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RubyConf AU 2015: http://www.rubyconf.org.au
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In her presentation titled 'Principles of Play' at RubyConf AU 2015, Linda Liukas shares her journey from being a dropout to a successful children's book author and educator in programming. Her aim is to revolutionize how children perceive computing by using play as the foundation for learning. Key points of her talk include: - **Background**: Liukas co-founded Rails Girls in 2010, which has spread to over 227 cities globally. After a stint at Codecademy, she decided to pursue her passion for children's education in programming. - **The Importance of Childhood**: She emphasizes that influencing how children view the world can create a different generation of adults, leading her to write children's books that educate about computational thinking. - **Learning Through Play**: The principles of play—fun, curiosity, and hands-on experiences—are integral to her educational philosophy. She discusses how children learn better when programming is approached in a playful, engaging manner. - **Key Principles**: Liukas introduces three principles that guide her teaching: - *What if? (Play)*: Encouraging children to explore possibilities and experiment. - *How? (Hands-on Learning)*: Teaching kids through practical experiences rather than treating computers as a 'black box.' - *Why? (Curiosity)*: Instilling a sense of wonder about how computers work and why it's important to understand them. - **Examples in Practice**: Liukas shares anecdotes about children she has taught, highlighting their imaginative projects which combine technology and creativity, such as a four-year-old designing an app to print coloring pages. - **Challenges in Education**: She points out the gap in teaching programming as not just a technical skill, but also as a means of self-expression through creativity. - **Vision for the Future**: By drawing on concepts from well-known educational frameworks and thinkers, Liukas advocates that learning to program should be as intuitive and enjoyable as any other childhood exploration. In conclusion, she stresses that programming is not just about writing code but is a narrative-building tool that empowers children to become world-makers. Liukas leaves the audience with a call to action to rethink how we approach coding education for kids and to embrace the playful spirit in technology learning.
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