A Coding Club

[yash101]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

I agree with project-based learning. It is the most effective.

The very first project, just so everyone understands the build/parse/compile/deploy/run cycle (or whatever it is called) would be to display "Hello World" on the screen.

I think every one of us has done this once.

Also, I applaud your decision to start with C++. Once you understand a language, the rest come easier. C++ is darn near universal. Also consider touching on plain old C (or BASIC?), just to see a non OOP language and to know such things exist.

I will show them the "Hello World" application in plain C (printf) because it is much simpler than I/O streams in this concept.

I will go through the C++ basics before diving too deep. Using streams actually is quite complex in the background.

Most of the middle schoolers that I am working with already have ideas in mind with what they want to do. They range from simple problems like writing a disabled student aid program, up to programs, capable of calculating the height of an object by taking a picture of it with a phone (seems impossible because you only have the angles of the triangle, no sides)!

I do not think I will dive into game design too quickly because that requires
A) A lot of math
B) OpenGL and it's alternatives require a ton of pointers and stuff that I am not very fluent with

[EricH]

Originally Posted by yash101

I do not think I will dive into game design too quickly because that requires
A) A lot of math
B) OpenGL and it's alternatives require a ton of pointers and stuff that I am not very fluent with

Oh? Without even knowing what OpenGL is, I've coded a game. In C++. Without using very much math at all.

Admittedly, writing the code for Yahtzee in a text window isn't as nice-looking as something like Solitaire, or something similar. But coding a game (or a vote-counting program, or something similar) can actually be a fairly simple exercise. In my introductory (OK, college-level introductory) programming class, we had three major class projects and some labs. I've mentioned two of the three major projects above; I'll have to dig out the third one if I can find some time and the files.

[yash101]

Originally Posted by EricH

Oh? Without even knowing what OpenGL is, I've coded a game. In C++. Without using very much math at all.

Admittedly, writing the code for Yahtzee in a text window isn't as nice-looking as something like Solitaire, or something similar. But coding a game (or a vote-counting program, or something similar) can actually be a fairly simple exercise. In my introductory (OK, college-level introductory) programming class, we had three major class projects and some labs. I've mentioned two of the three major projects above; I'll have to dig out the third one if I can find some time and the files.

I have written a couple games without OpenGL. However, they were crappy
Brick Breaker with one level
Yahtzee, one computer, multiple players rotating. Comes with bugs too!
A couple more crappy games.
Also, all my games were written in Java, using the ACM library, so it is quite pointless to use those in class. I guess that maybe I could switch back to Windows and get used to it's display manager.

I am learning a library, DLib, which comes with cross-platform display tools, like a widget-based window system.

It is quite simple to use this in conjunction with OpenCV, so maybe I may dive into these much deeper.

As good as HighGUI is, it lacks many essential components, such as threading to prevent your display from freezing. It is also not easy to implement a button or similar.

I still haven't been able to figure out QT. It changed significantly with QT5 so I cannot find any of the headers used by the tutorials I go by! It would be much more in my plate if I were teaching what I am learning.
I have experienced that where I volunteer, where I had two training sessions and I was training someone else! I do not want to do the same thing with these middle schoolers and have them develop a scorn for coding!

OpenCV: I just may begin with OpenCV because it isn't TOO hard, but allows you to do extremely neat things!

[cjl2625]

I too have started a coding club at my school this year. Our goal is to make software and apps, which will be worked on as a team using Git, and then we will publish them.
On our team, it's kind of a prerequisite that you know some Java I'm order to be of help with the code. I don't suspect that we'll be teaching the basics of java, but we'll talk about the more advanced aspects of software development, like for android apps.
However, we're having some trouble convincing the school to let us publish the software... I dont fully understand their reasoning, but I think they're afraid of offensive content and such that could poorly reflect on the school. Quite absurd in my opinion.

Anyway, icebreakers.... I can't really help you with that; we didn't do any such thing at the first meeting. We just went through an introductory presentation about the team, collected information about the new members (8 total including myself), and then went right to brainstorming ideas for our first simple project. Took about an hour overall.

[yash101]

Originally Posted by cjl2625

I too have started a coding club at my school this year. Our goal is to make software and apps, which will be worked on as a team using Git, and then we will publish them.
On our team, it's kind of a prerequisite that you know some Java I'm order to be of help with the code. I don't suspect that we'll be teaching the basics of java, but we'll talk about the more advanced aspects of software development, like for android apps.
However, we're having some trouble convincing the school to let us publish the software... I dont fully understand their reasoning, but I think they're afraid of offensive content and such that could poorly reflect on the school. Quite absurd in my opinion.

Anyway, icebreakers.... I can't really help you with that; we didn't do any such thing at the first meeting. We just went through an introductory presentation about the team, collected information about the new members (8 total including myself), and then went right to brainstorming ideas for our first simple project. Took about an hour overall.

I guess you could try by getting an application ready to deploy, and then use it to prove to the school how there is nothing wrong with it. I can only see that it can start raising money. There's nothing wrong with that, at least if the school rules are followed.

If I were to put a prerequisite, there would be almost no one in the club. Last meeting, we successfully installed Linux. It was the first time for most of the students!

[vladtheimpaled]

I wanted to create a coding club in my school but my school would never allow because they're afraid of it creating new hackers. One of the hackers just graduated last year. The last thing they want is a new one to troll IT.

[faust1706]

Originally Posted by vladtheimpaled

I wanted to create a coding club in my school but my school would never allow because they're afraid of it creating new hackers. One of the hackers just graduated last year. The last thing they want is a new one to troll IT.

That's a misconception I do not enjoy clearing up about people who program. That we can "hack" anything at the flick of a finger. Most the time the term "hacking" is misused anyways, but people don't want to say "network penetration." Yeah, once you know what you're doing in Kali, it isn't that hard to get into networks or crack wifi passwords.

If anything, you could maybe have a form all the students in the club have to sign to be in it that they will not cause damage to property. But it's not like you'd be teaching them Kali linux. At best you'd be able to make a robot follow a line with a group of people who have never programmed before in their life.

[markmcgary]

Here is an idea for an activity for a coding club.

Operation: Code Clash

[yash101]

Originally Posted by vladtheimpaled

I wanted to create a coding club in my school but my school would never allow because they're afraid of it creating new hackers. One of the hackers just graduated last year. The last thing they want is a new one to troll IT.

You could show some of the documents at sites like collegeboard and other credible sources that show how important CS is for students.

Launching a coding club is FAR cheaper than launching an entire new class for CS. Who knows, if it works exceptionally well, it might get much more funding from the school and maybe even a CS class might be started!

[krieck]

One possibility for an icebreaker would be to play Fizz-Buzz. Go around the group counting off, but if the number is divisible by 3 say "Fizz". If it's divisible by 5 say "Buzz". If both, say "Fizz-Buzz".

I've heard this described as a child's game, but I remember it as a college drinking game. Screw up, and you take a drink.

For a programming challenge, try writing code that prints out the Fizz-Buzz sequence. This is not really difficult, but it's a couple steps up from "Hello World". Implementing it requires students to write a loop, understand conditionals, and how to take the modulus of a number. Students who finish first can help out others who are struggling.

Fizz-Buzz has been used for screening job applicants. Take a look at: http://blog.codinghorror.com/why-can...mmers-program/