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"Teaching kids to code is arguably as important to today's youth as numeracy and literacy. In many ways code is numeracy and literacy. More so, it is also a way of looking at problems, breaking them down, thinking about solutions and being creative. From an industry standpoint, there will be more jobs than coders in the next few years and I expect to see a Chief Robotics Officer position any day now. By now many have heard of the Hour of Code movement. It has become an annual event during Computer Science Education Week in an effort to introduce a new skill set to people of all ages. But what exactly is coding?"

"In this lesson students will explore Geometry by coding and write narratives about life on Mars. Thanks to Sharon Drummond & Mel Poissant for the inspiration."

"I want people to realize that the concept of coding happens all the time in many classrooms. Kids tinker, make, solve problems, collaborate and challenge each other all the time. I'd argue that most teachers already do most of this list, without the awareness. The Hour of Code movement is great because it raises awareness but does little from the aforementioned list. HOC is a superb entry point but not a destination. Coding isn't the only way to demonstrate these skills - and technology isn't even required. I've been pushing coding for close to a decade now and am pleased to see it finally get some traction (and there were many before me). Now it is time for a next step. As such, I am proposing a new hashtag #CTMindset (Computational Thinking Mindset) to remind us how people think, computers think and technology works. If we can combine the three, maybe there is some hope."

"More and more libraries are being converted to makerspaces on a daily basis across the globe. I receive regular emails from people looking for the perfect checklist of hardware to create the perfect makerspace. However, makerspace isn't about stuff. Kinaesthetic activities, learning by doing, hands on, etc. all require teachers to shift their practice from comfortable to uncomfortable. Students will be working on different projects, at different paces, and at different times. Nothing about makerspace is standard nor can creativity be measured by a standardized test. In fact, measuring the success of a passion project is not possible with a rubric of qualifiers as rubrics themselves tend to be standard in structure."

"Michael Fullan (2013) describes critical thinking as the "ability to design and manage projects, solve problems, and make effective decisions using a variety of tools and resources" (p. 9).  Papert (1980) supports exercises that "open intellectual doors" (p. 63).  Minecraft tasks can be used to create experiences that can be otherwise challenging to design, which according to Drake (2014), should address real-world problems that may not necessarily have one clear answer.  Digital tools such as Minecraft demand higher order thinking skills, which include "the ability to think logically, and to solve ill-defined problems" and "formulating creative solutions and taking action" (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 12)."