A case for ict, computing and chess redesigning the kenyan curriculum

A Case for ICT,Computing and Chess :Redesigning the Kenyan Curriculum ©Fred Sagwe,Gilbert Bett & Githinji Hinga

A Case for ICT, Computing and Chess:

Redesigning the Kenyan Curriculum

eLearning Innovations Conference & Expo - Sept 28th-Oct 2nd ,2015:

NACECE Resource Center- KICD ,Nairobi-Kenya.

Image via :©Kenya Institute Of Curriculum

Development(KICD) Image credit:©code.org Image Credit:©Chess Kenya

#Hour of code-Computing#Digital Literacy Programme-ICT #Chess National League -Chess

COMPUTING

Introductions

Fred Sagwe

ICT Integrator ,Computer Scientist & Chess Coach -Educator

Tabaka Boys High School-Kenya

Gilbert Bett

ICT Integrator & Computer Scientist - Educator

Sunshine Secondary-Kenya

Githinji Hinga

Chess Kenya Chairman & Coach -Kenya

2A Case for ICT,Computing and Chess :Redesigning the Kenyan Curriculum ©Fred Sagwe,Gilbert Bett & Githinji Hinga

Overview

Every country in the world needs a high quality, inclusive and equitable school system that develops young people who are able to:

• Live and work in globalised economy

• Use their knowledge, skills and values to contribute responsibly locally and globally.

• In order to do so, there is growing consensus that school systems need to develop young people with certain core skills and competencies (often known as 21st century skills or “Deep Learning “skills).

A Case for ICT,Computing and Chess :Redesigning the Kenyan Curriculum ©Fred Sagwe,Gilbert Bett & Githinji Hinga3

• Children who come to classrooms this days, have an inherent aptitude for technology(digital natives) and educators should encourage that skill set with resources that integrate :Science,technology,engineering,mathematics,arts, design (STEAM) and languages learning.

• On that note; the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Change KICD which is a department within the Kenya Ministry of Education Research and Technology MOEST…

• Is contemplating overhauling the entire 8.4.4 system of education by the year 2016/17 and they are welcoming public intellectual discourse on the way forward.

• The envisaged competence -based -curriculum will be a departure from the knowledge -based which has been the normal from the past two decades.


Objectives

By the end of this session, the participant will be able to:

• Describe how the trio can be used across disciplines(interdisciplinary) in the curriculum and as educational tools to aid learning.

• Evaluate the need to Integrate ICT, Computing and Chess as a core curricula and or an elective subjects from elementary school to university levels.

• Create awareness and prepare holistically young Kenyan people to be smart in life and work in a global economy as: Technologists, researchers, engineers, doctors, scientists, educators, software developers, sport prodigals, entrepreneurs and futuristic thinkers.


Tabaka High School Students Take on

ICT,Computing & Chess Activities

https://youtu.be/mUsgsRhNi6M


https://youtu.be/mUsgsRhNi6M

Why Integrate ICT,Computing & Chess

in the curriculum?

• Both are remarkable universal languages. They bridges the gap of

language, gender, economics, age, and education.

• Both can be taught by using offline and online resources and

materials. Available in Ministry Of Education Research and

Technology ICT and Computer Labs and development partners

digital hubs spread across the country.

• Both are used as educational tools to aid learning.


• Reach boys and girls regardless of their natural abilities or socio-economicbackgrounds.

• There is research literature that has a very promising outlook, as far as ICT,computing and chess have been successfully utilised in subjects like mathematics,science,arts,writing or English as a second language.

• Research tell us that girls are just as adept as boys at learning STEM topics, computer science included, but their interest tends to drop off in late elementary or middle school.

• Waiting until middle or high school to introduce the trio is simply too long to wait to spark an interest in the students.

• The combined fundamental knowledge is needed to prepare students for the 21st century, regardless of their ultimate field of study and occupation.

Case for ICT, Computer Science and Chess in Early Childhood Education: Redesigning the Kenyan Curriculum

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8rK7nGHZhSoQ1R5S2cwcHpZWEk/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8rK7nGHZhSoQ1R5S2cwcHpZWEk/view?usp=sharing

#Activity 1- ICT,Computing and Chess in schools

• The general research question of this paper/ presentation, is how far does :ICT,computing and chess affects other school subjects: Science,technology,engineering,mathematics,arts, design (STEAM) and languages.

• How will the spread of digital literacy across continents shape tomorrow’s highly skilled workforce.

• According to estimates from Juniper Research, the global market for mobile applications will more than double from $47.7 bn (£30.8bn) in 2014 to $99bn (£64bn) in 2019….

• What do you think are some of the best ways , we can prepare our students better for these new emerging careers :Knowledge economy/New economy based? Which is boosted by booming opportunities available to those with programming skills, especially for mobile software.


ICT

Def:

• It might be useful to accept the definition provided by the United

Nations Development Programme(UNDP):

• ICTs are basically information-handling tools-a varied set of goods,

applications and services that are used to

produce,store,process,distribute and exchange information. They

include the old ICTs of radio, television and telephone, and the new

ICTs of computers, satellites and wireless technology and the

internet.


• Together and they combine to form our 'networked

world‘-a massive infrastructure of interconnected

telephone services.

• Standardised computing hardware, the internet, radio

and television, which reaches into every corner of the

globe.


Role of ICT in developing higher order

thinking skills

• ICT enables the development of higher order thinking skills when

students collaborate in groups while using computers to solve

problems…

• Are taught to apply the process of problem-solving and then apply

technology in the development of solutions…


• High order thinking by students involves the transformation of

information and ideas..

• Which occur when students combine facts and ideas and

synthesie,generate,explain,hypothesize or arrive at some conclusion

or interpretation.

Jimoyiannis, A. & Komis, V. (2007) Examining teachers’ beliefs about ICT in education: Teacher Development, An

international journal of teachers' professional development, 11(2) 149-173

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13664530701414779


http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13664530701414779

The @iLabAfrica Holiday Bootcamp: Making IT fun & Interactive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sckSxqM1k_g


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sckSxqM1k_g

Cont’

ICTs offer alternate solutions for providing access

and equity, and for collaborative practices to

optimize costs and effectively use resources..!!


#Activity 2-ICT in EdTech & Industry

• Reflect on how to integrate ICT in education innovation solutions in the classroom situation? Reflect on this and identify both the advantages and disadvantages of both in the life of learners.

• How will technology play a larger role in our future daily lives, across economies and industries.

• Does low internet ‘power connectivity and distribution in the countryside affect ICT Integration in Kenya? How has the Kenyan government tried to mitigate and solve the challenges?

• How will the Kenya educational system innovate ,collaborate and adopt the 10 new emerging Major Technology Trends(Cloud computing,BYOD,Wearable tech,Internetof Things,3D Printing,LMS,Learning Analystics,Gaming and gamification etc.) in Education in the world?

• Can Nairobi and Machakos (Konza city) counties, emerge as the “Silicon Valleys "of Africa?

10 Major Technology Trends in Education

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/02/03/10-major-technology-trends-in-education.aspx


http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/02/03/10-major-technology-trends-in-education.aspx

Computing

• Computing is a new subject..!!

• It draws together the strands of computer science, information

technology and digital literacy, and seeks to equip children with

computational thinking skills and the creativity they need to

understand and change the world.


Computer Science

Def.:

• Computer Science encompasses ―the study of computers and algorithmicprocesses, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their applications, and their impact on society.

• Computer Science develops students computational and critical thinking skills and shows them how to create ,not simply use, new technologies. This fundamental knowledge is needed to prepare students for the 21st century ,regardless of their ultimate field of study or occupation.

“Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe, or you just want to pursue a career in the 21st century, basic computer programming is an essential skill to learn.”

-Stephen Hawking

Computer Science in STEM Education Critical for 21st Century Skills and Knowledge: The Kenyan Perspective.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d_ImgtthuzMHrnFzO3Icir-6y78PrTrUot-9Vtpk2Ww/pub


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d_ImgtthuzMHrnFzO3Icir-6y78PrTrUot-9Vtpk2Ww/pub

Coding

• When students use tools such as Code Studio, Scratch, and Tynker, what they’re doing is called programming. Programming is about thelogic that goes into building a program. The blocks already exist-they have to be placed in the correct order to get the program to work.

• Coding, on the other hand, has to do with the syntax, the fine details that allow a computer script to work.

• Think of coding as a spelling test where a sentence must have words correctly ordered with proper grammar mechanics. If one thing is wrong, then the grade on the spelling test decreases. Coding is similar, for one thing is typed incorrectly, then the code won’t work.

Learn Scratch

http://scratch.mit.edu/


http://scratch.mit.edu/

Coding is a New Language

• Digitization is fostering growth and creating jobs. Coding is a new

language and is everywhere, propelling the future of the digital

economy across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. However the

spread and sophistication of coding teaching remains too limited .

• Only 20% of Europe’s school children are in schools which have

adopted overreaching formal policies covering the use of ICT across

all subjects.

• While Africa holds the youngest and largest population (122m

people will be added to the workforce by 2020),but is also the fastest

growing digital consumer market.


Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old app developer

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkd9TWUtFm0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkd9TWUtFm0

Africa Code Week

• Every child deserves the opportunity to be fluent in coding! It can be a springboard to a much larger, impactful career.

• Africa Code week is building on the success of the EU Code Week launched by the European Commission across 38 countries last year, hundreds of coding activities will be organised for 20,000 children across 17 African countries from October 1-10,2015.

• Africa Code Week which will empower youth, teachers and parents with the language of software programming using a freely available “Scratch” system.

• The goal is simple to help bridge the digital skills gap in Africa.

• Akirachix,@iLab - Strathmore,iHub,Zalewa,eMobilis ,Safaricom MpesaAcademy,The DevSchool-are also local start-ups and private-public innovative initiatives taking programming and coding activities, skills and certification to the youngsters.

Africa Code Week 2015

www.thedevschool.org/acw.html22

A Case for ICT,Computing and Chess :Redesigning the Kenyan Curriculum ©Fred Sagwe,Gilbert Bett & Githinji Hinga

http://www.thedevschool.org/acw.html

Why Learning to Code Benefits Kids, Regardless of Future Career Choice

• Learning programming empowers kids and gives them tools to express themselves in really cool ways, controlling robots and machines, getting a computer to solve complicated problems, turning creativity into an interactive reality, ideas made accessible to millions and the ability to communicate with machines.

• Pupils need to understand the mechanisms and coding behind computer programmes-not just learning how to use a word processor, enter data into a worksheet or design a power-point presentation.

• Instead of children bored out of their minds being taught how to use word or excel by bored teachers, we could have 11-years-olds able to write simple 2D computer animations.

• Let us envisage a new curriculum that could have 16-year-olds creating their own apps for smartphones and 18-year-olds able to write their own simple programming language.

• Coding is also a part of the core curricula in some countries:UK( England), Finland, Estonia, ,Denmark,Cyprus,Poland Israel,Greece,Ireland,Portugal, Bulgaria ,Australia, Hong Kong, and some states in the USA .

http://www.connectionsacademy.com/blog/posts/2014-12-04/Why-Learning-to-Code-Benefits-Kids-Regardless-of-Future-Career-Choice.aspx


http://www.connectionsacademy.com/blog/posts/2014-12-04/Why-Learning-to-Code-Benefits-Kids-Regardless-of-Future-Career-Choice.aspx

Forget Foreign Languages and Music. Teach

our Kids to Code

• The science of language acquisition. Extensive research has shown that because young brains are so adept at picking up languages, it‘s best to introduce children to foreign tongues as early as possible.

• This is why so many ambitious parents are now clamouring for kindergartens that offer intensive Mandarin(Chinese)—they want to give their kids the best possible shot at learning a key language of the Asian century.

• What those parents likely don‘t realize is that the same neural mechanisms that make kids sponges for Mandarin likely also make them highly receptive to computer languages. Kindergartners cannot become C++ ninjas, but they can certainly start to develop the skills that will eventually cement lifelong fluency in code.

• Children aged from 5-11 have so much potential for learning about algorithms and computation that it would be a shame to wait until they are teenagers before we teach them the foundations.

http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/09/ap_code/


http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/09/ap_code/

Coding is the new literacy

• The general assumption is that young kids lack the faculties to

comprehend a topic as seemingly esoteric as programming. But it is

code, not Mandarin(Chinese), that will be the true lingua franca of

the future..!!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/01/25/266162832/computers-are-the-future-but-does-everyone-need-

to-code


http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/01/25/266162832/computers-are-the-future-but-does-everyone-need-to-code

Digital Literacy

• Whether you are new to computing or have some experience, Digital

Literacy will help you develop a fundamental understanding of

computers. The courses help you learn the essential skills to begin

computing with confidence, be more productive at home and at

work, stay safe online, use technology to complement your lifestyle,

and consider careers where you can put your skills to work.

• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/digitalliteracy/overview.aspx


https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/digitalliteracy/overview.aspx

Computational Thinking

• Computational thinking influences fields such as biology, chemistry, linguistics, psychology, economics and statistics. It allows us to solve problems, design systems and understand the power and limits of human and machine intelligence.

• It is a skill that empowers, and that all pupils should be aware of and have some competence in. Furthermore, pupils who can think computationally are better able toconceptualize and understand computer-based technology, and so are better equipped to function in modern society (21st century conceptual age).

• We need to give students opportunities to learn programming, encourage computational thinking, which is a way of thinking about solving problems. It has applications across the curriculum. Pupils would gain enormously in knowing about.

• In order to support young people’s development as designers, not just consumers, of interactive media, they need access to tools and communities.

• Every pupil should appreciate that computational ideas inform and illuminate other disciplines, and this should be reflected in the teaching of these disciplines at school. Like numeracy and literacy there is a cognitive strand of computing that offers valuable thinking skills to learners of all ages (e.g. algorithmics, logic, visualisation,precision, abstraction).

Google.(n.d).Exploring computational thinking.

http://www.google.com/edu/computational-thinking/

.


http://www.google.com/edu/computational-thinking/

Robotics Education & Research

• As technology evolves ever more quickly in all aspects of modern living.

• It is important that the next generation know as much as possible about design, electronics, programming and integration in order to stay competitive.

• This is why robotics is becoming increasingly important at all levels of education.

Redesigning Robotics Education & Research to Strengthen STEM Subjects in Kenya.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kISeilKAvXXK2o7PI8qdnF7x3g9E9B5734QckLfEAi8/edit?usp=sharing_eid&ts=560d490b


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kISeilKAvXXK2o7PI8qdnF7x3g9E9B5734QckLfEAi8/edit?usp=sharing_eid&ts=560d490b

#Activity 3 – Implementing Computing in schools.

• How can we equip children with the coding skills they need to thrive in the 21st century workforce.

• Is it prudent for the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development KICD to present Computing as a new subject in the new curriculum to incorporate, combine and fuse together ICT , and Digital Literacy Programme .Instead of offering them separately in elementary, middle and high school levels.

• Should the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development KICD introduce coding, alongside Mandarin(Chinese),from standard one and form one in the year 2017.Since both of them are old and new languages.


Chess

• Teaching chess to children involves more than just playing the game. Chess training has the advantage of being an art, a science, and a sport (Wojcio, 1990), “Education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think”( Albert Einstein).

• “Chess is an excellent low cost, all ages, all weather activity that everyone can participate in.The educational benefits of being a chess player are many and include horning analytical thinking skills and aiding memory retention. It’s a great confidence builder and teaches patienceand persistence!”

• Chess is also a part of the core curricula in many countries (and these are but a select few): Armenia, England(UK), Spain, Paraguay, Belgium, Venezuela, Russia, Hungary, Turkey, Zaire, South Africa, parts of the USA and Canada.

Benefits of Chess in Education

www.kcfe.eu


http://www.kcfe.eu/

Chess in Schools


• Chess is taught to children in schools around the world and used in

armies to train minds of cadets and officers. Many schools hold

chess clubs and there are many scholastic tournaments specifically

for children.

Presidents of Cuba and the United States agree:

“Playing chess helps students develop thinking and analyzing skills, concentration,

greater self-control and self-confidence ... We have hard evidence that chess in the

schools works.”

- William Jefferson Clinton

"El ajedrez debe formar parte del programa escolar."

- Fidel Castro Ruiz

First Move Gives Kids An Advantage.

http://www.af4c.org/

http://www.af4c.org/

Meet With Chess

What is Chess?

• The Chess Game is a branch of sport, which is played between two

players. Chess includes all features of sport.

• This game is played on chess board with chess pieces. The chess

pieces have two colours and the colours are white and black.

• One of the player plays with white and the other plays with black. At

the beginning of this game each side has 16 pieces and these

pieces take place in an order on the board.


• At the beginning of this game each side has 16 pieces and these pieces take place in an order on the board.

• The players make their moves one by one. The movement of chess pieces in obvious rules called ―move.

• The game starts with the move of white. The aim of this game is to beat the opponent and this is called “checkmate”.

Waridi Academy, Kenya Scholastic Chess

http://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/DN2/Were-smarter-and-more-attentive-now/-/957860/2768492/-ouqcupz/-/index.html


http://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/DN2/Were-smarter-and-more-attentive-now/-/957860/2768492/-ouqcupz/-/index.html

How Chess Can Revolutionize Learning:

Cody Pomeranz at TEDxYale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yDvM8aplY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yDvM8aplY

Benefits Of Playing Chess

Research & surveys on educational and psychological studies to examine the benefits of children studying and playing chess.

Shows that chess can:

• Raise intelligence quotient (IQ) scores .

• Strengthen problem solving skills, teaching how to make difficult and abstract decisions independently .

• Enhance reading, memory, language, and mathematical abilities .

• Foster critical, creative, and original thinking .

Chess as an Elective Subject in the Curriculum, Educational and a Social Pillar

in the Kenyan Vision 2030

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ga2pRm2ZVNdaXfBUuQtovyTIQLC3je11aK0WOxaq9iw/edit?ts=560d4e39


• Provide practice at making accurate and fast decisions under time pressure, a skill that can help improve exam scores at school .

• Teach how to think logically and efficiently, learning to select the best choice from a large number of options.

• Challenge gifted children while potentially helping underachieving gifted students learn how to study and strive for excellence.

• Demonstrate the importance of flexible planning, concentration, and the consequences of decisions .

• Reach boys and girls regardless of their natural abilities or socio-economic backgrounds .

How Chess Players ‘Brains Are Different from Everybody Else’s

http://mic.com/articles/119332/how-chess-players-brains-are-different-from-everybody-else-s


http://mic.com/articles/119332/how-chess-players-brains-are-different-from-everybody-else-s

Recap & The Way Forward

• ICT, Computing and Chess, are remarkable universal languages, they bridges the gap of language, gender, economics, age and education.

• Reach boys and girls regardless of their natural abilities or socio-economic backgrounds

• Anyone can learn the basics and foundations of the 3 disciplines.

• Both can be used as educational tools to aid learning.

• A need to integrate ICT, Computing and Chess as a core curricula and or an elective subjects from elementary school to university levels.

.

• The combined fundamental knowledge is needed to prepare students for the 21st century, regardless of their ultimate field of study and occupation.

• Propose to design a project to encourage the research that links education, cognitive science, neuroscience with ICT,Computing and chess.


Question Time


End
