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In a time where gadgets are easily accessible to kids, it is important to see these tools as means to empower and educate the youth of today. This summer, with so much free time on their hands, kids are more likely to play on their tablets and computers the whole day. But, this scenario could be turned around by giving them the opportunity to learn coding. With coding, these kids could turn from mere gamers and users of technology to innovators and creators of technology. This could possible with the Junior Academy for Coding Knowledge (JACK).
A premier study center right in the heart of Ortigas, JACK aims to teach kids and teens basic coding knowledge through hands-on training. JACK acknowledges how coding has become the literacy of the future, and with it comes its mission to provide an avenue for younger people to learn coding at an early age. With classes held in a fun and kid-friendly environment, it creates a space that encourages limitless imagination, as its students learn to create new things with the latest tech trends and innovations.
This summer, JACK brings another set of exciting courses that are designed to strengthen its students’ logical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as boost their creativity.
Students can start on basic courses and later on level up to more advanced ones. This will allow them to better develop a skill or specialize in a specific course. JACK offers the following basic and advanced classes:
The Scratch: Welcome to the World of Coding class teaches the fundamentals of coding. A programming platform developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Scratch allows students to create interactive stories, animations, and games, giving them a better appreciation of coding.
The Engineer: Coding and Robotics course, on the other hand, is a couse where students learn coding by programming microcontrollers, servomotors, and smart sensors to make the lego bricks come to life.
Lastly, the Minecraft: Code and Mod course allows students to create their own Minecraft Game. In this course, students learn how to build and design their own game character and environment, and even animate elements through coding.
For Minecraft, there are two advanced courses. My World: Minecraft VR is a more immersive version of Minecraft that uses the virtual reality technology. Here, students can feel like they are actually in the world they created as they explore it with the help of Google Cardboard.
Next is My World: Minecraft with Google Tilt Brush. Still using the virtual reality technology, this provides a new experience as it turns the virtual world into a canvas. Using the 3D Painting Program Google Tilt Brush, students can pain their own world as they please.
Aside from these basic to advanced courses, JACK brings three other courses that will surely make kids and teens enjoy coding:
First is Program, Practice, and Play with BB8 Droid where students can program their own droid to follow rules, avoid obstructions and execute maneuvers. In this class, kids discover how coding can interact with the real world.
Next is A Taste of Game Salad, a course where students can design, execute, and publish a game on the App Store and Play Store using the Game Salad tool.
Last is Swift Playgrounds. In this course, students learn the Swift programming language from Apple. This class provides a new learning experience as students solve puzzles, take on new challenges, and build more advanced creations while learning to code in Swift.
Classes are delivered by subject matter experts who share the same passion for the industry and teaching kids. JACK teachers are University of the Philippines graduates with a degree in the field of computer science, engineering, and information technology. Now industry professionals representing tech giants and multinationals, JACK teachers are keen in providing the highest quality of education to students in an engaging environment.
While other coding boot camps for kids are already popular in other countries, JACK is the first of its kind here in the Philippines. “We realized that the Philippines is lagging behind our other ASEAN counterparts in terms of coding knowledge and awareness. We then hope to bridge that gap by giving our children an avenue where they have an opportunity to become fluent in technology,” says Rose A. Saulog, one of the founders of JACK.
She continues by elaborating on how JACK started and what makes it different from other coding schools in the country. “Coming from a family of techies, with a sister who is more of an academician, we have always been interested in technology education. When we heard of the continuous development of coding schools in countries like the US, Singapore, and Hongkong, we decided to look into it and see how we may bring this kind of education in the Philippines. Most of the classes we saw did not fully bridge the gap between technology and education so when we started JACK, we wanted the children to have a hands-on experience by having the school in a real tech firm and by getting innovative and brand new tech teaching materials from the US,” she says.
Participants may enroll in basic to advanced courses or individual classes. Discounts are also available if students enroll in multiple courses. To register, go to jack.com.ph/register. For more information, you may check jack.com.ph or contact 0977-8410482.
