GMIT is among the institutes hosting hosting DojoMór2020, an exciting online coding event for people aged seven to 17, taking place on Saturday October 24. The event will see young people right across Ireland learn to create a simple game, build a website, and programme some electronics. This a free event; interested participants can register for one or more workshops at www.dojomor.ie
DojoMór2020 will involve multiple local classroom workshops being streamed live to attendees from around the country from staff in colleges such as GMIT, CIT, IT Tralee, Waterford IT, Maynooth University, Dundalk IT, Letterkenny IT, and Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology, as well as from Offaly County Council. The event is funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA ).
Dr Seán Duignan, head of Department of Computer Science & Applied Physics at GMIT, said the nationwide event will give children and teenagers the opportunity to experience programming first-hand, and in a fun and creative way. “We hope that this event will help guide a new generation of learners and will help them on their journey to becoming confident problem solvers," he added. "Regardless of college or career choice later on, computational thinking is a key literacy that all should endeavour to learn. DojoMór2020 will help kick-start that journey for thousands of children. Curiosity is all that is required for this event; no experience of coding or computers is necessary.”
Organisers expect some 10,000 young people, aged seven to 17, from around Ireland to join the locally hosted live online sessions. DojoMór2020 will present young people with opportunities to learn practical and valuable skills, some of which they will develop into an exciting career in coding and programming anything from self-driving cars and state-of-the art aeronautics to machine-learning robotics and software application development. The career options are abundant.
The online workshops will take place at 10am, 11am, 12 noon, and 1pm. Leading technologies will be used including Micro:bits, Vex Robotics, Scratch, Thunkable, HTML, Lightbot, Blender, and Soundtrap. Children can learn to create a simple game, build a website, programme electronics, create music, and develop 3D models using computer coding techniques.
To book workshops register at www.dojomor.ie For more details follow @dojomor2020 on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For further information about programmes in the Dept of Computer Services & Applied Physics, see www.gmit.ie/computer-science-and-applied-physics/department-computer-science-applied-physics
