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'MyPal' launches Computer Science Education to Kids and Teens!

Posted By : Animation Galaxy    At 23-05-2014 00:14:57

Tags : 'MyPal' Education to Kids and Teens!    

MyPal Online School LLC., announced the launch of Computer Science Education to Kids and Teens in India. Mr. D.V. Satya Kumar, Chief Knowledge Officer, MyPal Online School announcing this said, MyPal Online School's Blended Learning Centres will offer advanced curriculum in computer science to school kids, adopting a combination of online and class room teaching methods.

These courses and the curriculum will supplement computer education in schools by providing a conceptual understanding of fundamental concepts like Algorithms, Computational Thinking and Computer Programming using Scratch, MIT App Inventor and Raspberry PI developed by MIT Media Labs and Raspberry Foundation. MyPal's courses permit kids (8 years and above) and teenagers to create their own interactive games instead of merely playing games on the computer or develop their own Android Apps instead of downloading Apps. The summer program will be at MyPal's Blended Learning Centres (combination of online + classroom teaching) at Begumpet and Gachibowli in the heart of HiTech City in Hyderabad.

MyPal's curriculum, being taught for the first time in India, will provide kids the advantage of starting early to get a head start in Engineering Colleges be it IITs, NITs or MIT / Stanford, says Satya Kumar.

MyPal's Computer Science for Kids and Teens will consist of Programming using Scratch and MIT App Inventor which were developed by MIT to teach kids to create their own games, animation and mobile apps using simple block commands instead of text programming. At the same time, students learn fundamental concepts like data, variables, conditional statements and object oriented programming. Scratch Programming and Android App Development courses duration is 2 weeks from 19th May to 7th June and enrolment is allowed up to 26th May.

MyPal is also offering hands on projects that combine software (Scratch and Python) and hardware (Raspberry PI). Raspberry PI is a credit card sized computer (with the power of Intel 3 processor) which is used to teach programming to middle school and high school kids in UK, USA and other countries. Raspberry PI has sold 2.5million pieces world over since its launch two years ago. Using Scratch and Python programming with Raspberry PI and other Do it Yourself (DIY) kits, children will be able build simple digital projects like a calculator, digital watch, message board or program a robot or race car. Projects with Raspberry PI course is for two weeks from 19th May to 7th June and enrolment is allowed up to 26th May.

MyPal is offering ONE FREE SESSION for kids and teens to try its courses in Scratch Programming, Android App Development and Projects with Raspberry PI, so that they can choose their course and then enroll. More details at http://cs.mypalonline.com/computer-science-for-kids-teens-gachibowli-begumpet.html

Why Computer Science Education for Kids and Teens?: Software has touched every field of human endeavor and use of internet has become widespread in the last 25 years. The field of Computer Science and Programming which was once thought of as a useful tool that supports various core subjects of science, mathematics and engineering; has now emerged as core subject on its own. In fact, "the 3Rs of education (Reading, wRiting and aRithmatic) should now be made 4Rs of education by including algoRithms through Computer Science as a formal part of K-12 education".

The Royal Society in UK in their Jan, 2012 report, stated that computer science must be introduced in the curriculum in such a way that it is "ensured that the next generation of young people can be creators of technology - not just consumers of it".

While the advantages of introducing CS education in K-12 are compelling, the task itself is daunting when it comes to giving appropriate training the Subject Teachers, Class Teachers and School Administrators. Parents and Schools can either choose to wait for School Boards to Introduce Computer Science Curriculum or take the initiative by enrolling in MyPal's summer program or online courses.