When kids learn to code , it enables them to learn many other things, opens up many new opportunities for learning. It’s useful to make an analogy to reading and writing. When you learn to read and write it opens up opportunities for you to learn so many other things, when you learn to read you can then read to learn, which is the same thing with coding, if you learn to code you can code to learn.
- It helps kids learn in meaningful contexts
- It teaches them that learning is a process and not a product
- It teaches them how to take complex ideas and break them down into simpler parts
- It teaches them how to collaborate with others
- It also teaches them how to keep persistent and persevere in the face of frustration when things are not working well
- It teaches determination and risk-taking
- It helps them become fluent with technologies and enable them to open up and express their ideas.
- It helps them be creative and self-expressive
- It helps them interact with the world around them
I have already covered several coding resources to use with your students in class including : coding websites, coding apps, books on coding, coding games and more. In this post, I want to particularly highlight these helpful coding tools from Google for Education.
1- Code Gym
A Google-supported open source coding laboratory using drawing, music and creative fiction to introduce coding concepts
2-Blockly
Blockly provides a wide variety games that help kids learning coding. These include a Puzzle game for learning blockly shapes, a Bird’s game for learning conditionals, a Movie to teach students how to use math to animate a movie, Music to help kids use functions to compose music, and many more
3- Code with Google
Code with Google is a learning hub that offers a plethora of educational resources to help students of all ages and skill levels learn coding and computer programming.
