Explore the world where young minds transform their mobile phones and tablets into gateways of limitless creativity. That’s precisely what OctoStudio offers—your passport to a world of interactive animations and games that can be crafted on the go, whenever and wherever inspiration strikes.
Introduction to Octostudio
OctoStudio is a free coding app developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab. It is designed to transform how young people use mobile phones and tablets to create their own stories and games. The App offers several creative possibilities for children, including the ability to create animations, games, and interactive projects using coding blocks. Children can take photos, record sounds, and bring them to life with coding blocks, allowing them to create their artwork, musical instruments, and more. OctoStudio is completely free of charge, without any ads or in-app purchases, and is available in more than 20 languages. It is designed for students ages 7 and up, including those with low vision and students who use screen readers, making it an inclusive creative tool for a diverse range of learners. The App also encourages global collaboration, enabling children from different cultures to connect and collaborate on projects. OctoStudio is available for iPhones, iPads, and Android smartphones and tablets, and can be used without needing an internet connection.
What are the creative possibilities of OctoStudio?
OctoStudio offers a range of creative possibilities for children to explore and develop their skills. Here’s what you can do:
- Photography and Sound Recording: Children can take photos and record sounds, bringing them to life with coding blocks.
- Coding with blocks: OctoStudio uses coding blocks, similar to the popular Scratch coding language, allowing children to create interactive projects and develop their creativity and problem-solving skills.
- Customizable projects: Young people can create projects that are meaningful and relatable to their interests, experiences, and surroundings, such as musical instruments, games that react to the tilt of the phone, or collaborative projects that use Bluetooth to beam signals between phones.
- Accessible for all: OctoStudio is designed for students ages 7 and up, including those with low vision and students who use screen readers, making it an inclusive creative tool for a diverse range of learners.
- Global collaboration: The app is available in over 20 languages, allowing children from different cultures to connect and collaborate on projects.
- Teaching and learning resources: Educators and creators can find a growing collection of ideas for tinkering with OctoStudio, including full-fledged projects and smaller sparks of inspiration.
Octostudio and Scratch
OctoStudio and Scratch are both coding platforms designed for young people to create their own stories and games. OctoStudio is a mobile app developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, while Scratch is a web-based platform developed by the same group. OctoStudio is designed for use on mobile phones and tablets, while Scratch was designed for use on laptops and desktop computers.
Both platforms use coding blocks to create interactive projects, but OctoStudio is more pictorial and uses more visual cues, making it easier for younger children who are not yet confident readers to use. OctoStudio also makes use of the sensors on a phone, allowing children to create projects that react to the tilt of the phone or use Bluetooth to beam signals between phones. Scratch, on the other hand, offers more advanced features, including the ability to create more complex projects and games.
OctoStudio is designed to be more accessible for children with low vision and those who use screen readers, making it an inclusive creative tool for a diverse range of learners. OctoStudio is also available in over 20 languages, allowing children from different cultures to connect and collaborate on projects.
In summary, while both OctoStudio and Scratch offer coding blocks to create interactive projects, OctoStudio is designed for mobile devices and is more pictorial and accessible, while Scratch offers more advanced features and is designed for use on laptops and desktop computers.
How does Octostudio help children develop creative skills ?
OctoStudio helps children develop creative skills in several ways:
- Problem-solving and creative-thinking skills: In the process of creating projects with OctoStudio, children develop important problem-solving and creative-thinking skills, while learning computational ideas.
- Expression and collaboration: The app invites young people to express themselves creatively, experiment, collaborate, and share ideas with one another, fostering an environment for creative learning experiences.
- Meaningful and relatable projects: Children can create projects that are meaningful and relatable to their interests, experiences, and surroundings, such as integrating photos into animated stories about the local environment or creating interactive games that reflect their cultural experiences.
- Inclusive design: OctoStudio is designed for students ages 7 and up, including those with low vision and students who use screen readers, making it an inclusive creative tool for a diverse range of learners.
- Global collaboration: The app is available in over 20 languages, allowing children from different cultures to connect and collaborate on projects, expanding opportunities for young people to create projects anytime, anywhere.
In summary, OctoStudio provides a platform for children to develop creative skills through problem-solving, expression, collaboration, and the creation of meaningful and relatable projects, while also promoting inclusivity and global collaboration.
SkoolOfCode’s Commitment to Progress in Education
At SkoolOfCode, we don’t just teach coding to kids; we nurture a passion for learning, creativity, and innovation. Our commitment to progress in education is at the heart of everything we do, and it sets us apart as a leader in the field of STEM-based coding classes for kids.
A Progressive Approach to Education:
Our educational philosophy is rooted in progress. We understand that the world is constantly evolving, driven by technological advancements and innovation. To prepare the next generation for success, we take a forward-thinking and progressive approach to education.
Staying Ahead of the Curve:
In the fast-paced world of technology, staying ahead of the curve is paramount. SkoolOfCode places a strong emphasis on keeping our curriculum and teaching methods up to date. Our dedicated team of educators, who are experts in computer sciences, continuously research and integrate the latest coding trends, tools, and techniques into our programs.
A Bright Future with SkoolOfCode:
SkoolOfCode stands as a highly prestigious and progressive institute for learning. Our commitment to progress is not just a tagline; it’s a promise to our students and their parents. We are dedicated to fostering a love for coding, learning, and innovation that will serve our students well throughout their lives.
Recognizing the transformative potential of Octostudio, SkoolOfCode explored the journey to integrate this cutting-edge platform into its curriculum. This move was not just about keeping pace with change; it was about staying ahead of the curve and leading the way in holistic STEM-based coding education.
Join us at SkoolOfCode, where we embrace the future with open arms. Our progressive approach to education ensures that children receive a high-quality coding education that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s world. Together, we are building a brighter future, one line of code at a time.
By –Dr. Kadam Bhambari, an Educator at SkoolofCode with Ph.D. and MTech in Electronics. She is an expert in Microbit, Arduino, and Artificial intelligence.