Unplugged class teaches kids basics of computer coding
More than 30 children gathered at the Summerlin Library Dec. 11, but it wasn’t to read books.
They were there to learn computer coding from Jeremy Bruner of TechBrainiacs.
Bruner, a Centennial Hills resident, held an “unplugged” coding session at the library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive. Unplugged refers to teaching without a computer in front of the students.
Bruner, a former elementary school teacher, began his company, TechBrainiacs, in the fall. It offers workshops and classes where children can learn computer science.
“By year 2020, there will be roughly 10 million jobs, if I remember the statistic, a huge number of jobs that are going to go unfilled because there are not people getting into computer science,” Bruner said. “If they get involved at a young age, that will lead them on a pathway through college and on to careers in technology. STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is a major push in all areas of education right now. When you talk about (STEM), it all folds into what TechBrainiacs is doing and the classes that we’re going to be offering.”
Bruner’s interaction with the students was an easy one. He asked silly questions: Is a computer an animal? If it thought like an animal, what kind would it be? The children came up with a variety of answers. One was just as silly as the question.
“A bearded dragon,” a child suggested.
“My sister used to have a bearded dragon,” Bruner responded, unfazed.
He gave out high fives for everyone, complimenting them for good answers. After deciding a computer was not an animal but a technology device, he explained that as a device, it had its own language, based on a two-part concept: on and off.
He handed out ribbons of paper with eight squares printed on them, separated in the middle so there were two groups of four. Each child got a black marker. Bruner walked over to the light switch and flicked it off.
“When the lights are off, it’s dark, right? So, we’re going to say ‘off’ is a dark square,” he said, flicking the lights back on. “Now, it’s brighter. ‘On’ is a white square.”
Bruner explained how each letter of the alphabet consisted of a set series of on/off, similar to Morse code.
The children were shown how to convert their initials into white and black squares by coloring the squares on their ribbon of paper into a pattern. Threading black and white beads onto a pipe cleaner further cemented the new language in the children’s minds. The pipe cleaners were hooked around their wrists to be worn as bracelets.
In between, they were shown what a hard drive looked like and learned that it had a magnetic platter that interpreted the on/off signals coming in. To keep that concept in mind, the children affixed magnets to the back of their paper with initials.
Caroline Stanton, 9, said it was “really neat to see how you can learn about programming without a computer.”
Angel Blum of Southern Highlands brought her son, Aaron, 10.
“He’s very interested in video games, and he eventually wants to make his own, I think,” she said. “… I feel very lost (when it comes to computers), but my husband, Steven, takes up the slack, and he helps him (Aaron) a lot.”
TechBrainiacs offers an introduction to computer science unplugged session for 7- to 12-year-olds. There are eight sessions ($35 each or $249 for all). The video game design session is for 9- to 14-year-olds. There are five sessions ($35 each or $149 for all).
For more information, visit techbrainiacs.com or call 702-233-5845.
Contact Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.
