Austin Peay adds custom coding camps, classes to Junior Coders offerings
(Posted March 10, 2020)
Austin Peay’s Department of Computer Science and Information Technology has introduced a new way to experience the popular Junior Coders camps it offers.
APSU now will build custom coding camps or classes to fit the needs of area schools or student organizations. The classes offer:
- State-of-the-art computer labs at Austin Peay.
- Classes led by Austin Peay computer science students.
- Materials used by APSU computer science classes and their professors (for high school camps).
Elementary school students will learn Tynker, and middle school students will learn Construct 2. High schoolers get a wider range of options, including Unity C# game development, Python, Java, C++, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, advanced JavaScript, PHP web programming and WordPress web development.
The custom camps target four age groups (K-2nd grade, 3-5th grade, middle school and high school). Basic formats include four one-hour classes, five three-hour classes and five seven-hour classes.
Austin Peay can build the camps to have longer class times or occur over multiple weeks almost any time of the year.
To get an idea about what the custom camps cost, visit www.apsu.edu/csci/camp/customization.
Clarksville Academy High School Coding Camp
Austin Peay’s Department of Computer Science and Information Technology worked with Clarksville Academy to offer a two-week custom camp in January to 12 students.
“Clarksville Academy approached us last April, and they wanted to have a credit-carrying high school class,” department Chair Dr. Leong Lee said. “They asked if we could customize a camp for them.”
APSU students Amanda McNair and Hetvi Patel led the camp instruction, and Associate Professor Dr. James Church provided the class framework and materials.
“These materials are good enough for a university-level class,” Lee said.
The students worked with Unity C#, a popular game development engine, to build computer games. Unity is the engine behind such games as “The Elder Scrolls: Legends,” “Pokemon Go” and “Super Mario Run.”
The camps ran from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday during winter break.
“It went really, really well,” Church said. “I’m so happy and I thank Amanda and Hetvi for doing just perfectly.
“These camps, they can be for anybody,” he added. “You want to do a camp for your Boy Scout troop, your Girl Scout troop? We can do it.”
To learn more
- For more information, email codingcamp@apsu.edu or call 931-221-7840.
- For more about APSU Junior Coders custom classes or camps, visit www.apsu.edu/csci/camp/customization.
- Austin Peay also offers hourlong Junior Coder classes on Saturdays during the spring and fall semesters for all elementary students (K-8). For more information, visit apsu.edu/csci/camp/junior.
- For more information about the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, go to apsu.edu/csci.
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