check out this for blockly
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-09/hour-of-code-australian-students-explore-computer-science/5954282
"Coding is going to be important for a whole range of jobs in the future.
"People who learn computer science might find themselves working in medicine, helping to cure disease and drive breakthroughs in treatment.
"Or they might find themselves in the Aussie film industry working on the next blockbuster."
Award-winning manga artist, digital illustrator, art teacher and games concept designer, Cecelia Jin, began using pencil, ink and paint but now she also makes artwork using a computer.
She told ABC Splash that to succeed in the art industry it is important to start and early and gain a wide variety of skills.
The Hour of Code events continuing throughout Australia this week offer opportunities for people of all ages to try their hand at something new.
On Thursday, activities open to the public at the Australian National University in Canberra include an introduction to the Scratch programming language to create interactive stories, games and animations, as well as an introduction to programming Lego Mindstorms Robots using EV3 software to navigate the robot through a maze.
Computer musician Charles Martin will also help people use the computer language Processing to create interactive visual artworks.
Hour of Code: Young Australian students explore computer science, as numbers of IT graduates shrink
By Lyndall Hawke Bryant
Updated 10 Dec 2014, 3:15pm
Students around Australia this week are exploring the computer science that drives the apps, games and websites on their devices.
They are taking part in the Hour of Code - a worldwide event involving millions of students in more than 180 countries - in what organisers say is "the largest learning event in history".
Participants are spending at least one hour working with computer code, experimenting with computer science or exploring the different ways computer technology impacts their lives.
It is part of Computer Science Education Week that runs until December 14.
More than 600 events are planned in Australia, involving Australian schools, universities and a few Australian businesses.
There are more than 77,000 events worldwide, including almost 38,000 in the United States.
Even US president Barack Obama tried his hand at writing a computer program becoming the first US president to do so, the White House said.
Code is the essential literacy of the future: academics
Computer scientists from the University of Adelaide say "coding" for young children is becoming as essential as maths, reading and writing.
Head of the university's computer science school, Associate Professor Katrina Falkner, said children not only need to learn about how digital technology works and how to use it, but also how to create it by understanding the language of computers.
"With our increasingly digital world, learning about code means learning how technology works at a deeper level," she said.
There is a current shortage of IT professionals and if we are to meet future needs of industry, we must start teaching students how to design and work with IT earlierSarah Hobson
"It's essential for understanding how technology can be used to solve problems and to advance our society.
"It is only by starting in the early years that we can teach code as the essential literacy that it has become."
Chair of the Digital Careers Educators Advisory Group, Sarah Hobson, agrees.
"There is a current shortage of IT professionals and if we are to meet future needs of industry, we must start teaching students how to design and work with IT earlier," she said.
"There is a growing need for people to code devices, fridges, cars, robots and things that haven't been invented yet.
"It is important for us to introduce lessons in how to code so that the students become familiar with creating code at an early age, allowing them to progress towards further computer studies."
Mrs Hobson, who is also an eLearning integration teacher, said students as young as Year 1 have been participating in Hour of Code activities at Good News Lutheran School in Brisbane's western suburbs.
"The coding we teach in primary school is 'drag and drop' block programming such as Scratch, Tynker and Blockly," she said.
"Students create, solve programs and have fun while learning."
The feedback from the children was positive.
"It was amazing. I learnt a lot of stuff about coding," said Aparaj, from Year 5.
"It was a good experience for students to see if they're interested in coding. I really enjoyed it. I learnt more about CSS and HTML from the Khan Academy," said Holly, another Year 5 student.
41 per cent drop in IT graduates in Australia: Google
Google Australia's engineering community and outreach manager, Sally-Ann Williams, said the "fun" at school could lead students to an interesting career.
"Teaching Aussie kids coding is one of the best ways we can help prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow," she said.
"Demand from employers for graduates with computer science skills is at an unprecedented high but Australia has seen a 41 per cent drop in the number of IT graduates since 2001.
"The Hour of Code will help by inspiring kids to try coding and build skills for the digital age.
"Coding is going to be important for a whole range of jobs in the future.
"People who learn computer science might find themselves working in medicine, helping to cure disease and drive breakthroughs in treatment.
"Or they might find themselves in the Aussie film industry working on the next blockbuster."
Award-winning manga artist, digital illustrator, art teacher and games concept designer, Cecelia Jin, began using pencil, ink and paint but now she also makes artwork using a computer.
She told ABC Splash that to succeed in the art industry it is important to start and early and gain a wide variety of skills.
The Hour of Code events continuing throughout Australia this week offer opportunities for people of all ages to try their hand at something new.
On Thursday, activities open to the public at the Australian National University in Canberra include an introduction to the Scratch programming language to create interactive stories, games and animations, as well as an introduction to programming Lego Mindstorms Robots using EV3 software to navigate the robot through a maze.
Computer musician Charles Martin will also help people use the computer language Processing to create interactive visual artworks.
- Canberra researchers study whether technology makes maths easier
- Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak joins University of Technology Sydney as adjunct professor
- Google Apps for Education mining data to develop targeted ads, experts warn
- Computer literacy tested in schools amid concerns of digital divide
- Experts raise concerns over 'screen addiction'
Topics: computers-and-technology, science-and-technology, secondary-schools, primary-schools, work, community-and-society,schools, education, university-and-further-education, unemployment, australia
First posted 9 Dec 2014, 8:26pm
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