Coding
Coding or computer programming can be done as an extra-curricular activity by interested students working on their own.
Students in computer classes such as ECDL or MOS in Transition Year may be facilitated to learn how to code as long as they have completed their work on a particular module. In first year some students do a short course in Coding. See Subjects > Coding. In junior cycle computer classes there may be opportunities for coding also depending on the interests of teachers and students.
Technovation App Development Competition
Technovation is a competition for girls to develop an App to solve some social problem. Training in app development and business, enterprise and planning aspects will be provided to groups of up to 5 girls in The Mill Enterprise Centre near Our Lady’s College, starting on Wednesday 16th January from 4 – 6 pm. Interested groups must register beforehand on https://technovationdrogheda.eventbrite.ie
This is a great opportunity for girls interested in learning coding, app development and in improving their business, marketing, teamwork and presentation skills. Juniors must be under 15 on 1st August 2019, while senior can be older. For more details see https://technovationchallenge.org
An except from Evelyn Nomayo’s initial e-mail is: “My name is Evelyn Nomayo. I am one of the two Technovation ambassadors volunteering ( https://technovationchallenge.org ) to prepare girls that will represent Ireland in a global technology innovation competition taking place in California in August 2019.
To prepare girls for the tech event, we have collaborated with several organisations in different part of the country. Participants will be proffering solutions to identified social problems in their community using an app. Two locations have been earmark to train four teams of five girls each from Drogheda. They are:
1. The Mill Enterprise Centre, Newtown Link Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth
2. Phase Innovate/Northeast College, Dunlin street Aston village”.
We hope that as many girls as possible will take up this fantastic opportunity to get free training in the skills mentioned above and we wish them the best of luck in the competition. The coding is done using a graphical interface which is mainly drag and drop, which should make it doable by complete beginners.
Coding Club
We have started a Coding Club.All students and teachers are welcome to join.
Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge
The Bebras Challenge consists of an online Challenge open to students at different levels depending on age. It consists of 15 puzzles or problems to be solved in 45 minutes, online in a computer room under supervision. These require good logical reasoning skills. Mathematical skills would be useful too. Some are related to coding but require no exact knowledge of coding or programming language. The challenge might help students in the future to do better in IQ tests. Those who do well will be invited to Maynooth University later in the school year for finals. For more information on the Bebras challenge and to try out some challenge questions for fun see: http://ie.beverwedstrijd.nl/ Click on Challenge Questions and try Junior or Senior questions. The website gives more details.
The challenge may be taken by students in a computer class if their teacher is willing to allow them, between 5th – 16th November 2018. You will need to have a login account created by Mr. Loughran. If interested ask for one well in advance by e-mail to jloughran@ourladys.ie and state when and where you will do the challenge and your teacher’s name. To do it outside class contact Mr. Loughran directly.
Call to Code
Bridge 21 are now in charge of the Call to Code – Google Competition. See http://bridge21.ie/call-to-code-google-competition/
Google administer the calltocode website which allows interested students to learn programming in a variety of different programming languages, e.g. java, javascript etc. as well as languages used for web design including html. These can be accessed from the calltocode website under Resources. These resources are self taught guides to programming and software design. Some are code based while others use a graphical interface which is quite user friendly for beginners. There are possibilities to develop games and even design clothing and action for on screen characters, specifically aimed at girls.
Every year Google run the Call to Code competition which students register for and then enter online on a particular day. They then have a limited time to solve various logical and programming based problems.
In 2015 the date for round 1 was the 25th November 2015. Students who do well qualiy for the final rounds in Google headquarters in Dublin, Teachers must first register on the website and then allow their students to register themselves. Registration is fairly quick and easy. Teachers need the school roll number. Students need to have or obtain a gmail address in advance. Then they need parental consent before Google contact them directly which will allow them to take part in the competition.
