City libraries get back into coding action | <p>Last year 26 teams participated and this year this number is set to increase.</p><p>Some libraries have only one team and have therefore joined forces or partnered with their local schools, forming more than 30 teams for the upcoming tournament.</p><p>The winners of the library-level competition sessions will be entered onto a database with their scores and times, and the top three teams from each area (north, south, east and west) will then move on to the final round. </p><p>The finals will be hosted on 31 July or 1 August and the twelve teams will go head-to-head to determine the top three City teams.</p><p>It is these three teams who will be in the running to represent Cape Town in the national and World Tournament competitions.</p><p>Last year the final tournament drew participants from Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Germany and the United States of America and the three participating City libraries placed in the top 10.</p><p>Coding is an engagement project of the Nelson Mandela University Computing Sciences Department and the Leva Foundation. </p><p>Tangible Africa is responsible for creating coding applications, TANKS and RANGERS, which allow participants to play offline, using minimal resources. </p><p>'There is no doubt children learn through play and coding is a fun way to improve on logic and problem solving skills. Since coding was introduced to our libraries two years ago it has grown in leaps and bounds. </p><p>'Coding also enhances creativity and because they have to come up with solutions, they can't procrastinate. I want to encourage our young patrons to sign up and get involved at their library. It's a few hours of social and recreational interaction,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.</p><p>Unplugged coding allows libraries to bring coding to communities who do not have access to expensive resources. </p><p>By downloading a very small app (7MB), participants can play TANKS or RANGERS offline, using the app and the tokens from the game packs.</p><p>The first round of coding mini-competitions will take place at the following libraries on Mandela Day:</p>
<ul><li>Adriaanse </li><li>Athlone</li><li>Belhar </li><li>Bellville </li><li>Bishop Lavis </li><li>Bonteheuwel </li><li>Bothasig </li><li>Brackenfell </li><li>Crossroads </li><li>Delft </li><li>Durbanville </li><li>Edgemead </li><li>Elsies River </li><li>Goodwood </li><li>Hanover Park </li><li>Harare </li><li>Huguenot Square </li><li>Kensington </li><li>Kloof Street </li><li>Kraaifontein </li><li>Kulani </li><li>Lansdowne </li><li>Leonsdale </li><li>Lotus River </li><li>Moses Mabhida </li><li>Mowbray </li><li>Observatory </li><li>Ocean View </li><li>Parow </li><li>PD Paulse </li><li>Pinelands </li><li>Plumstead </li><li>Retreat </li><li>Rocklands </li><li>Southfield </li><li>Town Centre </li><li>Valhalla Park </li><li>Vredehoek
</li></ul><p>The top winners of each area will be invited to play to determine the winner of the City of Cape Town libraries in August.</p><p>To find out more about coding visit your library or contact
<a href="mailto:info@levafoundation.org">info@levafoundation.org</a>.</p><p> </p><p>
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</p> | 2024-06-30T22:00:00Z | GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d | | | | | GP0|#2c600120-f64e-48e2-b077-11a8cf3f3e30;L0|#02c600120-f64e-48e2-b077-11a8cf3f3e30|library;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#f3223853-467d-44ec-a9b7-a222a9930e88;L0|#0f3223853-467d-44ec-a9b7-a222a9930e88|technological innovation | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |