Coding is being used more and more in classrooms as it becomes more relevant in today’s world. It also has been shown to provide many benefits including:
- Providing logic for things we use and see in our everyday lives
- Develops problem solving and computational thinking
- Builds up a job skill
- Can be fun!
Coding in the classroom
When many of us think of coding, this is what comes to mind…
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But there are tons of programs, websites, and manipulatives that are making learning coding more accessible and fun for young learners. Instead of simply focusing on coding languages and rows and rows of symbols, these new programs are focusing on aspects of coding like putting pieces of logic together to make a sequence or presenting the learning as a game to get students into it. Some sites, like CSunplugged, are even taking the screentime out of the equation, while teaching the principles of coding without being online!
Glitch
During our breakout rooms, I spent the most time working with Glitch.
While I could see it being (maybe) easy to use and fun for someone with more coding knowledge, it was too much for me and my group mates to work with. We had no prior experience, so we were feeling pretty lost with it. This is definitely a program for a more experienced learner, who already knows the basics of coding language and some know-how of formatting it. Without this, there not really much that can be accomplished.
We all agreed that this was a program suitable for older learners (upper high school) with previous experience, likely in a coding elective.
Other group reported back with some rave reviews for programs like Grasshopper, Scratch, and CSunplugged, which would all be better for younger students.
Thoughts
I really love the idea of teaching coding in the classroom! I completely agree that it’s hugely beneficial for all the reasons listed above. However, I’m someone that is a little leery of adding screentime in the classroom (I’d say I personally lean more towards a nature/outdoor school approach to things), so while some of the websites can be fun and effective, I don’t know about using them often enough to produce much benefit. Programs like CS unplugged or using coding manipulatives that the students can actually get their hands on is something that is so exciting to me, and something I would happily bring introduce to a class.
-Megan B.