Code Club Spotlight: Self Directed Learning at Ao Tawhiti Code Club
At Code Club Aotearoa, we love shining a light on kura and communities doing awesome things with digital technologies. This month, we’re catching up with Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School—a kura that embraces self-directed learning and student-led exploration. Their Code Club reflects everything that makes the school unique: curiosity, creativity and community connection. With a kaupapa that champions tamariki taking the lead in their learning journey, Ao Tawhiti’s Code Club feels more like a playground of ideas than a classroom. We asked long time club leader & parent volunteer Dimitri some questions about the club’s history, what makes it tick, and the challenges involved in running a Code Club.
Kia ora Dimitri! Can you tell us a little bit about Ao Tawhiti Discovery School and what makes it unique?
Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School is unique in that it emphasises personalised learning, student autonomy, and a strong sense of whānau. The school's special character is built on the principles of self-directed learning. This philosophy fosters an environment where ākonga are encouraged to take ownership of their learning journey and pursue their interests in a supportive and flexible setting.
The Code Club at Ao Tawhiti was started with the unique character of the school in mind, giving tamariki the opportunity to explore coding and technology in a student-led, non-structured manner. Our approach is simple: we let tamariki freely explore tools and tech that interest them, using various coding platforms, hardware, and apps.
How did Code Club start at the school? What inspired its establishment?
The Code Club was started by Leon, a dad at Ao Tawhiti, who has a background in IT. Given the school's philosophy of encouraging whānau involvement through sharing their passions, interests, or expertise, the idea of a Code Club came up. In 2018, with enthusiastic support from the kura and parents, the Code Club officially began!
How has the club evolved over time? Have you seen any major changes in the way students engage with digital learning?
Since it started, the Code Club has evolved, especially after the pandemic. With the rapid adoption of educational apps and purely online projects, we saw the need to balance digital activities with more hands-on, physical tech experiences. Now, we use a practical approach and real-world challenges in our sessions. It's not just about the code, but what it can do with a motor, light, sensor, or sound!
What kind of projects do your students work on?
We are fortunate to have many tools and tech (Macs, iPads, Scratch, Makecode, Micro:bits, Sphero Bolts, and LEGO Mindstorms EV3). Some tamariki love diving deep into Scratch projects, while others enjoy experimenting with everything we have. Our approach is simple and fun: we let tamariki explore their interests and try out different tools at their own pace. We just guide and support them, helping to shape their paths and define their projects. For some, Code Club is a one-hour session filled with excitement as they try every tool and app they can get their hands on!
Some tamariki have big projects they work and refine on Scratch during a full term, including interactive animations, stories, and scenarios. Others have a little project they can deliver in one session, like attaching a Micro:bits to a soft toy with a rubber band, and using a counter and shake sensor to record the number of times the toy was passed!
LEGO Mindstorms EV3 are still very popular and proven quite robust over time! Tamariki love building simple robots with two motors and wheels, and then we can add features over multiple sessions like attaching a sensor to detect a wall. We start with very simple concepts like moving motor A and B, then moving both motors at the same time, or just one to turn. Then we can introduce proximity sensors, loops and conditions to follow a path.
Sphero Bolts are great for getting kids engaged and excited about tech. We start with the basic “drive mode”, which is like remote-controlled playing. Then, as they get more interested, we introduce challenges and coding to detect collisions, change colours on the screen, or move to specific places.
Are there any standout projects or success stories you’d love to share?
One of our standout projects involved a girl who used Micro:bits to build a math bot. The project was built on random number generation and multiplication, allowing students to practice math interactively. She was incredibly proud of her creation and showcased it to everyone at school and home, treating it like a smart little pet bot! This not only boosted her confidence but also inspired her peers and whānau.
With the collaboration of teachers, we crafted artwork using Sphero. By dipping Sphero Bolts in paint, we created a painting on a large sheet of paper spread on the ground with younger Year 1 and 2 tamariki. This activity beautifully merged technology with art, offering a fun and creative way for younger tamariki to engage with tech beyond coding!
What do you think makes your Code Club successful?
The success of Ao Tawhiti’s Code Club is thanks to the constant support from the kura and the involvement of whānau. Teachers (or LA, for Learning Advisors) play a key role, helping not just with organising the session but by promoting a culture of curiosity and exploration. They are instrumental in giving an equal opportunity to all tamariki during the school year as we have limited capacity, and our sessions are always full!
Whānau are also important to the club's success. They support children's interests by volunteering their time and skills each week at the Code Club. Our community-based approach makes learning more inclusive. When parents come to Code Club sessions, share their knowledge, or simply encourage their kids to explore, they contribute a lot to the lively learning environment at Ao Tawhiti.
Have you faced any challenges running the club? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge we have sometimes is gaming. It's really easy to download and run a premade game in Scratch. To overcome this, we engage tamariki keen on gaming by asking them to remix or “hack” the game by modifying the code. A noteworthy project was to connect a Micro:bit to Scratch and alter the code of a game they like to play. The goal was to use Micro:bit as a wireless controller. We use the same approach with the Mindstorm robots. If they want to “play” with the robots like remote-controlled toys, we say yes, but we ask them to code the remote control. It's actually quite challenging to implement an infrared remote control with all the buttons, exceptions and loops to make it usable. When they succeed, they of course can play with it, and it is very rewarding!
Ngā mihi nui, Dimitri and everyone else involved, for sharing the story of Ao Tawhiti Code Club and for your unwavering dedication to inspiring our Code Club ākonga. We’re truly grateful for everything you do!
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