Article in the UK Guardian that sounds close to home: The UK's attitude to computer education needs a reboot

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/06/uk-computer-education-needs-reboot

"The ability to have an idea, and then build it myself, rather than nagging (or paying) developer friends into submission is one of the most empowering things I've ever learned."

Lots of movement at The Lab of late

It's been a while between drinks on this blog - we've been so busy of late. So here's a short summary of some of the latest developments in Labland (that's not a bad term..should use that!):

• last week The Lab hosted a ministerial visit from the Hon Bill Shorten, Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, and Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation. Minister Shorten also happens to be the local member for Maribyrnong, which is where the Lab is located. The visit saw a cast of dozens: kids and parents in Lab t-shirts, representatives from Victoria University and the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre (who organised the visit) as well as Shorten and his support staff. Minister Shorten spent much of the hour sitting down with Lab members and hearing from parents, then gave an eloquent speech on the needs of Australians with disability. The Young and Well CRC has collected some media from the event here: http://storify.com/yawcrc/bill-shorten-mp-visits-the-lab. Below is one of the pics, featuring Dermott giving the Minister a lesson in games programming:

• the week before, The Lab's video (see the homepage on The Lab website: www.thelab.org.au) and a big banner of the Lab infographic (see below) featured at a Science Week event at Parliament House in Canberra. Again, this was organised by the Young and Well CRC:

• In the last little while we (well, largely our brilliant research colleague Alberto Rizzo) have also been working on some papers about The Lab, including one for the forthcoming World Mental Health conference in Perth, one for the Australian Computer-Human Interaction conference in Melbourne, and one for a journal.

• Dale and/or Stefan have also given presentations at Flinders University in Adelaide and at the Werribee Rotary Club, where we have met some brilliant people.

• Our friends at  Just Better Care in Sydney are forging ahead with plans to start a Lab there. Start date is set at October 6! If you know anyone in Sydney who might be interested in this,or would like to be involved as a mentor or participant, please let us know via the Lab site contact form (http://www.thelab.org.au/contact) - we'd love to hear from you.

• Both the Wednesday and Thursday groups are firing along now, especially with the upcoming creative competition that's due to end in September.

• We're due to run another holiday workshop in the September holidays - will keep you posted once Dale returns from Japan and we can work out a date.

public meeting on educational support for ASD kids

Hi everyone. This message comes from Cheryl, Edward's mum. For parents of ASD kids looking to advocate for changes to the educationsl support funding criteria  for kids on the ASD spectrum. Public Meeting, Sunday,July 22, 1.00pm-4.00pm,Ross House,Ground Meeting Room,247 Flinders Lane,Melbourne (Flinders Street Station end of flinders lane). Registration is necessary Contact Janeane-0438 219 965 or Nicky-0417 295 238,

The Lab Competition

Bailey's Adobe Fireworks creations

Hello, this is Bailey from the lab. Here I will be showing you some creations I made using the program

Adobe fireworks.

An unofficial Super Mario 64 2 logo.

In the late 90's Nintendo announced that a sequel to Super Mario 64 (1996) would be released for the Nintendo 64 DD in 1999 but due to failing sales for the Nintendo 64 DD the game was cancelled. (Don't believe me? check the Super Mario Wiki.)http://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_64_2

So then I thought "what if Nintendo were able to make a logo"? As you can see in the logo apart from the number 2 the word MARIO is slightly brighter.  Also, not only is Mario's hat there but so is Luigi's hat because he was intended to be in the game and the game was planned to be 2 player. The Number 2 is a copy of the number 2 in the Mario party 2 logo but is now red with black lines and white dots.

At this years E3, Nintendo announced that a 4th New Super Mario Bros is coming to the new Wii U. So I thought I could make up a cover for the game using the official group art and logo plus with some other features. I also made a Wii U cover layout using the circle part from the Mario Kart Wii logo but making it the colour grey, plus with the Wii U logo and an exclusive New Super Mario Bros.U only, blue coloured background.

New Super Mario Bros. U trailer here-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4pJnV5OxPI

   

           
After the announcement of the Wii U at E3 2011 I had an idea for a Mario Game called Super Mario U and then renamed Super Mario 264. In these covers I reused official Nintendo artwork to make the characters do different things e.g. - I got a picture of Mario in his kart and then erased the kart and put Mario on the back of Yoshi. I also reused the Wii game cover layout but with the Wii U logo. Soon I will post a blog about my ideas for the game and with a new cover as well with the title going back to Super Mario U.             
                                                                      

                                                            More blogs coming soon.

                                                    

      

Mikes Brain Blast: Sonic Fan Film in the making

Mike's Brain Blast: Sunday, April 15

Hey guys, welcome to the first of a brand new gaming related news segment that I'll host here on the Lab blog,
Mike's Brain Blast. You may not know that I'm a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog and if any of you are also
interested in Sonic you'll be glad to hear that a Sonic the Hedgehog Fan Film is in
the works, it will be funded by Blue Core Studios and directed by Eddy Lebron,
who has also in his past directed the well know Mega Man Fan Film.
The Sonic Fan Film has an estimated release of May 2012, it has now been in the works
for over a year. The estimated length of the film will be 20-35 minutes.

Here's a link to the trailer of  the Sonic Fan Film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D1dPBPr_H4

Here's the film's blog: http://www.sonicfanfilm.com/

This is Mike, signing off.

Last week's holiday session, and free Game Maker course

Hello everyone.

Thank you to all those who took part in last week's very successful holiday session. It was a great afternoon with a lively and fun atmosphere, even given that the laptops ran out and we had to drag in chairs from other rooms to cater for everyone!

In particular, a huge thank you to the five regular Thursday Lab kids who acted as mentors and helped out their peers. You guys did a brilliant job.

Secondly, some people might be interested in a free 20-hour online GameMaker course that is being run by a private Melbourne-based educational institution. More details can be found here:

http://www.aie.edu.au/Default.aspx?PageID=5032578&A=SearchResult&SearchID=4316500&ObjectID=5032578&ObjectType=1 (and thank you to Sue for sending the link!)

Regards,

Stefan, Dale and the Lab team

A drawing created with Corel Painter Essentials 4

Hi, Bailey here. This is a creeper being scared by a cat.
I drew this picture because I liked how cats were introduced into Minecraft in version 1.2

Anybody like Minecraft?

Hey parents, does your child like Minecraft? There is a wide variety of animations about Minecraft on the Internet, and for those of your children who are interested, here's my Top 5

5. The Minecraft Collection

A short series of videos made by someone new to Minecraft, they did a pretty good job though!

4. Rick's Minecraft Tales

Another series of funny short films about Minecraft. (Australian Made)

3. Epic Minequest

A short video about a man who makes an unlikely friend, a Creeper. (Australian Made)

2. Derpcraft

Another Minecraft short showing somebodies initial reactions to Minecraft. (Australian Made)

1. Revenge

A Minecraft music video about somebody who stands up against Creepers,

the music is great and this video is undoubtedly the best Minecraft video I've seen.

Minecraft Artwork!

Here's a video I made,
it's a Speed Art of a Creeper, a popular meme from the Minecraft video game.
The video includes a download link to a editable PNG (Type of picture)
So you can feel free download and edit it to your hearts content.