Learners in the OR Tambo region, and particularly Port St Johns, are finding creative solutions to logical problems after being introduced to Tangible Coding by Tangible Africa.
Tangible Africa is an engagement project of the Leva Foundation and Nelson Mandela University.
It creates awareness about unplugged coding through the flagship coding games, BOATS and RANGERS. Through this project, children from schools deep in the heart of the province were embracing coding games, and thriving because of them.
Jessie Willard, chairperson of the non-profit organisation Gandaganda Residents’ Forum, was introduced to coding at a Mandela Day Event in Mqhekezweni village in 2021. Willard said she initially introduced coding to learners from Grades 6 to 9 at three schools in Port St Johns.
The coding movement had expanded in the region over the past three years.
“The children are extremely excited about coding, they love it. We now code from Grade 3 to 12, and will be rolling out BOATS soon to the Foundation Phase. RANGERS has assisted them to explore different thinking skills. It helps our learners to connect technology to our normal daily lives. The learners improve not only their coding skills, but also their performance in other school subjects,” Willard said.
Port St Johns was known for cellular network problems, which makes the offline characteristics of Tangible Coding perfect.
Best of all, she said, coding is a fun way of learning and developing critical thinking skills.
“Learning has actually become addictive because they enjoy it. A change in the learners’ behaviour automatically happens. Coding provides a novel way for children acquiring problem-solving skills. A baby is naturally born to explore the world around them, and as you grow, this never stops,” she said.
Port St Johns Senior Secondary School Grade 12 learner, Mandihlume Mnanzwa, likened coding to poetry.
“Code is poetry in logic, a creative solution to a logical problem,” she said.
Ali Ridha Haffajee is a Grade 3 learner from St Bede Independent School in Port St Johns. Haffajee described coding as fun and interesting. His school principal, Saaima Moola, said teachers at his school embraced offline coding.
“We need to teach coding and robotics to enhance digital literacy and to prepare our students for a technologically advanced future to stay aligned with the global education trends,” Moola said.
.
