and changing with great speed.

3D Printing

I'm new to this 3D printing idea . . . opening up the box and setting it up was my first introduction to the Makerbot Replicator 2.  Have found the whole experience a delight and something you could easily get caught up with.  What I have found the most useful is being able to produce items that have an immediate practical use.  For example, the filament which we have, are on spools that have a narrower circumference so they will not fit on the spool holder that was supplied with the printer.  No Problem ! A quick visit to thingiverse solved this issue.

Filament Spool Holder

I have now branched out into designing my own items using tinkercad.  Watch this space to see the progress. . . .

My Mathematical Dice Keyring