[PyBel] CoderDojo Charleroi

[Brecht Machiels]

Hello Stephane,

Last year I helped out my local CoderDojo here in Leuven. We were experimenting with programming in Minecraft, which is very popular among young kids.

We found out that it's possible to program in Minecraft using Lua and Python. For Lua, there is ComputerCraft [1], for Python there is Raspberry Jam [2].

ComputerCraft is fully contained in Minecraft; you edit source code inside Minecraft and have to muck around with computers and floppies in the virtual world. This makes it somewhat cumbersome, at least for experienced adults. However, it is very cute, and being fully contained in Minecraft makes perhaps makes it the best way for kids to get started. That's why we went with ComputerCraft. Lua feels a bit icky though, but I don't think that really matters for the kids at this early stage.

Raspberry Jam requires you to edit the Python source code in an editor next to Minecraft. It comes with many interesting examples too. It will be harder to set up Raspberry Jam though, because it depends on an external Python interpreter being installed (Python 2 or 3).

In hindsight, I'm not convinced ComputerCraft was the best option. Here are some reasons:
- ComputerCraft works with "turtles" to build stuff. You first need to have them mine blocks or supply them with blocks so that they can build stuff. This is very cumbersome. With Raspberry Jam, you can build stuff directly in the game world.
- The turtles also build very slowly, so if you want to build large structures, it will take very long time.
- You can also use turtles in Raspberry Jam, if I remember correctly.

I suggest you try out both options.

Note that each kid will have to have a Minecraft license, which is 24€.

I noticed that some of the kids tend to get distracted quickly and just start playing Minecraft. So, while Minecraft can be a good motivator, it can also make them lose focus :-)

[1] http://www.computercraft.info
[2] http://www.instructables.com/id/Python-coding-for-Minecraft/

Best regards,
Brecht

> On 17 Feb 2017, at 10:21, Stephane Wirtel <stephane at wirtel.be> wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> On this sunday, there will be the first CoderDojo in Charleroi, where I
> will help the organizers.
> 
> The CoderDojo is mainly for kids (7-17 years) and the goal is the
> introduction to the coding.
> 
> The first step will be with Scratch and some others tools but I would
> like to discuss with them (the organizers) about Python and the PSF.
> 
> If you are interested to come with your children, you can come but you
> need to be registered because there is a maximum, here is the address:
> 
> https://www.eventbrite.fr/e/billets-session-1-du-coderdojo-charleroi-31056322296
> 
> Switch Coworking
> 1 Avenue du G?n?ral Michel
> 6000 Charleroi
> 
> 
> Stephane