Coding and Adobe

In my first session, I learned how to do some basic coding using a program called Alice.  It is a free program, which is always nice.  It is very user-friendly, and I could see that even elementary students would be able to use it.

The program features drag-and-drop coding that allows users to use pre-created objects, such as people, animals, and vehicles.  We went through a few basic projects and created short videos of a bunny wagging its ears, an astronaut driving a Humvee in space, and a fairy tale involving a dragon, a princess, and a knight.

It was a very fun program, and one that I could imagine students would love.  They have to learn commands, many of which involve measurements in terms of distance and rotational degrees.  It also allows them to problem solve when trying to make certain things happen.

While I am not sure it would work well on the iPads, it is something I want to introduce to students and allow them to just be creative with it.  The possibilities seem endless in terms of creating stories, animating reports, or just making shows for the sake of being creative and having fun.

My second session was a flurry of information.  We were introduced to several Adobe apps and were given a basic understanding of how to use them.  It was a little overwhelming, and there did seem to be some overlap.  I know that I will need to spend more time going through these apps.  Some seemed familiar, and some seemed very similar to other apps.  We also discussed and tried app-smashing, which is creating content in one app and then editing it in others.