I Knew Nothing About Coding

   For my blog post this week I decided to do one of the Hour of Code options on Code.org.  When we were introduced to the topic of coding in class I got a little nervous. I really know nothing about what coding is or how to even go about it. Luckily we were introduced to a few different tools that teach you how to code in a simple wayI decided on completing the Dance party option and I am very glad I did. The Dance party section is divided into three different parts, so once you are done with the Introduction portion you can move on to more advanced levels. I thought that this was a very good idea, especially for people looking to advance their coding skills or just simply develop a good grasp of it. Each of the levels takes approximately 1 hour.  After I completed the introduction I received a certificate for completing the course.

My thoughts on the online tool:

 

 Overall I really enjoyed using code.org. I thought they broke down each concept into simple and easy to follow steps.  For my Dance Party option, the goal was to create a dance with different characters. Using coding would allow the characters to do different moves and once they are all put together it would create an entire dance routine.

   At the start of each new concept, they would include an introductory video from the people who created this online tool. They give an inside view into the world of coding and then break down the new content into steps. They give visuals which I really appreciated, as well as examples that you can use in your own dance.

    There were points in the higher levels where I found myself missing a step in the video. Luckily they have the instructions at the top of the screen. The instructions are fairly vag so they include a “hint” button as well. I really liked this addition into this tool because it was still challenging me to recall what I had learned previously and if you needed a little bit of help there was an option for that.

    I personally loved that I could create a dance with multiple characters. You can code it so that you have one main dancer and then a bunch of backup dancers or you can have two characters dance battle. I opted for the backup dancers so that I could create an entire routine. It took me back to my dance days which I really enjoyed.

 

How Coding Could Be a Useful Tool in the Classroom.

 

    I can see  how coding could be such an amazing tool to use in a classroom for kids of any age. Through my personal experience and first time ever coding I see how it would teach kids to be resilient and critical thinkers. There were times when I found myself failing and having to try a certain piece of my coding again. This is a common problem that everyone faces all the time. Through coding , students would have to fail, figure out what went wrong, fix the problem and the cycle continues.  Another great reason why I would use coding in the classroom is to build on students’ creativity skills.  This could give a lot of students who do not love learning in the traditional way a chance to really succeed and see that learning can be more than just pencil and paper.