Middle school students learn to code video games in Mendham

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the use of educational computer games in the classroom. However, most can agree on the educational value of teaching students computer coding and design so they can create their own video games. When you add in the task of engineering the actual controls with innovation kits such as Makey-Makey, the experience certainly addresses 21st Century Life and Career standards. Students at Mendham Township Middle School are fortunate to learn coding, in their technology class, and with opportunities such as the Coding and Gaming elective and after school Tech Club.

Students in 7th and 8th grade at Mendham Township Middle School are learning coding in their Related Arts Technology class. Technology teacher, Donna CasaGrande instructs students on how to use Scratch, a free coding program from the MIT Media Lab and helps them use the coding software to create individual games. Students then build the controls for their games using Makey Makey, an invention tool that allows users to connect everyday objects to computer programs.

Coding, also known as computer programming, is essentially the act of instructing computers to carry out tasks and it is a skill that students as young as elementary school are learning. We live in a technology driven world, so learning coding not only helps students develop the skill sets they may use in future careers but also helps them to better understand how the technology that impacts our daily lives works. Coding is also an example of Problem Based Learning, an educational approach used throughout the Mendham Township Middle School curriculum, that encourages students to use their knowledge to solve real world problems. At MTMS, after students learn the basics of coding they then create something personal they are passionate about.

Students that have a real interest in coding can also sign up for the Coding and Gaming elective. This class meets once a week and allows students to delve deeper into the coding programs and integrates a more scientific approach to creating game controls. Through trial and error, students find appropriate conductors for their gaming controls, such as copper, coins and even fruits and vegetables. Recently students in that class wrote a program which allowed them to use bananas as a musical keyboard.

Mrs. CasaGrande also advises the Tech Club which meets once a week after school and includes students from all grade levels. Students work individually and in groups on projects they will present at an upcoming Tech Expo. The Tech Expo will be held on February 28th at Mountain View Middle School and will showcase student projects from Mendham, Chester, Long Valley and Randolph. In preparation for the showcase, MTMS students are working on building and programming lego robots and Raspberry Pi computers. We are excited to see how they have used their knowledge of coding to create moving bots and personal computers.