Students showcase video games at Coding Quest Arcade on May 17th

Canada’s largest classroom-based coding program for students in Grades 4 to 6 has been launched in Rainbow Schools. Developed by The Learning Partnership, Coding Quest challenges students to apply critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and science, technology, engineering and math skills to design and build their own computer games. The program culminates in an Arcade event, where students showcase their creations.

The first ever Coding Quest Arcade, being presented by Rainbow District School Board and the Learning Partnership, will take place on Thursday, May 17, 2018 from 11 am to 12:30 pm in the gym at Lockerby Composite School. Approximately 80 groups of students will showcase the video games they created. Other students will have an opportunity to try what’s been developed.

The event will bring together some 300 students from six participating schools – Assiginack Public School, Chelmsford Public School, Cyril Varney Public School, MacLeod Public School, Princess Anne Public School and Walden Public School.

“Coding is the ultimate problem-solving exercise, the basis for the many computer applications that we use in our everyday lives from online banking to social media,” says Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Norm Blaseg.

Developing a series of sequenced steps or algorithms to accomplish a task calls on students to engage in computational thinking. Students use a program called Scratch to organize and analyze data and represent their ideas through models and simulations.

“Coding engages students in a dynamic learning experience that focuses on global competencies,” adds Director Blaseg. “These competencies are often referred to as 21st Century skills.”

These skills include critical thinking and problem solving; innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship; self-directed learning; collaboration; communication and citizenship.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.