Blog
Sharing our intimate insights on Education, Computational Thinking and Technology
Welcome to our blog, where we delve into the realms of education, coding, and technology. We aim to empower parents and students by providing valuable insights, tutorials, and resources. From unraveling the mysteries of coding to exploring its endless possibilities, we believe that coding is not just a skill but a mindset that nurtures problem-solving, creativity, and resilience. Join us on this exciting journey as we shape the next generation of digital pioneers, preparing them to thrive in the ever-evolving digital age.
Fun Techtivities in June!
Holidays are here! What better way to spend our holidays than to have fun while discovering the wonders of technology with some #Techtivities? đ¤Š
Starting off with a #TechFact, did you know that computer pioneer Alan Turing was born on June 23, 1912? A genius in his field, he helped crack the "unbreakable" Enigma code, shortening the war by 2 years!
Turing is best-known today for his work on the idea of a "universal computer," one that could run any program. This has since become known as a "Turing Machine."
Now that weâre learnt a new titbit, keep scrolling on to discover techtivities that you and your family can indulge in this month! â¨
Coding Lab Educator Feature: Interview with Shannon Goh
With a degree in Data Science and Business Analytics, Shannon is a bubbly and charming educator with the brains to match! Get to know the personality behind the brains and her experience as a Coding Lab educator! đ
Corporate Partner OCBC: Coaching Fresh Talents in Data Analytics
Once again, weâre glad for the opportunity to impart Python programming and Data Analytics to 40 fresh talents from the OCBC Graduate Talent Programme! The 40 participants from different departments of the bank ranging from HR and Marketing to IT worked in teams. Regardless of whether they had a background in programming, all were able to utilise their newfound Data Analytics skills for their business cases presentation at the end of the workshop.
#CodingLabParenting: How To Choose A Good Coding School
Singapore is increasingly embracing coding and programming in recent years, with the government pushing for a #SmartNation where the society, economy and government will become increasingly digitalised.
Understandably, interest in learning to code has increased more than five-fold over the past 3 years and parents are looking for good quality courses for their child. How does this translate to our work with students? Here at Coding Lab, weâre parents too. And we know what we want not only for our own kids, but for every single child that steps through our glass doors.
Fun Techtivities in May!
Holidays are coming up! Iâm sure we are all excited and thinking about what we can do during the upcoming summer holidays. Well, no worries, because we have prepared various #techtivities where you can have fun, spend time with your family, and learn more about the wonders of technology!
#CodingLabStudents: Evan Chua, 12, Gold Winner, HCIC 2022
Our students are our pride and joy, and we love celebrating their exciting coding journeys with them, including their achievements! We are very proud of how far our talented and bright student, Evan Chua, has come since he started coding with us at the age of 9! He has achieved the Gold Award (the second highest honour) at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC) 2022!
Congratulations to our 10 Medallists in the NOI 2023!
t is that time of the year again for the National Olympiad in Informatics (NOI), modelled after the International Olympiad in Informatics, the reknowned international competition in competitive computing. Of the many students who participated, only the top 5 students from each school, at each level, are shortlisted for the Final contest and awarded medals. After the two intensive rounds were finally completed on 18th March 2023, we are proud to announce that 10 of our students have obtained medals in the 26th NOI 2023!
Fun Techtivities in April!
What better way to spend time with the whole family while having fun and learning at the same time? In line with our aim to nurture future leaders in technology, we have prepared several #Techtivities for the family to enjoy and discover how technology is a part of many things in our lives! đ¤Š
Now that weâre learnt a new titbit, keep scrolling on to discover techtivities that you and your family can indulge in this month! â¨
#CodingLabStudents: Aidan Sin, 12, Platinum Award Winner, HCIC 2022
We love seeing our students shine and grow as they develop their coding skills and discover how they can find success through coding! Meet one of them today: our student Aidan Sin, age 12, who won the Platinum Award (the highest honour) at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge (HCIC) 2022!
National Japan Microsoft Minecraft Cup 2022 - Winner of the Sustainable City Development Award!
Congratulations to team Urban Coders (ages 13 to 18) for winning the âSustainable City Development Awardâ at the 2022 Minecraft Cup! đ
Fun Techtivities in March!
With the school holidays soon upon us, we are all excited to have an enjoyable break with our families. Why not explore the endless possibilities that technology has to offer while having fun through our #Techtivities? đ
Letâs kick it off with this monthâs #TechFact! Did you know that Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, would send his first ever tweet on the social media platform in 2006? Now, Twitter is the 9th most viewed website globally!
Now that weâre learnt a new titbit, click in to discover techtivities that you and your family can indulge in this month! â¨
Why we teach Minecraft (and not Roblox)
Games have been at the forefront of entertainment for all ages and have never been more accessible.
The two most popular games on our kidsâ minds are Minecraft and Roblox. By the age of 7, many of our Students will have heard about these games through their friends or YouTube channels. As a result, many parents have approached Coding Lab, inquiring about the presence of either a Minecraft or Roblox curriculum where the students can be guided into their foray into online games and at the same time, learn programming.
We sat down with our Educator and Assistant Curriculum Team Lead, Hovan Tan, to ask him his thoughts on what platforms are suitable for our children, and how we came to the decision to develop and launch our special Minecraft Code Your World curriculum, instead of other platforms. Letâs hear from Teacher Hovan! đ
Congratulations to Woodgrove Primary for placing top 3 in the National Thinkers Challenge!
This year, we had the opportunity to coach Woodgrove Primary, who won the Most Feasible and Sustainable Award in the National Thinkers Challenge 2022 by Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan!
Out of 52 teams, the team placed in the top 3 and clinched 1 out of the 5 awards presented. This competition aims to let students think of innovative tech solutions and this yearâs theme was food wastage, and the students created a prototype mobile app incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Fun Techtivities in February!
Hop into the Year of the Rabbit with our compiled list of #techtivities, where you can enjoy time with your family, have fun and see the wonders that technology can bring! đ
Starting with Februaryâs #TechFact, did you know that the chess A.I programme âDeep Blueâ defeated world champion Garry Kasparov in a game in 1996? That marked the first time a chess computer had beaten a world champion!
Now that weâre all warmed up, keep scrolling on to discover techtivities that you and your family can indulge in this month! â¨
#ParentsWhoWork: Want to increase your productivity? Check out these 8 browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox!
Trying to get your work done efficiently but find yourself distracted? Weâve all been there, our attention diverted by social media and other websites instead of focusing on our task at hand. But donât worry, we have compiled a list of the 8 best browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox that are designed to help you focus and boost your productivity! đ
Coding Lab Educator Feature: Interview with Stephanie Swee
One of our most beloved educators, Stephanie Swee charms her class with her unique personality and background in Cyber Security!
A board game aficionado with past work experience in the IT industry, she aspires to bring the same level of enthusiasm to her classroom and pass on her passion for coding to her students. Travel with us through her journey into becoming a Coding Lab Educator! đ
Fun Techtivities in January!
The end of holidays does not mean the end of having fun. Combine fun and learning about technology through our techtivities, where we can enjoy a day out with our family and get to see amazing technology in action!
Starting off with a #TechFact for 2023, did you know that Wikipedia was launched 22 years ago on the 15th of January, becoming the âlargest and most-read reference work in historyâ? As of 2022, they are still in the top 5 most popular websites in the world, and they have information available in 329 languages with contributions from users all over the world! (Source)
What's your digital footprint? Take care of it!
Social media has become an intimate way for many of us to connect with relatives and old friends when we share pictures of our families and celebrations for the various events in our lives. However, that also means everyone else is watching.
It is estimated that by 2030 âparentsâ over-sharing of personal information about their kids on social media could cost almost ÂŁ670m in online fraudâ. How can this happen? We must first understand our âdigital footprintâ.
#CodingLabStudents: Wang Jun Min, 13, NUS High School of Math and Science
Meet Jun Min, our avid coder and Secondary One student currently studying in his dream school, NUS High School of Math and Science, which he entered through Direct School Admission (DSA). As one of Coding Lab's earlier students (he started when he was barely 7 years old), we catch up with him since his previous blog feature.
Fun Techtivities in December!
School holidays are in full swing, and we are all no doubt thinking about how to best enjoy our time before the next year begins. This is where techtivities come in â activities where you can learn more about the immense possibilities of technology, while having fun at the same time!
For Decemberâs #TechFact, did you know that 40 years ago, the computer was named the âMan of the Yearâ by TIME Magazine? This is the first time the editors of the magazine selected a non-human recipient for the award. It speaks of the large impact computers had in the world 40 years ago, and clearly still persisting till today!
Now that weâre all warmed up, keep scrolling on to discover techtivities that you and your family can indulge in this month! â¨