Uma isikole sakho samabanga aphansi sihlonza ukufundisa ikharikhulamu ye-Coding and Robotics eshicilelwe ngokusemthethweni kusetshenziswa ama-microcontroller aphathekayo afana ne-BBC micro:bit, qala nge-Microsoft MakeCode. Uma igumbi lenu lamakhompyutha lingenaso isabelomali se-hardware, linokuxhumeka kwe-USB okungathembekile, noma ligxile kuphela ekuxoxeni izindaba nge-multimedia nokwenza izithombe ezinyakazayo (ama-animation), qala nge-Scratch.

Ezikhungweni eziningi zamabanga aphansi eNingizimu Afrika ezibhekana nenselele yokwabelana ngamagumbi amakhompyutha, amathayimithebula aminyene, kanye nezidingo ezibambekayo zeSitatimende Senqubomgomo Yekharikhulamu Nokuhlola (CAPS) soMnyango Wezemfundo Eyisisekelo (Department of Basic Education), i-MakeCode iyisinqumo sokuqala esisebenziseka kalula. Ifundisa imiqondo ejwayelekile yohlelo olususelwe kumabhuloki (block-based programming) ngokusebenzisa ukulingisa okukusikrini (simulation) kuyilapho isusa ubunzima bokudlulela kuma-electronics aphathekayo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

Umehluko Omkhulu Wezemfundo: Ama-Sprite Uma Eqhathaniswa Nemicimbi (Events) kanye Nama-Pin

I-Scratch, eyakhiwa yi-MIT Media Lab, yakhelwe ezinhlelweni zokuxhumana ngamakhompyutha (computational media). Indlela yayo eyinhloko yokucabanga isuselwe kwezemidlalo yeshashalazi: isiteji, izixhumanisi zendawo ($x$ no-$y$), izizinda (backdrops), kanye nama-sprite axhumana ngokuthumelelana imilayezo. Abafundi baqonda ama-loop kanye nemibandela (conditionals) ngokwenza ikati lihambe esikrinini, ligxume lapho lifika onqenqemeni, noma lithi ‘Sawubona!’ ebhalunini lenkulumo.

Le ndlela yokucabanga isebenza ngendlela encomekayo kakhulu olwazini lwezobuchwepheshe besimanje (digital literacy) kanye nasekusebenziseni amakhompyutha ngobuciko. Nokho, ayibonisi indlela izinhlelo ezishunyekiwe (embedded systems) noma amarobhothi asebenza ngayo. Ku-Scratch, ‘ukunyakaza’ kusho ukususa amaphikseli ohlelweni lwezixhumanisi zendawo (Cartesian coordinate system) esikrinini.

I-Microsoft MakeCode—ikakhulukazi ingxenye eqondiswe ku-micro:bit—ihlela ikhodi kususelwa ezintweni eziyisisekelo ze-hardware kusukela ngosuku lokuqala:

• Imodeli yokusebenza: Ikhodi isebenza ngaphakathi kwamabhuloki acacile afana nelithi on start nelithi forever, okuhambisana nesakhiwo esijwayelekile se-setup-and-loop sama-microcontroller.
• Ukugxila kokungaphakathi nokuphumayo (Input/Output): Esikhundleni sokuchofoza i-sprite yekhathuni esikrinini, abafundi bavula ikhodi ngokufaka izinto eziphathekayo: ukucindezela izinkinobho, ukutshekisa idivayisi, izikhombisi-ndlela zekhampasi, ukufundwa kwenzwa yokukhanya (light sensor), noma izimpawu zikagesi kuma-pin asemaphethelweni.
• Imikhawulo yesibonisi: Okuphumayo akusona isithombe se-2D esingenamkhawulo, kodwa i-matrix ye-LED engu-5×5. Lokhu kuphoqa abafundi kusenesikhathi ukuthi bacabange ngokumelwa kwedatha, ama-array ayisisekelo, kanye nesimo esilula kunokuba bachithe isikhathi bekha imvunulo yabalingiswa.

Lapho umfundi kaBanga lesi-4 echitha imizuzu engamashumi amane ekhetha imisindo ehlukahlukene futhi ependa imvunulo yabalingiswa ku-Scratch, usuke esebenza ngobuciko bedijithali, hhayi ingqondo yokuhlela ikhompyutha. Imikhawulo yokubuka ye-MakeCode igcina isikhathi sesifundo sigxile ngqo kuma-algorithm kanye nesakhiwo sokucabanga okunengqondo.

Iqiniso Lokuhambisana ne-CAPS

Ikharikhulamu ye-Coding and Robotics yaseNingizimu Afrika yashicilelwa ngokusemthethweni kuGazethi kahulumeni ngoJuni 2024 (Government Notice 4946) yamabanga R kuya ku-9. Nakuba ikharikhulamu ingaphoqelekile kuzo zonke izikole futhi yethulwa kancane kancane lapho amandla ekhona, indlela yayo yezemfundo icacile:

• Isigaba Esiyisisekelo (Amabanga R–3): Ikakhulukazi ukucabanga kwezekhompyutha okungasebenzisi izinsiza-kuxhumana zikagesi (unplugged computational thinking), ukuzazi ukuthi ukuphi nendawo (spatial orientation), nokuhlela izinto ngokulandelana okulula. Amadivayisi edijithali abekwe ngokusobala njengokuzikhethela.
• Isigaba Esiphakathi (Amabanga 4–6): Kuthathwa ngokuthi idivayisi yekhompyutha ikhona. Abafundi kulindeleke ukuthi babhale ikhodi esuselwe kumabhuloki elawula izinhlelo ezizisebenzelayo (automated systems) futhi efunda izinguquko zesimo sezemvelo.
• Isigaba Esiphezulu (Amabanga 7–9): Kusalokhu kususelwe kumabhuloki kuphela futhi akunqunywa ulimi oluthile olubhaliwe lwamagama (i-Python ayiphoqelekile embhalweni we-CAPS osemthethweni).

I-MakeCode ixhumanisa lokhu kuqhubeka kangcono kakhulu kune-Scratch. Ku-Scratch, ukuxhuma i-microcontroller ephathekayo kudinga izandiso ezingekho emthethweni zezinkampani zangaphandle, isofthiwe ye-Scratch Link, noma ukuxhuma nge-Bluetooth okuvame ukwehluleka kumalaptop alawulwa yizikole. Ku-MakeCode, indawo efanayo ncamashi isebenzisa isifanisi sesofthiwe esisebenza ngqo esikrinini (simulator) futhi ifake ikhodi kuma-micro:bit aphathekayo nge-WebUSB ngokuchofoza kanye nje.

Izinselele Zokusebenza Emakilasini aseNingizimu Afrika

Izinqumo zesofthiwe yasekilasini azikwazi ukuthathwa ngokubuka ubuchwepheshe nje kuphela kunganakiwe isimo sangempela. Izikole zaseNingizimu Afrika zibhekana nezimo zangempela zokusebenza ezingenza kube lula ukuthi izinhlelo eziyinkimbinkimbi zobuchwepheshe zihluleke.

Cabanga ngesimo esijwayelekile setroli lamalaptop okwabelwana ngawo elisetshenziswa ngabafundi abangamashumi amane esikhathini semizuzu engamashumi amane nanhlanu. Uma i-hardware idinga ukufakwa kwama-driver, amalungelo omlawuli (admin rights), noma ukuxhumeka kwe-Bluetooth kwendawo okungazinzile, ingxenye yesifundo ilahlekela ekuxazululeni izinkinga eziyisisekelo ze-IT. Nge-MakeCode, uma i-hardware ephathekayo ikhiyelwe, ingenawo amandla kagesi (flat), noma ingekho, ikilasi liqhubeka nokusebenzisa isifanisi esakhelwe ngaphakathi ngaphandle kokushintsha uhlelo lwesifundo ngisho nelilodwa.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-MakeCode ivumela abafundi ukuthi balunguze ngalé kwamabhuloki babone i-Python noma i-JavaScript ngokushintsha inkinobho eyodwa nje. Nakuba i-CAPS ingakudingi ukubhala ikhodi ngombhalo eMabangeni 7 kuya ku-9, ukuba nalelo bhuloho elitholakalayo ngaphandle kokushintsha izinkundla kuvikela abafundi asebekhulile bamabanga aphansi ekutheni bangafinyeleli emkhawulweni obavimbela ukuqhubeka.

Izikhathi Lapho i-Scratch Isayisinqumo Esifanele

Ukuze kucace, i-Scratch ayiphelelwanga yisikhathi. Isalokhu iyizinga legolide ezinhlosweni ezithile zekharikhulamu:

• Ukuxoxa izindaba okuhlanganisa izifundo ezahlukene: Ukudala imibiko yezincwadi esebenzisanayo, imibuzo yomlando, noma izingxoxo ezinezithombe ezinyakazayo emakilasini ezilimi ze-English noma ze-Afrikaans.
• Ukusebenza kwemidlalo (Game mechanics): Ukufundisa i-coordinate geometry, i-physics yemidlalo ye-platformer, kanye nokutholwa kokushayisana kwezinto (hit-box detection).
• Izikole ezingenazo izinhlelo ze-hardware: Uma isikole sazi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi ngeke sitshale imali kuma-microcontroller, kumakhithi e-robotics, noma ezinzweni ze-elekthronikhi kuze kufike eBangeni lesi-7, i-Scratch inikeza inkundla ecebe kakhulu yokudala yesofthiwe kuphela.

Uma isikole sakho sifuna ukwethula ukubhala amakhodi njengethuluzi lokuzwakalisa ulwazi lwedijithali eceleni kobuciko nomculo, i-Scratch ayinakuqhathaniswa. Kodwa uma umgomo uwukuhlangabezana nokucabanga kobuchwepheshe kwe-CAPS Coding and Robotics—ukulungiselela abafundi ukuqonda ukunisela okuzisebenzelayo, ama-alamu okungena kwabagqekezi, ukurekhodwa kwezinga lokushisa, kanye nezimoto ezinenjini ezihambayo—i-MakeCode iyisisekelo esiqondiswe kahle kakhulu.

Indlela Enconyiwe Yokulandelanisa

Esikhundleni sokubheka lokhu njengokukhetha okuqinile phakathi kokukodwa kwalokhu, izikole zamabanga aphansi zingahlela ukusetshenziswa kwazo ngokulandelana okunengqondo ezigabeni ezahlukene:

1. IBanga lesi-3 / Ekuqaleni kukaBanga lesi-4: Yethula ukucabanga ngamabhuloki usebenzisa i-Scratch. Vumela abafundi bahlole ukulandelana, ama-loop, kanye namagatsha anemibandela (conditional branches) ngezindaba ezilula ezinezithombe ezinyakazayo. Impendulo ebonakala ngokushesha yakha ukuzethemba ngaphandle kokugxisha ulwazi oluningi kakhulu engqondweni.
2. Phakathi noBanga lesi-4 kuya eBangeni lesi-7: Shintshela ngokuphelele ku-Microsoft MakeCode. Qala ngesifanisi se-MakeCode ukufundisa izinto ezingenayo, eziphumayo, iziguquki (variables), kanye nama-logic gate. Lapho izabelomali noma izinhlelo zezifundo zivumela, yethula amabhodi aphathekayo e-micro:bit. Abafundi baxhuma ibhodi, bafake ikhodi yabo ekhona, futhi babone ngokushesha ukucabanga kwabo kusebenza emhlabeni wangempela.

Ezikhungweni eziklama ikharikhulamu yazo yedijithali yeminyaka eminingi noma ezithuthukisa amakhono othisha abangewona ochwepheshe ukuze baphathe lezi zindawo zokufunda, i-Sheen Robotics ihlinzeka ngokuqeqeshwa kothisha okuhlelekile kanye nezinhlaka zokusebenzisa ngokusebenzisa izinsizakalo zethu zekharikhulamu yezikole kanye nezifundo zothisha e-Sheen Academy.

Ngokuthatha i-MakeCode njengenjini yakho eyinhloko ye-robotics kanye nokucabanga ngezinzwa, uhlomisa abafundi ngemiqondo edlulela ngqo isuka kumabhuloki asesikrinini iye ku-hardware yangempela eshunyekiwe.