Hello Ruby: Adventures in computational thinking

“The kids of today, they tap, swipe and pinch their way through the world, but unless we give them tools to build with computers we are raising consumers, not creators” (Linda Liukas, TED Talk).

I’ve recently purchased a great little picture book for my school,  called ‘Hello Ruby’ by Linda Liukas. The book was  not written to teach coding as it doesn’t teach specific programming languages. It was written to introduce students computational thinking through play, imagination and creation.

The book is  based on story about Ruby, a 6 year old girl who is completely fearless. Here is her profile:
Interests: Maps, secret codes and small talk
Pet Peeves: I hate confusion
Favourite Expressions: Why?
Secret Power: I can imagine impossible things.

Ruby has friends who also have their own unique traits. In Ruby’s world, you learn technology through play and imagination. At the back of the books are a range of activities for students based on Ruby’s story. You can access additional resources online at Hello Ruby, however, the book is essential for the program,  and I highly recommend this resource for Years 2-4.

Below is a TED talk delivered by Linda in which she tries to unlock the mystery of computer science. I agree with her point that  we need to take the ‘magic’ out of computer science, it isn’t magic, there are process and component which enable computers and the Internet to work, it is just that many adults don’t know how they work.

 

One comment

  1. I used this text with 2 classes last year it is delightful and provides insights and actions into computational thinking.

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