Exploring Binary Code

As I had very knowledge of the binary system, this topic was completely new to me. I found my understanding of a base 10 system (and experience converting to a base 5 system in a separate university math subject) helped me to understand the binary system. I think it would be very handy, and almost essential, to ensure students have a clear understanding of the base 10 system (decimal system) we use before moving onto a base 2 system (binary system). Interacting with the binary system might also help students understand our base ten, decimal system in much greater detail.

To practice use of the binary system and explore how numbers are represented in the binary system, I recently played this Cisco binary game.

Cisco binary game

This was a great way to interact with and gain an understanding of the binary code. I certainly think this topic and similar online activities such as this one need to be introduced with an explanation and hands on understanding of the binary system. It is in my opinion that confidence needs to be first built by gaining an in depth understanding of the binary system before engaging in a 'game' such as this one as it can be quite fast paced and might fluster and upset some students who cannot keep up (may think it is simply too hard). Educators need to set students up for success by guiding and scaffolding their learning so they persist with abstract concepts such as this.

Click here to go to CS Unplugged

CS Unplugged have a video of an "unplugged" game using binary cards to introduce and teach students about binary code (which I actually found really helpful for myself too). Students flip the cards to show the black (blank) side to represent a zero, and on (showing dots) to represent a one. It's a very interesting and collaborative approach to learning about binary numbers and you can work at a pace that suits all learners (especially if they split off into groups so they have the opportunity to explore the concept collaboratively). If you click on the image below it will take you to the CS Unplugged site. I highly recommend you watch the Unplugged: The show. Part 2: Binary - Counting. I really enjoyed the game and hope to use this in my classroom as it was clear, interactive and required the students to apply their developing understandings.

Unplugged: The show. Part 2: Binary - Counting

Learning about and experiencing binary code, bits and bytes is the first step in understanding computers and technology and "how it all works". Barr and Stephenson (2011) argue that "All of today's students will go on to life heavily influenced by computing, and many will work in fields that involved or are influenced by computing. They must begin to work with algorithmic problem solving and computational methods" in school (p. 49). As computational thinking is such an important aspect of the digital technologies curriculum, learning and teaching, it will be explored in a separate, upcoming post.

Computer programming and coding will be explored in an upcoming post, so stay tuned. :)


References
Barr, V. & Stephenson, C. (2011). Bringing computational thinking to K-12: what is involved and what is the role of the computer science education community? acm Inroads 2(1), pp. 48-54.