Last year I participated in a Career Day at school to show what Software Developer is and what they do. I created PowerPoint to make it interesting for the 1st grade kids. Presentation ended with an interactive programming session in which kids programmed a dumb robot i.e. me to complete a task of throwing a paper into a trash can.
Presentation Time: 20 Minutes
Items Needed
- PowerPoint presentation
- Small trash can
- Crumbled papers (blank/used/newspaper)
- Small reusable/plastic bag for holding trash can and crumbled papers
Presentation Overview
I had divided whole presentation into following sections
- Introduction
- What Software Developer does
- How Software Developer is impacting everyone’s life
- Why being Software Developer is a good choice
- Question: Is computer smart or dumb?
- Interactive experiment – Program a dumb robot
Introduction
Slide 1: I am Vishal Monpara. I am working as a Software Developer from past xyz years.
Slide 2: How many of you played these games on a phone? ( Students will get really excited about these games). Well, do you know who creates these games? It is the Software Developer who creates these games.
Slide 3, 4, 5, 6: Software Developers feel that they are (slide 3, 4, 5). No. They feel they are (slide 6) super man and super woman.
What Software Developer does
Slide 7: For the whole day, Software Developer does “Abracadabra”. No way.
Slide 8: For the whole day, Software Developer sits in front of a computer and writes program. When Software Developer is working, s/he is facing lots of problem. When they fix problem….
Slide 9: They jump high.
How Software Developer is Impacting Everyone’s Life
Slide 10: What is a common in all these items? Well, they all require programming and Software Developer is helping create the programs so they work.
Why Being Software Developer is a Good Choice
Slide 11: Ask student: What is this? (Students will answer: Lego). Lego is my favorite. Once I have a pile of Lego, (go to next slide)
Slide 12: I can make different toys I like. Software Developer does exactly same thing. Once you know how to develop a software, you can make different things you like.
Question: Is Computer Smart or Dumb?
Slide 13: Question for you. Is computer smart or dumb? Raise your hand if you think computer is smart. Raise your hand if you think computer is dumb. Why do you think so? (Most/All of the students will say computer is smart) Let me tell you a secret. Computer is dumb. It is the Software Developer who makes computer smart. The same with phone. Even Smart phone is dumb. Software Developer makes it smart. I see a lots of Software Developer in the classroom. Let’s have an experiment. (go to next slide)
Interactive Experiment – Program a Dumb Robot
Slide 14: (You may start speaking like a robot anytime depending on your audience) Let’s pretend that I am a dumb robot. I am going to place a trash can here. You need to give instruction to robot what to do. Robot can understand only these instructions. (place trash can little bit away so that you can have forward, left, right steps and place crumbled paper at a little height so can pick up “trash” without bending your hand)
- Move forward (1 step)
- Move backward (1 step)
- Turn left
- Turn right
- Pick trash
- Throw trash
Now ask students to provide an instructions what robot should do next. You may also give hint to student that robot does not understand certain instruction and understands only above mentioned instructions.
Initially students will struggle a bit but once they understand, they will provide accurate instruction.
Conclusion
Slide 15, 16, 17: Congratulations! You are the world best Software Developer. Allow some time for students to ask question.
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