I started learning to code when I started working with a program called EYES (Educating Youth in Engineering and Science) a couple of years ago. Prior to this experience I had thought of coding as either binary (1’s and 0’s) or written code like python. I also typically envisioned coding as they depict in the movies where the person doing the coding is wearing a hoodie in a dark basement and typing a mile a minute just to get past the firewall that is supposedly impossible to get through, but somehow, they do it in a matter of minutes.
I have since learned that coding does not have to be a scary and overwhelming task. There are many coding languages and websites that can help people who have never coded before. At EYES we use block coding as our main way of teaching students to code because it is very intuitive, easy to learn, and takes away the overwhelming feeling that usually comes along with coding. It also makes coding accessible to students so that they do not grow up feeling that coding is impossible to learn. We typically use these codes to either code games or robots and other hardware. To apply for EYES you need to create a 5 minute video of you demonstrating a STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) activity that you can use with students.
This year I did mine using a block coding program called mBlock and a robot called Codey Rocky.
As a result of my previous coding experience with both Scratch and Hour of Code I chose to spend time this week looking into the Code Academy site. First and foremost, a major difference between this site and the others is that it is not as easily accessible for younger children. I get the sense that this site is meant to be used by people who have already taken an interest in coding and plan to pursue it at a higher level. I struggled to choose a course to try because there were so many that sounded interesting. I was intrigued by the machine learning and artificial intelligence courses but decided on game design because the other two courses were more about explaining the concept and less about how to create, code, or develop them. I enjoyed this course because when I am working with students to code a game at work, we typically only have an hour to complete the activity before moving onto the next. We often have a code started and work through finishing the code with the students. The course talks about game development from the very beginning including deciding what category of game you are wanting to create, the factors that impact the enjoyment of the game, the storyline, and determining what platform/console or controller you plan for it to be played with. It walks you through the different options in each category and explains the pros and cons of each. As I was reading, I noticed that I kept thinking that each concept was obvious and common sense, but when I reflected on it further, I had not really recognized all the decision making and planning that goes into game development before the coding even begins. It sounds like a lot of work! It also really opened my eyes to just how hard it must be to be an independent game developer without a massive company backing you with resources and support both intellectually and financially.
One feature of the site that I really loved was a button at the top right-hand corner labelled “Get Unstuck”. Our catchphrase of the 2023 summer of EYES was “Stay unstuck” which was meant to refer to the idea that there is always more that we can learn whether it be from a text or another person. Intrigued, I had to know what this button was for. It had many different features. One that I was interested in was the documentation tab. When you click on it, it states that if you have the paid version of the site, you will have access to additional articles on the concepts that are discussed in the course.
Overall, I would say that I did not learn a lot about coding because of my previous experiences, but I was able to learn about what goes into a project before the coding even begins. I think this knowledge will be helpful for my work with EYES, however I think it will also be beneficial in the classroom as gaming becomes more and more popular for younger students. I will hopefully be able to use this to start conversations with them about using their gaming skills and knowledge in the future and relate to and build connections with them. I think that Code Academy is extremely useful for people that are interested in learning more advanced concepts in coding or for educators who are planning to teach coding in the classroom. I think it is also a site that could be used for gifted students as either an additional project or as an add on to an existing project where they could explore how the concepts of AI, machine learning, coding, etc. could be used to enhance the concept discussed in the project or the project itself by turning in a coded version of the project. For example, they could develop a game to demonstrate concepts that they are trying to share. I also think that the block coding programs I have mentioned above would make an excellent addition to the classroom. They can be used to illustrate science, math, and art concepts in an engaging way for this technology driven world. It also helps students to learn and gain confidence in their digital literacy and cybersecurity skills.
I think that coding is extremely important. We would not have any of the technological advances that we do without coding. Many people may hear technological advances and think about smart phones and social media which sours their view of this concept. However, we are able to live to be 100 because of many of the advances in medical technology. We are also living in the golden age of information where we can share knowledge with others around the globe. I would argue that while there are definite cons of technological advances, they cannot be compared to the pros. As I have previously mentioned, I also believe that there are many uses for coding in the classroom. I am very passionate about making STEM concepts accessible to all youth. I believe that we need greater gender and cultural diversity in our STEM fields. This starts by helping youth to believe that it is a possibility for them to pursue. I grew up in a small town where there was limited technology available in the classrooms in addition to the lack of engaging materials in our science classes. I grew up thinking that pursuing science, while it was a passion of mine, was not possible for me because I was not smart enough. However, it was not a lack of intelligence that was the problem, it was the lack of access to education on the subject.