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Swift Playgrounds

OVERVIEW
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Swift Playground  is a mobile learning coding app created by Apple Inc. It is a clean, simple, well-designed and a colorful platform.The Playground provides a testing ground (side panel) for developers to render their code in real time. It introduces basic coding concepts such as While loops, For loops and Conditional code. It is designed with short activities for the user to solve. For example, commanding Byte (the character) to move from one spot to another using simple commands. As the user advances, more complex algorithms are introduced. Users can type their own code (command) or select ir from the command list. This is a nice feature for those who are just starting to write.


Neat features:

 

  • Simple coding lessons

  • children friendly interface makes coding easy

  • Immediate feedback, no need to recompile

  • Available for iPads and now iOS.

  • Record videos or Broadcast Live

  • Share your work with others

LEARNING
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Why coding? Cooper et al. [2010] said because it “ emphasize the central role of a computer… can play in enhancing the learning process and improving achievement…”. Programming engages students into thinking. As President Obama suggested, programming may lead youngster into hard work and learn the necessary skills. This skill will prepare them for this new technology era. 



As per Piaget, children interact with the world and assimilate their experiences into their own understanding. While children learn to code, they  “process”, recognize the pattern and integrate it to their own thinking.
Coding involves thinking; from math problems to spatial sense. It requires inquiry and reasoning skills (Lee, 2019). It also involves communication skills. Like any language we code and decode. The same it is for the programming language.

WHY CODE ?
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Throughout the years, I realized the importance of the coding language. I am not not developer, so learning coding might not help me on my job. However, it might come in handy as an additional skill. I can have a basic understanding on the apps that I use in my daily routine. Learn how to code has taught me to pay attention to detail; every step (command) has to be taken into account.

I have been playing Swift Playground for about a month.  It is fun and engaging. This app is not only for youngster but also suitable to those who want to learn coding at their own pace. It is about figuring a pattern and writing a code that will accomplish the goal. I enjoy the fact that there are challenges where solutions are not given; users need to use all the concepts they have learnt and be as creative as one can be to solve the problem. 


One of my  playground activities.

REFLECTION
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Language Learning demand has grown as the world becomes more globalized. As a language instructor I view code as another language. Coding is the new language that will be required in the near future. As our society becomes more technology dependent, it is essential to comprehend the language that is used behind the daily apps and programs that we use in our lives.

The point of teaching young people to introductory programming language is not for them to become programmers, but rather encourage them to create. Papert said that education has little to do with explanation. It is about engaging with the material and fall in love with it. If we like using apps for our daily lives, why cannot we learn the mechanics behind it.


 

SUGGESTIONS

  • The current app is available for iPads and Macs. It is understandable since it would not be user friendly having it on small screen device such as cellphones. The side panel on the left provides the user a rendering of the commands that have been written.
     

  • Swift hosts a site for swift coder. It s a community for those who use this coding language. I would suggest to have a build in messenger or forum within the app, where users can chat or even meet fellow coders. 

     

  • Create collaborative “playgrounds” for users to code and engage in the same activity but with different objectives. In other words, have users work together on one project.
     

  • Create a version for non-Apple product users.

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REFERENCES

code.org (2013, February 26). What Most Schools Don't Teach [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/nKIu9yen5nc

 

S. Cooper, L. C. Pe ́rez, and D. Rainey. 2010. K-12 computational learning. Communications of the ACM 53, 11, 27–29.

Werner, L., Denner, J., & Campe, S. (2015). Children programming games: A strategy for measuring computational learning. ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE), 14(4), 1-22. doi:10.1145/2677091

Lee, J. (2019). Coding in early childhood. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, , 146394911984654. doi:10.1177/1463949119846541

Kafai, Y. B., Burke, Q., & MIT Press Direct (eBooks). (2014). Connected code: Why children need to learn programming. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.

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