What:

At Star Brains International School in Kobe and Osaka, Japan, I was the computer graphics and sciences teacher. My primary role was to design and teach a curriculum introducing students to the fundamentals of computers and technology through accessibility, creativity, and practical skills.

Why:

In Japan, exposure to personal computers and digital tools for young children is often limited to mobile devices. I want to break down barriers to technology by demonstrating its accessibility and encouraging students to explore and use it creatively.

How:

I designed a curriculum to make technology approachable and fun for young learners:

Tools and Accessibility: Focused on free, web-based, and open-source platforms like

• • Typing Academy for keyboarding skills.

  • Code.org and Scratch for programming basics through games and interactive stories.

  • Pixilart.com for pixel-based art and animation.

  • GIMP and Inkscape for graphic design.

  • Blender and Tinker CAD for introducing 3D modeling concepts.

  • Google Suite for collaborative and organizational skills.

Projects and Activities:

• • Students created pixel art animations, stop-motion videos, and simple interactive games.

  • Collaborative projects in Scratch and Code.org encouraged storytelling and teamwork.

  • Applied skills to produce materials for school events and projects to show introduce practical applications.

  • Presented art and coding projects to parents at school events, fostering confidence and pride.

Approach:

• Focused on showing students how simple and approachable technology could be.

• Designed lessons to encourage hands-on exploration and problem-solving.

• Encouraged creativity and self-expression to keep students engaged and excited about learning.

Highlights:

• Introduced students to technology in a way that was both empowering and approachable.

• Ensured tools and platforms used were accessible outside of school, enabling continued learning.

• Created opportunities for students to showcase their work, boosting their confidence and enthusiasm for technology.

Materials and Tools:

• Free web-based tools (Typing Academy, Pixilart.com, Code.org, Scratch).

• Open-source software (GIMP, Inkscape, Blender).

• Mac desktops, windows laptops.