Science Centralâs Coding Club teaches students ages 10-16 about basic coding principles. This program engages students with hands-on coding projects and NASA activities they would not otherwise experience. Tailored to meet the needs of students on the Autism spectrum, each workshop focuses on basic coding principles. Participants are able to practice coding hands-on, building upon their coding knowledge as the program progresses. A study by the University of Chicago showed that physical experiences help students retain information better than by simply observing, especially in areas of science and math. Coding Club encourages cooperation and teamwork among participants and fosters important communication skills. In addition to coding, workshops provide opportunities to learn about current activities and missions of NASA.
To date, Science Central has hosted 9 Coding Club sessions. 26 students have enrolled in the program. Participants have worked on a variety of projects such as making their own comic strips utilizing HTML and CSS and creating video games using Scratch, a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. Coding Club has integrated NASA activities and Mission by having participants use NASAâs âEyes on Exoplanetsâ to create their own exoplanets using GIMP. Then they took their image data and coded it onto our Science on a Sphere exhibit. On December 16 students presented their exoplanets, using Science on a Sphere, to their families.
The final three workshops will occur in conjunction with AWS Special Abilities Days. During these days we make modifications to our center to accommodate differently-abled visitors. These modifications include: lower ambient sound levels, increased light in areas that are usually dark, access to listening devices, less crowded environment, extra staff on hand, additional demonstrations with extra tactile stimulation, access to a private changing table, and access to a quiet room. We will set-up coding stations and participants will have the chance to create a simple video game using Scratch. This will an open-ended activity, meaning participants can stay and working on the coding activity for as long as they like.