Live Coding Language Design: PHAD

Phad is a live coding environment built for web browsers. Phad strives for minimal syntax, with the purpose of achieving both readability and simplicity targeted to users with no programming or music experience. It is built around the modification of notes and instruments, and the combination of both. The Phad environment was built with the user in mind, offering tutorials, exercises, a playground, and collaborative performance. Users are able to login with a Google Account and save code to our database, making it easy to come back to previous work, or to see what other users have created. The language and system design of Phad was inspired by previous live-coding environments, and was improved iteratively with external feedback as well as our experience at the Algorave

Realizing the Promise of the LC5 Kinderpitch Program

The LC5 foundation in Tirana, Albania uses play to aid in the emotional, social, and physical development of children. The goal of this project was to identify how LC5 can build on its strengths and address the challenges of working with under-resourced school systems as it seeks to expand. Through participant observation and key informant interviews we compared LC5’s goals to the implementation of the program in two schools. By analyzing children’s drawings and through observation, we found that children enjoy and benefit from the program, but limited staffing, competing school priorities, and inadequate funding impeded regular use of the program. To realize its goals, LC5 would benefit from a dedicated animateur and more systematic planning with school staff