LIVE HELP About Us The Learning Format
It’s All About The Learning Format!
CodeCampKidz immediately engages students by using a unique tactile learning approach with direct immersion in code to teach programming. All of the instruction is project based to add context to the lessons and produce a final tangible result in the form of a completed App Page. Each micro lesson is delivered in a three step process with minimal screen distractions. The 1st step is a flashcard overview of the lesson topic. The 2nd is immediate immersion in example based code. The 3rd is a visual review compared to an example. Combined these form a powerful learning engine that drives project development. At each step of the way the student is able to see the page being built line by line.
To keep the development process moving forward the student is supported with example code for each lesson and audio instructions for immediate implementation. A line highlighter highlights each line of correct code as it is typed preventing the student from accumulating an inventory of errors. A final code checker compares the student’s code with the example, highlighting any discrepancies and showing a relevant error message. In the last step the student can visually compare their work with an example to make sure it is correct.
Each project presents new concepts and techniques while re-enforcing material that was already covered. This provides the student with multiple exposures to the same material overtime to make sure it sinks in. Every time a project is completed new code or techniques are added to the “Playroom”. This is where the students can practice their code free style using existing pages or creating entirely new pages. The Playroom has a cumulative toolbox that builds over time storing each HTML, CSS or JavaScript tool as it is learned. This approach “spoon feeds” what could be an overwhelming topic. When a student hovers over each tool in the toolbox a pop up displays a description of it and shows a list of where the student has used it in previous code. Hovering over that list pops a reference window that shows the actual code the student wrote so they can recall how they have used it in the past re-enforcing the concept.
How We Came To Be
CodeCampKidz came to life as a simple question:
“How can you teach kids with language based learning disorders, A.D.D., and Dyslexia to code via an online learning platform?”
To help answer that question a focus group was assembled by Judith Wisnia at Wisnia Associates which included kids (and few adults) who all had one or more of the learning disorders. Rian Sousa wrote the code and created the user interface test cases. A trial and error testing process then began exploring how the audience reacted to A / B split tests on various learning formats. Over the course of 8 months in field tests and many iterations the current format emerged as the most successful, achieving a 100% completion rate on all level 1 projects for everyone in the focus group.