Come Learn to Code With Jade
In today's technological world, code is everywhere. Knowing how to write code will be essential for many future jobs. Even if those jobs don't need programming, knowing how can set you apart.
Jade is a tool for learning to code at your own pace from beginner to professional. Programming is creative problem solving, and our unique approach matches challenges to the learner's skills. Jade is a trusty paintbrush for a digital world: it is fun to use daily, never gets old, and becomes an extension of your imagination. |
>>>> REPLACE ABOVE IMAGE WITH A GIF <<<<
Frames include things that the code can do, including turning on LEDs (stoplight) |
Interactive feedback unique to Jade puts you in control: see your code come to life as you write it. Your code can use real electrical signals in real-time, with on-screen measurements, as life happens. We have a few sample experiments at the end of this page.
Or, if you just want to write code that lives inside Jade, you will also have a lot of fun. Two screens and a variety of inputs means that the sky is the limit. We can't wait to see what kind of apps and games you will make!
Or, if you just want to write code that lives inside Jade, you will also have a lot of fun. Two screens and a variety of inputs means that the sky is the limit. We can't wait to see what kind of apps and games you will make!
We recommend viewing these videos full screen and pausing when you want to study the detail we have provided. Enjoy!
Part 1: Write a Line of Code
|
Part 2: Carriers and an Experiment
|
Part 3: Makers and Professionals
|
>>>> Videos above rendered 2018-07-14 @ 3:03PM <<<<
Jade For Electronics And STEM
Make Your Code Come to Life
The experience with Jade is not complete until you have added electronics or a STEM topic of your choice. Jade works standalone, but the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.
Through a Carrier Board or Jade's front-mounted Test and Measurement port, your code will do stuff instantly: there is no waiting for compiling or downloading of your code. Jade compiles your code on a background processor while running it immediately on a dedicated one. This experience, unique to Jade, gives you instant feedback. It allows you to concentrate and focus on the fun while you build and explore. |
>>>> SHOW GIF ABOVE <<<<
Intention similar to code section -- show animated wires dropping in, blinking sequence of wiring indicators, etc. -- animate code robot blinking simulation screen? etc |
Experiments on Carrier Boards can be completed to your liking: write code, wire electronics, or use some mixture of the two. There are many ways to solve the challenges: it is up to you and your comfort. As you explore and grow, old experiments become a new experience with your new skills.
As before, please enjoy these videos in full screen and pause when you need to.
Part 4: Carrier Walkthrough
|
Part 5: Build a Circuit
|
>>>> Videos above rendered 2018-07-14 @ 3:03PM <<<<
How Jade Supports Your Learning
The core experience with Jade is self-paced, self-directed learning in topics that interest you. Below, we have outlined two possibilities: one involving natural sciences and one that is more focused on code and electronics.
Light & Plant Growth
This first example experiment brings together code and data analysis. The intention is for the learner to determine how light exposure duration, intensity, and color affects plant growth while keeping soil moisture relatively constant.
1. Type in code to design your experiment. Your code turns on a watering valve when soil moisture (measured by a humidity sensor) falls too low. It also turns on different colors of lights at specified times and intensity.
|
2. While your experiment is in process, you can see the sensor feedback on-screen in real-time. (You can set up your code through trial-and-error with instant feedback before turning it into a self-contained experiment!)
|
3. You can write your code to prompt you to take measurements at regular intervals. Type the heights into Jade so your code can record it with data collected by its sensors.
|
4. Jade helps you turn your data into meaningful graphs: memory-mapped spreadsheets instantly plot data captured by your code in real units (inch, millicandela, hours). It is up to you to interpret the data and revise the experiment!
|
By saving your code, notes, measured experiment data, and graphs together in a repository, the experiment is self-contained and easily repeatable.
A Stoplight
This example is more in-depth to illustrate how Jade can grow with you (or your children / students) as your skills develop and interests change. The subject is the common stoplight; the experiment is to explore the many ways to make one.
Level 1, Code Only Solution: 1. Commands written in Jade BASIC turn on and off the lights (LEDs) on the CB directly without wiring. 2. Jade's on-board curriculum detects when the lights are changing in the right order: red, green, yellow, red, ... |
Level 1, Electronics Only Solution:
1. You can wire the lights (LEDs) on the CB to Jade's front port. Jade guides you with on-screen wiring instructions while providing instant feedback on both connected wires and missing wires while you work.
2. Once you have wired the stoplight correctly, Jade's on-board curriculum provides sample code that changes the lights on the stoplight.
Level 2, Mixed Solution:
1. You can wire the LEDs on the CB to Jade's front port, guided by on-screen, interactive wiring instructions as above.
2. You can either provide your own code or type along with Jade's sample code for this experiment.
3. Jade detects when both the wiring and code gives a properly functioning stoplight.
Level 3, Mixed Solution 1:
1. As before, wiring is provided by you.
2. You must provide your own code using either Level II BASIC or C. The difference is that you will now command a specific voltage to the LED-resistor circuit you have built instead of a simple "ON" or "OFF" command.
Level 3, Mixed Solution 2:
1. You still have to provide the wiring. For a twist, you can wire external light bulbs instead of using the CB LEDs.
2. You must provide your own code. Jade will provide on-screen hints on how to measure current through these bulbs using commands.
3. Jade will give "bonus points" if it detects an efficiency calculation (formula provided as a code variable and in the on-screen curriculum) to determine the difference between LEDs and bulbs.
Level 4, Mixed Solution:
1. You can provide additional circuits that do interesting things, such as flash the yellow light. (Jade detects your wiring as you work and will discern that you have done something special to the yellow light.)
2. Optionally, instead of (1) above, you can create a circuit in the schematic editor and attach, via the on-screen interface, the simulated circuit output to the front port connector attached to the yellow light.
3. In addition to the code, Jade gives "bonus points" if it detects repeatable test cases in the repository where you have stored your experiment code, data, and notes.
Level 5, "Bonus Points":
This a list of detectable items that would cause Jade to award additional points for this experiment. Some of these are mentioned in the curriculum, some are mentioned in later exercises (to encourage one to revisit earlier experiments), and some are meant to be unlocked by the learner:
1. Addition of a light or motion sensor, measured by code, that causes the stoplight to change.
2. Addition of test cases and run-time code that verify that only one light is lit at a time for safety.
3. Addition of a datalogger function that stores past stoplight measurements, to be used in case of an accident.
4. Addition of a debug mode that sends the present stoplight state through one of Jade's front-mounted serial ports.
5. Detection of a learner experimenting with LED brightness to find an optimal balance between power efficiency, brightness, and LED life.
6. Detection of a learner translating a physical "yellow light blink circuit" into a simulated circuit to reduce physical part count.
7. Addition of inrush limiting and overcurrent protection code for the external light bulbs. (Jade's front port is fully protected, but the learner will pick up valuable skills by implementing this by themselves.)
8. Detection of a learner adding code that powers an additional stoplight.
9. Addition of on-screen stoplights, rendered by BASIC DRAW, LINE, CIRCLE, and PAINT commands.
1. You can wire the lights (LEDs) on the CB to Jade's front port. Jade guides you with on-screen wiring instructions while providing instant feedback on both connected wires and missing wires while you work.
2. Once you have wired the stoplight correctly, Jade's on-board curriculum provides sample code that changes the lights on the stoplight.
Level 2, Mixed Solution:
1. You can wire the LEDs on the CB to Jade's front port, guided by on-screen, interactive wiring instructions as above.
2. You can either provide your own code or type along with Jade's sample code for this experiment.
3. Jade detects when both the wiring and code gives a properly functioning stoplight.
Level 3, Mixed Solution 1:
1. As before, wiring is provided by you.
2. You must provide your own code using either Level II BASIC or C. The difference is that you will now command a specific voltage to the LED-resistor circuit you have built instead of a simple "ON" or "OFF" command.
Level 3, Mixed Solution 2:
1. You still have to provide the wiring. For a twist, you can wire external light bulbs instead of using the CB LEDs.
2. You must provide your own code. Jade will provide on-screen hints on how to measure current through these bulbs using commands.
3. Jade will give "bonus points" if it detects an efficiency calculation (formula provided as a code variable and in the on-screen curriculum) to determine the difference between LEDs and bulbs.
Level 4, Mixed Solution:
1. You can provide additional circuits that do interesting things, such as flash the yellow light. (Jade detects your wiring as you work and will discern that you have done something special to the yellow light.)
2. Optionally, instead of (1) above, you can create a circuit in the schematic editor and attach, via the on-screen interface, the simulated circuit output to the front port connector attached to the yellow light.
3. In addition to the code, Jade gives "bonus points" if it detects repeatable test cases in the repository where you have stored your experiment code, data, and notes.
Level 5, "Bonus Points":
This a list of detectable items that would cause Jade to award additional points for this experiment. Some of these are mentioned in the curriculum, some are mentioned in later exercises (to encourage one to revisit earlier experiments), and some are meant to be unlocked by the learner:
1. Addition of a light or motion sensor, measured by code, that causes the stoplight to change.
2. Addition of test cases and run-time code that verify that only one light is lit at a time for safety.
3. Addition of a datalogger function that stores past stoplight measurements, to be used in case of an accident.
4. Addition of a debug mode that sends the present stoplight state through one of Jade's front-mounted serial ports.
5. Detection of a learner experimenting with LED brightness to find an optimal balance between power efficiency, brightness, and LED life.
6. Detection of a learner translating a physical "yellow light blink circuit" into a simulated circuit to reduce physical part count.
7. Addition of inrush limiting and overcurrent protection code for the external light bulbs. (Jade's front port is fully protected, but the learner will pick up valuable skills by implementing this by themselves.)
8. Detection of a learner adding code that powers an additional stoplight.
9. Addition of on-screen stoplights, rendered by BASIC DRAW, LINE, CIRCLE, and PAINT commands.