LEARN CODE!

Last year I wrote a post about coding and asked some of you if you would be interested in taking this subject were it to be taught at your High School. Obama himself has made a recent call on the importance of learning to code for American students and for America itself. Watch the video below:

 

Well, now it seems that what we thought as a long term future subject may not be so and that education authorities in Spain are along the same lines and techonological high schools might be in the lead in this subject. I can't read more... 
Anyway, if you are interested, I got an invitation from Khan Academy (I guess you're familiar with the site; you don't know what you're missing, otherwise) to take one hour lesson on coding I'm sharing with you. It all seems to be part of a movement to get people of all ages to give coding a try: www.hourofcode.com

Welcome to our Hour of Code!: Pamela welcomes you to our programming community here.  

I still haven't given it a go, but some of you may be interested and can devote some time during the holidays. I hope some of you, girls, find it interesting too, since we're dealing with gender gap and women don't seem to be so fond of computer science.

As Sal Khan, Founder of Khan Academy, says: "you'll be part of creating our technology future, not just living in it! If you can type, you can code!" and who knows... I may even get a greeting card soon...    Start coding your holiday card

NELSON MANDELA

As you all know by now, Nelson Mandela died on December 5th. He was a man that really made a difference.







Obama pays tribute to him in the following public announcement:

 Let's pay tribute by doing some activities about him.

The three assignments are due on December 13th.

First, watch the speech by Obama and send me a Speakpipe with the main headlines in it.

Second, do the following listening activity in your virtual classroom so that I get your grades for your final marks this term.

Watch and listen to the poem “His Day is Done: A Tribute Poem for Nelson Mandela by Maya Angelou,” which was produced by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs in December 2013.

Third, watch the video about Mandela's story in your virtual classroom and answer the questions below it. 

The listening assignments will help you upgrade your grades for the listening skill this term.