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ActualCode.md

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Actual Coders

Formal Computing education feels misaligned with it's learners.

Manifesto

  • We don't care about your 'syllabus' or your 'business objectives', 'grade boundaries' or 'OKRs'
  • We enjoy just prating around with computers, we are interested and curious
  • We actually want to build something with code, because we can - not because somebody set us a lame task to meet their own addenda
  • We love being creative and building pointless stuff
  • We don't video our sessions or demos because we prefer to talk to real people rather than cameras and screens
    • Without video we prioritise human-interaction/community and reinforce our own understanding of a topic enough to relay it someone else
  • Our greatest assets are our passion and the people around us
  • We are tired of teachers shovelling us boring theory when those teachers can't actually do anything with code themselves
    • e.g. Talking about networks, but nobody in the room can send an actual UDP packet to another machine
  • We don't care about categorising people. We're going to engage in actual code with other actual human beings
  • If you regularly attend gatherings with other coders you will take the identity of 'a coder'
    • Identity comes before skill
  • We know the process of coding is hard and uncomfortable
    • You may not enjoy the process of coding (yet), but if you develop a rich enough skill-set (over years) you will not just enjoy it ... You could deeply love the process and use your skills to augment your life and the people around you.
    • (But getting there is years of getting your ass kicked)
  • Nobody can get good alone
    • 'Talking about code' is time consuming, but
      • Creates better quality results
      • Helps everyone grow in skill
    • To build anything complex, we have to work in teams
      • Making meaningful change is not a solo sport

We want to Actual(ly) code. We can't do it alone. We can do it together.

Concept

Local karate clubs have a huge range of ages and abilities - so why can't we? 12 year old absolute beginners, to professional developers, and everyone in between

Audience

  • School students (KS3, KS4, KS5)
  • Undergraduates (from multiple institutions)
  • Local community wanting to upskill
  • Junior developers (and beyond)

Same evening each week - free food All skill levels welcome

Activities

  • Pair problem of the week
  • Showcases
  • Theory (towards qualifications)
  • Themes (demo's, direction, starting points)
  • Self directed space to just chat and code
  • Just sitting around and having free food

Organisers

Other existing concepts (for reference)

  • Techspressionist Manifesto (v2.0)
  • coderdojo.com - Aimed specifically at KS2/KS3m
  • codekata.com - Just need to practice - a LOT - tasks
  • Coding Dojo
  • programming-motherXXXXer.com - Do you speak it?
  • YouTube: Raspberry Pi Foundation - Computing Clubs Conference: Live from the main stage | 25 March 2023 2023
    • 09:00–09:30 How can computing education research help me run my club? - Jane Waite, Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre
    • 09:30–10:00 It's not just coding - Fiona Lindsay, Code Club
    • 10:00–10:30 How can assistive technology benefit your club? - Rhodri Smith, Code Club
    • 10:30–11:00 Our club's success and approach - Doña Keating, CoderDojo
    • 11:00–11:30 Code Club and Astro Pi: Success for a whole school approach - Sophie Hudson, Code Club
    • BREAK
    • 12:00–12:30 Everything you need to know about Coolest Projects - Helen Gardner, Raspberry Pi Foundation
    • 12:30–13:00 Community translation event: Blowing raspberries or speaking in tongues? - Marcus Davage, BMC Software Ltd
    • BREAK
    • 14:30–15:00 Welcoming the next generation of mentors & champions - John McAtominey, Raspberry Pi Foundation
    • 15:00–15:30 How Scratch powers our Dojo - David Morley, Royal Museums Greenwich
    • 15:30–16:00 Digitising Aruba in a sustainable way - Bruce Harms, CoderDojo
    • BREAK
    • 16:45–17:30 Closing keynote.
  • The Code Club Blog

Alternate names

  • Code Crew
  • Kode Krew
    • I decided against .. Kent Kode Krew ... The KKK
  • Code Zone
  • Bootstrap Code

Notes

  • Get parents + others joining

Getting buy-in

BCS Learning and Development Specialist Group: https://www.bcs.org/membership-and-registrations/member-communities/learning-and-development-specialist-group/
BCS Early Careers Executive (includes apprentices) https://www.bcs.org/membership-and-registrations/member-communities/bcs-early-careers-executive/
Talk about speaking with execs (2 versions):
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTP4kIy6C8I
        1. One outcome away from being publicly fired
        2. Executives are just people. They are lonley because of the power disparity. Can't trust what people say to you.
            * Every decision is either typei:cant-go-back typeii:can-be-reversed
        3. They don't know everything, but people expect them too. Imposter syndrome. Be careful about the assumptions you make (jargon)
            * Ask them to explain the problem they are having to you
        4. Speak truth they can trust 
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtztfImcsBI