Castalia Co., Ltd. (CEO: Satoshi Yamawaki / registered head office: Nagano Prefecture, Japan / headquarters: Tokyo, Japan)
is pleased to announce the launch of CODEPOWER KIDS, an online code education service that cater to elementary school children's
autonomous learning at home, starting June 1, 2020. With the help of micro robot "Ozobot", the service allows them to learn at home
all the way from the basics of coding to reading the JavaScript coding language. (The learning process requires a tablet device or a PC.)
CODEPOWER KIDS official website (Japanese language only)
https://www.codepower.online/kids
[About CODEPOWER KIDS]
CODEPOWER KIDS is an online-based code education service for elementary school children. By learning on this service about
one hour a week for 12 months, a child can acquire computational thinking and basics of JavaScript.
As the "stay home" situation continues due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it is very important to turn the time on one's hands into
"a learning experience". However, many children must be bored with just studying at home.
Thus CODEPOWER KIDS values and emphasizes on storytelling and its gaming element. The service is designed in a way that
a child reads a story and proceeds with a game along the way, without realizing that he/she is learning something. It allows him/
her to continue learning without losing interest.
CODEPOWER KIDS was developed based on the basis of a no-teacher, online learning environment and allows a child to
smoothly proceed with learning on his or her own. The three pillars (video / text / quiz) maximize the characteristics of
e-learning and supports the learning process:
Video: To check what to learn and the moves of the robot.
Text: To enhance on the understanding of the learning content by reading the explanation.
Quiz: To confirm that the child has acquired new knowledge from the learning experience.
If he/she cannot understand the quiz, he/she can always look back at the video or the text.
[CODEPOWER KIDS course overview]
CODEPOWER KIDS is made of six "stages". Each "stage" consists of nine "levels". By learning one or two "levels" in a week
(which roughly accounts for about one or two hours of learning), a child can complete one stage in two months.
Stage 1: Coding with paper and pen
In order to control the robot as you wish, you will need to be able to think in a logical manner. This stage allows you to acquire
logical thinking before you realize.
Stage 2: Basics of block coding
Through coding, the child will acquire the ability to put together a procedure. In addition, through the task of conducting
an auto-run, the child can learn what "automation" is.
Stage 3: Applied block coding (1)
In this stage, the child learns the basics of variables and applied conditional branching that are essential for coding.
The child proceeds with the learning process through actually using the variables to let Ozobot roll.
Stage 4: Applied block coding (2)
In this stage, the child practices skills necessary for coding, such as function and structuralization. The stage translates
such skills into familiar illustrations easy to understand, so that he/she can smoothly proceed with the learning process.
Stage 5: Advanced block coding
In this stage, the child learns about the computer data structures and algorithm. Examples of algorithm are familiar matters
in daily life so it gets into the head easily.
Stage 6: Challenging JavaScript
JavaScript is a coding language actually used by professionals. As the child has already acquired the basics of coding,
he/she can be rest assured to proceed with the learning process.