From 2016 to the end of 2019 (2020 path partially carried out and 2021 not carried out due to Covid-19) the Magnetto Foundation has proposed, funded and started at the inclusive schools of Almese and Sant’Ambrogio an experimental training path on CODING and computer science training.
The training was provided by expert teachers outside the school for a total of 121 classes with more than 2000 students involved and 810 hours at the IC of Almese, 30 classes, 500 students involved and 228 hours at the IC of Sant’Ambrogio. The goal is to bring elementary school children closer to logical reasoning through the active use of tools and computer programs such as Scratch.
The results of these years have been very positive; the children have shown interest and initiative, have collaborated with each other for the creation of games and animations and also the boys, considered more difficult, have instead collaborated actively and creatively. In order to give continuity to the project in autonomy by the schools, training of internal teachers was considered, who joined the project on a voluntary basis. The methodology used was that of creative learning, which allows an approach to technologies (hardware and software) independent of the phase of development and knowledge of the same.
The tool used was Scratch, a free programming environment with a graphical programming language developed in the labs of the MediaLab at MIT in Boston that allows you to create interactive stories, games, animations. The activity was considered fundamental because the approach to coding by teachers and children represents a new type of literacy, a form of personal expression available to them, just like writing and reading, capable of making young people aware of their ability to manage and use technology by leveraging their talents, skills and creativity. The course was held both in physical and digital form, through the JITSI platform, this allowed a meta-training of teachers about the use and potential of remote collaboration platforms.