Category: Uncategorized

coding, Computational Thinking, games, math, Research, Uncategorized

Computational Thinking for Preschoolers: Debugging Activities

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Producers from WGBH and Kentucky Educational Television and researchers from EDC have been collaborating on the research and development of brand-new computational thinking activities for preschoolers! These fun hands-on activities and apps (not yet published) were all created as part of a research project funded by the National Science Foundation called Integrating Computational Thinking into Mathematics Instruction in Rural and Urban Preschools.

 

Preschoolers can learn debugging and math through these fun activities:

Sound Shakers

Children fix sound shakers that don’t make sounds.

Monkey Dance
Children practice a two-step dance and identify mistakes in the teacher’s dance steps.

Monkey Bridge
Children fix a bridge that won’t stand up.

Colorful Caterpillars
Children debug clay caterpillars with colorful patterns.

Road Repair
Children use geometric shapes to fix holes in a road so a car can get across. Get a glimpse of the debugging app in development.

 

See how these activities are part of a larger computational thinking preschool curriculum in this Teacher Guide.

CT Teacher Guide

CT Standards

 

 

© 2019 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved. Funding provided by the National Science Foundation. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1640135. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Uncategorized

Computational Thinking for Preschoolers: Sequencing Activities

sequencing-blog-pic

Producers from WGBH and Kentucky Educational Television and researchers from EDC have been collaborating on the research and development of brand-new computational thinking activities for preschoolers! These fun hands-on activities and apps (not yet published) were all created as part of a research project funded by the National Science Foundation called Integrating Computational Thinking into Mathematics Instruction in Rural and Urban Preschools.

Preschoolers can learn sequencing and math through these fun activities:

Play the Robot Game
Children teach a “robot” how to put on a jacket.

Make a Monkey Story
Children put pictures in order to make a story.

Make Snack Stacks
Children follow a recipe to a make a three-layer snack.

Monkey Parade
Children line up in numerical order to march in a parade.

1, 2, 3 Picnic
Children use ordinals to step out how to pick up friends and get to a picnic. Get a glimpse of the sequencing app in development.

 

See how these activities are part of a larger computational thinking preschool curriculum in this Teacher Guide.

CT Teacher Guide

CT Standards

 

© 2019 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved. Funding provided by the National Science Foundation. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1640135. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Jobs, Uncategorized

We’re Hiring a Designer!

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We’re looking for an Associate Digital Designer who combines three core Practices…

  • Visual Design — the fundamentals of composition, typography, graphic form, color theory, etc.
  • Animation Design — applying visual design principles across a timeline to create motion graphics and kinetic type
  • Production Design — mastery of Adobe Creative Suite and other essential design tools to output deliverables

… in service of three key Functions…

  • Children’s Game Designer — apply educational and/or learning goals to engaging games for kids
  • Web Designer — design for websites, apps, social media, and other digital environments
  • Graphic Artist — create new graphics, either by manipulating existing or illustrating original art

For more, check out the full job description.

Uncategorized

Launching Animators!

Writer-directors! Animators!

WGBH seeks 2019 Summer Creative Residents to work on two new series in Boston!

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Launchpad at WGBH, a studio producing digital television entertainment series about complex issues, is seeking summer 2019 Creative Residents.

The Launchpad Creative Resident program brings media professionals inside WGBH to incubate new projects and to work on new WGBH digital television programs. For each of Launchpad’s three-week-long cycles in 2019, we will select 3 Creative Residents to work alongside WGBH producers, experts and mentors.

For the Summer 2019 Animation cycle (Monday, August 19 – Friday, September 6, 2019 in Boston), we are seeking 2D animation creators with a specific interest in storyboarding and design to work on a new WGBH animation series. Animation Creative Residents will receive a $1,750 stipend for this three-week cycle. Apply by 4 pm EST on Friday, August 2, 2019.

For the Summer 2019 Episodic TV cycle (Monday, September 9 – Friday, September 27, 2019 in Boston), we are seeking diverse writer-directors to participate in the rapid development and production of a new WGBH drama series. Episodic Creative Residents will receive a $2,500 stipend for a full-time, hands-on commitment to this three-week cycle. Apply by 4 pm EST on Friday, August 9, 2019.

Note: Much of the work will take place at or near WGBH in Boston. Launchpad does not provide for accommodations, travel or transportation.

To apply, complete this questionnaire  and email your resume and cover letter to launchpad@wgbh.org with the subject line “FIRSTNAME LASTNAME: 2019 Creative Resident Animation” or “FIRSTNAME LASTNAME: 2019 Creative Resident Episodic”.

For more information visit Launchpad at WGBH!

Uncategorized

Young People in World War 2

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Although I share our work here from time to time, I don’t often get to share a project that is so personally meaningful. We’ve just produced, with a partnership with The International Museum of World War II, an interactive experience using artifacts from the museum. It’s for high school students to let them explore the wartime experiences of young people.

It is available for free to schools through PBS LearningMedia.

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While we had fabulous access to artifacts from the Museum’s extensive collection, and conducted our own photo shoots, we were able to add a few additional pieces. These additions include a love story played out across correspondence between the parents of my friend and co-worker Cyrisse and, eagle-eyed among you may recognize, my mum, Hazel who was, along with her sister Josephine, in the WAAF, the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

The project is fully responsive for desktop or mobile, and is keyboard accessible for those with motor or vision challenges.

This was both a delightful and important project to work on and its extensive list of credits shows the care we were able to take in getting expert advice, period music, terrific design, thoughtful tech, and teacher feedback as we were putting this together.

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Uncategorized

A Few Days in Armenia

 

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I was in Yerevan, Armenia this week to represent our work at an international media literacy conference #tvapatum18 along with representatives from Voice of America, Dutch and Armenia media, the Caucasus correspondent for the BBC in Tblisi, the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, the Newseum, Russian independent journalists and filmmakers, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. 

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You can see my impressions and personal travel blog here. 

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View at Medium.com

 

fun, Uncategorized

In the Shop

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Ruff paid a visit this week to check out WGBH’s studio workshops. He offered to help but, after a previous incident with a small chair that needed a minor repair, we don’t let him near power tools, marshmallows, glue, dynamite, or, for that matter, cattle.

ARTHUR, fun, games, Uncategorized

Arthur Hits 20

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Arthur’s Top 20 celebrates 20 years of ARTHUR being on the air.

This collection of minigames reaches deep into the vaults of ARTHUR lore. Henry Skreever books! The lucky pencil! Thelma the singing bass! Not to mention, Yamlet! (Ah, we knew you well…) These and many other classic items are featured in a variety of simple-yet-challenging games to test a player’s reflexes, logic — and nostalgia.

The first eight minigames are up, with six more launching next Friday, and six more the following Friday, for a total of — you guessed it — 20 mini games.

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So visit the site, play the game, test your skills (with games featuring the green potato chip, Sharky, Wally, and more) and enjoy saying, “Oh, yeah, I remember that!” 

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Fabulous work from Gentry, Jeff and Jolin.

Events, Uncategorized

Quack in the Community

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On September 24, 2016, WGBH co-hosted an event called “Ready to Learn: Family Tech Day” with Tech Goes Home, Boston Public Schools Adult Learning Center, and English for New Bostonians.  

At the event, families could complete hands-on or digital activities about literacy and science, get information about technology and local resources, and take photos with WGBH characters Peep, Quack, and Curious George.

This event was made possible by the generous support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Photo: Anna Fort