Minister for Transport Mr Ong Ye Kung officiated Skool4Kidz’s Hour Of Code that was conducted entirely via online Zoom platform on 12 December 2020. Held at Skool4Kidz’s newest Sembawang Canberra East Creek childcare centre, the event was hosted in conjunction with the centre’s official opening.
Hour Of Code 2020: Our team and children at Skool4Kidz meeting Minister Ong Ye Kung virtually.
Hour Of Code 2020
Kickstarting the event was a welcome speech by Skool4Kidz Curriculum Founder and Director Dr Jane Ching-Kwan. Dr Jane shared how the Hour of Code synergises with the Skool4Kidz’s unique curriculum. She emphasised the importance of inquiry-based learning, supported by the meaningful use of technology to provide a rich learning environment. She also added that coding is a very powerful way to put control into the hands of the children to create things.
Following Dr Jane’s speech, Cluster Head Ms Margaret Tan guided Minister Ong on a virtual tour of the new centre premises. To officiate the school’s opening, Minister Ong signed a commemorative plaque witnessed online by everyone. The plaque was subsequently collected and displayed in the centre.
During the event, Minister Ong witnessed the children demonstrate their coding skills with the use of two programmable robots, the Beebot and Codeapillar, based on the story of ‘The Grouchy Ladybug’.
Working on the Beebot with Minister Ong, our little ones demonstrate their coding prowess.
In the first activity, the children programmed the Beebot, a ladybug-like bot to ‘meet’ different animals that were mapped out on a large activity board. This was followed by the Codeapillar activity where a caterpillar-like bot was programmed to ‘seek’ healthy food. Minister Ong also had the opportunity of joining the children in the activity with a Beebot that was delivered to him earlier.
We are what we eat! Our children programme the Codepillar to embark on a journey of picking healthy fruits.
At the end of the event, Hour of Code 2020 certificates of completion were ‘presented’ through the camera by Minister Ong to the participating children. In return, one of the children simulated the presentation of a certificate of participation to Minister Ong.
Congratulations, Children! It was certainly inspiring watching you overcome all coding challenges!
The First in Singapore
Skool4Kidz is the first preschool in Singapore to host the largest Hour of Code meet in 2017. Already incorporated into Skool4Kidz’s curriculum, tech toys and bots are a part of the school’s activities.
Held across all Skool4Kidz preschool centres, the Hour of Code is a worldwide movement that encourages students to spend an hour learning to code. Programming activities help preschoolers become familiar with technology. It also actively encourages them to participate in the use of technology through exploration, experimentation, analysis and problem solving. In embracing a digital future, these skills will build the foundations of a digitally participative society. People will be able to innovate and creatively build solutions to address problems and contribute socially.