Coding

What is coding?

Coding, or computer programming, is giving a computer step-by-step commands to tell it what to do. This can include making websites, games and apps. Common coding languages include HTML and JavaScript.

Young learners and beginners can begin coding in the classroom using web based programmes – such as Scratch .  

• No knowledge of actual coding is required
• Users interlock colour-coded bricks to create interactive games and animations. 

Why teach coding?

Students who have mastered coding can construct, hypothesise, explore, experiment, evaluate, and draw conclusions. 

Coding is an important and necessary future-focused literacy. It is included as part of the school curricula in many countries who recognise this.

Coding helps to create our digital world and as our world becomes more digital, coding is becoming more of an in-demand and employable skill.

In his 2012 Ted Talk Lets teach kids to code  Mitch Resnick outlines the benefits of teaching kids to code, so they can do more than just “read” new technologies – but also create them.

(16.48)

Callum and his teacher, Fraser Malins, explain how Scratch supports student learning with creativity, logical thinking, and problem solving at Halswell School.  

Scratch  and ScratchJr
Scratch and ScratchJr allows users to program interactive stories, games, and animations and share these to a community. 

References

Balanskat, A. & Englehart, K., (2015). Computing our future. Computer programming and coding. Priorities, school curricula and intitiatives across Europe . European Schoolnet.

1. Get connected and communicate

Talk to your learners, and ask around your community for people with an interest or knowledge in coding for information and support.

• Code Club Aotearoa runs school coding clubs around the country with the support of volunteers in the community. Not all of the volunteers are teachers.

2. Learn a little code

Teachers learning to code a robot using interlocking colour-coded instructions.

To get started, explore resources and self-directed tutorials for both teachers and students.

• TeacherTube offers a range of resources and video clips to support teachers learning to code

• Hour of Code tutorials  allows users to learn the basics of computer science with drag and drop programming.

• Codecademy is a web-based environment to start teaching students about about programming and the basic lessons are free.

• CSFirst offers a free computer science curriculum that makes coding easy to teach and fun to learn

You can start students coding without the need for digital devices!

CS Unplugged , a project by the CS Education Research Group at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, offers a free collection of fun, free learning activities that encourage computational thinking.

3. Make learning authentic

Allow students to explore problems and design different solutions. Coding By Design  begins with solving real problems for real people.

“Classrooms that celebrate the process of design and making, which includes overcoming challenges, produce students who start to believe they can solve any problem. Students learn to trust themselves as competent problem solvers who don’t need to be told what to do next. This stance can be a crucial change for children who are used to getting explicit directions every minute of every day.”

– Martinez & Stager  (2014)

Year 13 student, Daniel Cowpertwait describes his Portal Unity Project – a modification coded for the online game, Portal. He developed this along with three other students as part of the Impact Project at Albany Senior High School. The authentic context provided many opportunities for learning including specialised technical skill development, a deep understanding of copyright, and working successfully as part of a team. He has been supported in his learning by an expert via the Internet and a mentor. Daniel describes how the cross curricular nature of the project has opened his eyes to the way different disciplines can be combined into a career.

4. Play and have fun with coding

Engage students' curiosity and provide opportunities to explore, play and ‘tinker’ with code, so they are not just learning to code but coding to learn. 

Games are one of the best ways to foster a love for coding in kids. There are a vast array of online resources that incorporate learning how to code into gaming. These involve challenges and rewards that scaffold learning and teach fundamental skills.

Encourage girls to code

Women are under-represented in roles that involve creating technology.

• Made with code  is a Google project started to inspire girls to contribute their voices to the field of technology.

• Girls who code  works to educate, inspire, and equip high school girls with the skills and resources to pursue opportunities in computing fields.

More information »

• 6 resources to engage students in coding with Scratch
• Game development Enabling e-Learning page

5. Try one hour of code

The Hour of Code website offers a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. A global, week long Hour of Code event takes place once a year. But, teachers can host an Hour of Code event all year round.

More information »

• Resources to support learning and teaching with coding

References

Heggart, K., (2014). Coded for Success: The Benefits of Learning to Program. Edutopia

Martinez, S & Stager, G., (2014). The maker movement: A learning revolution . ISTE

Key reading

Cracking the code – schools get kids programming
New Zealand Herald education reporter, Nicholas Jones outlines how coding as the "new literacy" is fast becoming the key to good jobs.

A beginner’s guide to bringing coding into the classroom
Edsurge: An article outlining how to get started with coding in the classroom with a helpful table of coding resources.

Coding in the classroom
Edutopia: Links to useful resources, strategies, activities, games and apps to teach kids programming skills and computer science concepts.

Coded for success: The benefits of learning to program
Edutopia: This article outlines why teachers should incorporate coding into the learning program.

Teaching kids to code
Edsurge: A guide to coding in the classroom from a range of perspectives.

Coding by design: A design-first approach
Edutopia: A design thinking approach to creating an app, then proceed to a prototype, multiple iterations based on real feedback, and finally a top-down approach to solving the coding problems and puzzles inherent in app development.

Fractus learning
Links to articles and resources to support teaching and learning with coding.

10 reasons to teach coding
A sketch note outlining different reasons to teach coding.