Want to Teach Coding? Here’s Where to Begin
There is a plethora of online resource guides available for educators who have an interest in coding. These guides range from fundamental courses for novice coders to curricula for educators who wish to incorporate principles of computer science into other subject areas such as the humanities or the arts. Find a few of the best below, including resources from Code.org, which provides free training for teachers of students of all grade levels and includes a national network of in-person local seminars.
CODE.ORG
Hadi Partovi, a software entrepreneur, is the founder of Code.org, which is a national nonprofit organisation that encourages access to coding instruction for everyone. In addition to providing K–12 educators with access to free online training and tutorials, the organisation also hosts free workshops in person.
The courses designed for K–5 educators can be finished in anywhere from six to eight hours’ time and include a curriculum guide as well as lesson ideas. Teachers receive training in either the principles of computer science as a subject that can stand on its own or in the various ways that coding education may be incorporated into other subject areas. Attendance does not require payment of any kind.
Educators of students in middle school and high school can participate in summer seminars and then continue their education with in-person courses held throughout the year. The classes are offered at no cost, and grants are provided to cover participants’ lodging and food costs. You can conduct a search on the map to find courses in your area, or you can get in touch with a regional partner to learn about forthcoming opportunities.
In order to participate in any of the Code.org programmes, prior expertise is not required. Hadi Partovi, the company’s founder, claims that educators do not need to have any prior knowledge of mathematics or computer programming. The classes are made available to any teacher that has an interest in expanding their knowledge in coding education.
Hour of Code is another programme that can be found on Code.org. It is an effort that provides instructors with self-guided tutorials that last for one hour and may be used to introduce students to coding. The tutorials are offered for free and can be accessed by students of any grade level. The Hour of Code is held on a national scale during Computer Science Education Week at the beginning of December; however, educators are free to access the resources and run the activity whenever it is convenient for them during the year. There is a guide available on Edutopia that provides hints and tips on how to get the most out of your participation in Hour of Code.
OTHER RESOURCES
The ScratchEd application, which was developed by education researchers at Harvard, is a free resource that can be downloaded by K–12 instructors and serves as a guide for teaching kids creative computing. Students will be led step-by-step through the process of creating interactive media projects with the help of this seven-unit lesson plan.
A programme known as CodeCombat is one that instructs students in coding using the medium of gaming. Students starting at age 9 and older are encouraged to learn coding through the use of exploration in the game-based software. The programme provides both a resource hub as well as a free introduction training that can last anywhere from one to three hours.
Mobile CSP is a curriculum for teachers of high school students who are interested in developing an Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science course. The curriculum allows students to learn programming while developing a mobile application. You can access the free training on the internet.
Check out the extensive list of in-person and online programmes that is provided on Code.org for a complete rundown of available resources.
EDUTOPIA SUGGESTED READING
The Three Steps Necessary to Become a Coding Instructor You can learn how to create curriculum, plan your classroom, and get support for computer science instruction by reading the following ideas provided by an Edutopia contributor.
There Are More Than 15 Ways to Teach Every Student to Code (Even Without a Computer) There are many different approaches to teaching coding, some of which may not even require the use of a computer. Check out this collection of resources on teaching coding that Edutopia has compiled even if you do not currently consider yourself an expert in the field.