RJH Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 DS8 is interested in taking some sort of computer programing course. He wants to learn how to create his own computer games. Does anyone know where I could find info on this? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We have been using the things from http://www.motherboardbooks.com My kids have enjoyed her items that she has and she is willing and helpful to answer your questions. If you send her what your child is interested in, she will help you with where and what to start with. I would highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandra in va Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We've been looking for something similar for my 10 yo ds, so thanks for that link, Jules! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 My son took a video game design at our co-op from Computer Explorers and really enjoyed it. It's a franchise, so there may be classes available in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 My 13yo son has been working through this textbook I got at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alice-2-0-Introductory-Concepts-Techniques/dp/1418859346/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232413831&sr=8-1 If the link doesn't work, then search for Alice 2.O and you should get a textbook by Shelly, Cashman, and Herbert. It came with a cd containing the program and step by step instructions and lessons. It is great and he has done it all himself. He is in the final chapter and for the first time, he got a little stuck. You can get Alice for free on the internet and play around with it, but to be honest I needed something my son could read and teach himself and this has been perfect. It was only 30 dollars. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 My son took a video game design at our co-op from Computer Explorers and really enjoyed it. It's a franchise, so there may be classes available in your area. Mine did too, lol. Actually, ds took a class on video animation using Scratch. Scratch is a free download from MIT. I think if you google, there are some lesson plans to go along w/ learning Scratch on your own. My ds loves playing around with it. You may want to check if your county offers classes for kids. That's how ds did the class through Computer Explorers -- they offered the class through the county. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 My 13yo son has been working through this textbook I got at Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Alice-2-0-Introductory-Concepts-Techniques/dp/1418859346/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232413831&sr=8-1 If the link doesn't work, then search for Alice 2.O and you should get a textbook by Shelly, Cashman, and Herbert. It came with a cd containing the program and step by step instructions and lessons. It is great and he has done it all himself. He is in the final chapter and for the first time, he got a little stuck. You can get Alice for free on the internet and play around with it, but to be honest I needed something my son could read and teach himself and this has been perfect. It was only 30 dollars. Christine I believe the website is http://www.alice.org. But isn't it more for middle school, high school, and college? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) I'm an part-time IT professor at the local CC, we use Alice in our first programming course. It's really for at least middle school or up. At 8 y.o. you could start on the animation end of it with Corefx available from Timberdoodle and others. Timberdoodle also sells Terrapin Logo which is good to learn about programming. It's not cheap, but I've considered getting this for my kids at some point (one grammar and one logic stage). Then when he's a bit older, the materials from Motherboard Books are appropriate and also Alice. You can tell him that people who write games have to have skills on many fronts. It really is like being an engineer in terms of preparation. That disappoints my CC students who think that they can do that with just one or two classes.;) Edited January 20, 2009 by GVA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) https://www.courseportal.ode.ttu.edu/login.php Click Academics, Other Programs, Distance Learning, K-12 Offerings, View Our Catalog, High School Courses, and then scroll down to Technology Applications. http://www.computersciencelab.com/index.htm http://www.motherboardbooks.com/ http://www.terrapinlogo.com/ https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.or...fer&Itemid=450 http://www.computerladyonline.com/ http://www.alice.org/ http://www.pottersschool.org/tps/courses.asp#JHAL (Scroll down to Computer) http://67.202.21.157/forums/showthre...31356#poststop http://www.pahomeschoolers.com/courses/index.html (Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Website) http://www.northstar-academy.org/aca...Offerings.aspx (Scroll down to Computers) http://www.homeschoolprogramming.com/ Can you tell my homeschooler is obsessed with computers? I'm planning to keep him busy with this list from 5th - 12th grade. We're about 2 months in to the first course from Texas Tech, and so far so good. Edited January 21, 2009 by Cindyg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrypmgaga Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I was looking forward to looking at the first site in your list, but it doesn't work :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I was looking forward to looking at the first site in your list, but it doesn't work :( I fixed it (above). Whew, they didn't make it easy to find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birchbark Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I just saw this in the HSLD magazine: http://www.homegrownprogrammers.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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