CSforAll: Here’s How One Coding Organization Works to Pave the Way to Greater Gender Equality in the Tech Industry

Vidcode is honored to be featured in a CSforALL article celebrating Women’s History Month. Hear from the Vidcode team as they share their perspectives on gender equality, the power of women (especially teenage girls!) and the future of the tech industry.

The tech industry, for example, is still an enormously male-dominated field, but businesses like Vidcode help the future of the industry look brighter for women everywhere. -CSforALL

The article highlights how the team is inspired by Vidcode leadership and the driving mission behind the work they do, to make coding accessible to ALL students.

You can find the full CSforALL article featured on Medium.com by clicking here.

Engaging Virtual Coding Clubs at Hudson Library & Historical Society

Libraries across the country have worked tirelessly this past year to implement virtual programming for their patrons. Ohio-based Hudson Library & Historical Society was quick to adapt. With an existing coding program prepared for their teens, they had to quickly pivot when their doors shut in 2020. Youth Services Library, Emily Duncan details, “We were planning on offering a coding program, but the one we had lined up for the year required being in-person and Vidcode was perfectly designed for using over Zoom!”

The Hudson Library & Historical Society found Vidcode and were able to quickly solve the problem. Vidcode’s coding platform is designed to be completely adaptable to virtual, in-person and hybrid learning environments. As long as their teen patrons have internet access and a device, they can access Vidcode’s fun and activity-based projects like coding meme-makers, games, and video filters.

“Vidcode is Intuitive to use and highly engaging!”

Emily Duncan, Hudson Library & Historical Society Youth Services Librarian

Teens at Hudson join a casual weekly coding club virtually using Zoom. They pick up where they left off in the module and can connect with Emily, who’s there to help if they get stuck. Feedback has been positive, the teens have expressed that they like that they can work through the modules at their own pace.

Setting up the coding club at Hudson was an extremely smooth process. Emily adds, “The platform adapted well to what we needed, which was a coding program that could be entirely virtual.” Emily worked through the first coding club lesson and really liked how everything was structured to build off the lesson before it. The lessons are cohesive but don’t moving so quickly that it was hard to keep up with the programming language, a critique of some other coding courses she tried in the past.

We’re so inspired by Hudson Library and the success they’ve seen in their community. We want to thank Emily and her coding club for sharing their experience and inspiring us. Happy coding!

Highland Falls Students Learn to Code with Vidcode

Vidcode helps Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District engage students in STREAM curriculum and meet New York State Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards

Highland Falls is leading the way in New York State STEAM education. Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District is located in the heart of scenic Hudson River Valley and draws students from Highland Falls, Fort Montgomery, West Point, and Garrison. One of the ways Highland Falls is leading the way in New York State education is by connecting real-world impact and computer science. Students at Highland Falls are learning how computer science intersects with their hobbies, community, and the world.

New York released their latest standards in December 2020, propelling schools across the state like Highland Falls to find a solution to meet the requirements while prioritizing student interests and flexibility for remote learning. Highland Falls landed on Vidcode to meet the challenges at hand for their core coding unit for STREAM (Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Art and Media) Class. The course teaches students about coding and robotics while making creative projects.

Highland Falls CSD chose Vidcode because they know how important a research-backed platform is; they wanted to be sure that students were learning proven computer science learning outcomes. They also wanted students to be able to express themselves, and Vidcode’s multimedia based activities were perfect for the creative nature of their class.

Kristen Magyar, NYSCATE’s 2020 Outstanding Teacher of the Year, is teaching with Vidcode across her STREAM classes. Today, students across all grade levels learn how to code, conduct research, and create multi-media presentations to showcase their work. Mrs. Magyar, shared “Vidcode this year allowed our students to express their creativity, continue our coding studies and create amazing projects. The connection from Block based coding to Javascript was seamless for the students as we tackled the JavaScript Pathway.”

Real-life learning outcomes

Highland Falls doesn’t just use Vidcode for in-class instruction. In 2019, they upped their game and ran a hackathon for all of their 6th grade students. During the event, students used Vidcode to create mockups of proposals that local businesses could use to increase traffic to their stores. The winning proposal was implemented that year!

The hackathon was broken into 3 days, where students got familiar with the Vidcode coding platform, did live in-person research, and used the data they collected to make informed decisions about what to build.

• Day 1: Students got up and running with Vidcode and completed introductory JavaScript tutorials, like stop motion videos and animations.

• Day 2: Students organized into teams and took a trip to town. They talked to local businesses about their problems and goals.

• Final day: Students brainstormed solutions from their data. They spent the day finding solutions, coding projects, and at the end presented their recommendations and prototypes to judges.

Students worked collaboratively, they had to work together to find solutions based on evidence and build them on Vidcode. They saw firsthand through the experience how coding can make an impact in their local communities.

“Vidcode was a great resource for our 6th graders. The hack-a-thon allowed our 6th grade students to apply design-thinking protocols to an authentic problem in our community. Teams of students gathered information, analyzed data, and identified a solution.

The students used Vidcode to create and showcase the solution as a part of the final presentation to the judges. This was an important element of the overall process that allowed students to creatively display what they learned and how they envisioned the solution and its impact on the local businesses. ”

— Andrea Tejedor, Highland Falls Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

Vidcode for administrators

The Vidcode educator dashboard is an essential and intuitive tool to track and measure student progress. The dashboard is optimized to showcase student learning outcomes at a high level for school administrators and curriculum and instruction faculty members. At a glance, Highland Falls administrators can confidently see that their students are successfully learning skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

Leading the way in New York STate Education

When New York State announced the new Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards in December, Vidcode was ready and in compliance. They knew they could confidently adopt Vidcode because of we were vetted for Ed-law 2D Compliant as part of our availability on the BOCES Erie-1 Contract. Highland Falls is already exceeding the new standards while engaging students in life-changing opportunities. Schools across the state, like Highland Falls, can count on Vidcode to be ahead of the curve in curriculum standards and student safety.

5 Projects for Computer Class

Computer class can and should be more than just the basics of typing and the understanding of how to use web applications. Computer class should be fun. Why? Because when your students are engaged, they’re learning. And that’s what it’s all about.

We’re going to go over five fun projects to use in your computer class. Not only are these activities engaging, they’re cross-curricular, and meet Common Core, AP, and Computer Science standards. Better yet? They include strategies to build communication and critical thinking skills.

Projects we’ll go over in this article are:

1. Create a Filter

2. Make a Meme

3. Bestie Greeting Card

4. Code the News

5. Climate Clock

Let’s get to it!

Create a Filter

Using the basics of JavaScript, your students will create fun, unique filters for videos that reflect their abilities and personalities. They can use the videos provided by Vidcode, or they can use videos of themselves. Sign up to assign Create a Filter to your class, or visit vidcode.com/project/filters.

Reflection Questions

• Who is a programmer?

• What is a function?

• What is an argument?

Standards Addressed

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7 Look for and make use of structure.

• NGSS Practice 5 Using mathematics and computational thinking

• CSTA 1B-AP-11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.

• CSTA 1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.

Make a Meme

Memes have changed the way we communicate - often with a sense of humor. This is a project your students will love! Your students will use JavaScript to embellish a video with graphics and text. Sign up to assign Create a Filter to your class, or visit vidcode.com/project/graphics.

Reflection Questions

• What is a project?

• What is a method?

Standards Addressed

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6 Attend to precision.

• CSTA 1B-AP-09 Create programs that use variables to store and modify data.

• CSTA 1B-AP-11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.

• CSTA 1B-AP-14 Observe intellectual property rights and give appropriate attribution when creating or remixing programs.

• CSTA 1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.

Bestie Greeting Card

Help your students spread the love by creating a greeting card!

This is a special hour of code project. Using JavaScript, your students will create a greeting card while learning about pixels and placing them on an  x-y grid, using and writing functions, and changing function values to create different effects. Use Bestie Greeting Card with your class.

Reflection Questions

• How would you explain creative coding to a friend?

• What did you learn during this hour of code?

Standards Addressed

• CSTA 1B-AP-09 Create programs that use variables to store and modify data.

• CSTA 1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.

• CSTA 1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.

• CSTA 1B-IC-21 Use public domain or creative commons media, and refrain from copying or using material created by others without permission.

• CSTA 1B-IC-18 Discuss computing technologies that have changed the world, and express how those technologies influence, and are influenced by, cultural practices.

Code the News

In this Hour of Code projects, students follow the provided tutorial that walks them through the basics of JavaScript, functions, and other programming basics.

In this project, we offer extension activities beyond just the hour of code, allowing students to dive deeper into the meanings of conditionals and functions. During the activity, students are encouraged to explain their thinking to their classmates using small-group and whole-group discussion questions. Use Code the News with your class.

Reflection Questions

• Does code look like you expected? Is it easier/harder?

• What is a function?

• What is an argument?

• Are you impressed your code is looking more advanced?

Standards Addressed (a handful, because so many are addressed across the curriculum!)
Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

Next Generation Science Standards for Engineering Practices

• Practice 1 Defining problems

• Practice 2 Developing and using models

• Practice 3 Planning and carrying out investigations

CSTA

• CT.L2-01 - Use the basic steps in algorithmic problem-solving to design solutions (e.g., problem statement and exploration, examination of sample instances, design, implementing a solution, testing, evaluation).

• CT.L2-03 - Define an algorithm as a sequence of instructions that can be processed by a computer.

• CT.L2-04 - Evaluate ways that different algorithms may be used to solve the same problem.

• CT.L2-07 - Represent data in a variety of ways including text, sounds, pictures, and numbers.

Climate Clock

Give your students the chance to use programming to change the world. In this Climate Clock project, students address the climate crisis.

Climate Clocks give a visual representation of just how urgent the climate crisis is. In this project students will create their own climate clocks. Your students will use JavaScript’s Date object to keep track of years, months, days, hours, seconds, and even milliseconds.

Students will also be introduced to modulo, the important math behind keeping the units used in the code straight. Use Climate Clock with your class.

Reflection Questions

• What is some other information that you think would be useful in a Climate Clock?

• What else do you think is important to keep track of?

• How can engaging in work like this make a difference?

Standards Addressed

• CSTA 3-5.AP.08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate.

• CSTA 6-8.AP.11 Create clearly named variables that store data, and perform operations on their contents.

• CSTA 6-8.AP.13 Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.

• CSTA 6-8.AP.16 Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.

Conclusion

Your students are the future of coding and programming. They deserve awesome instructors like you to facilitate learning experiences that are applicable to real life. Thankfully, Vidcode has made this easier for everyone by offering these five fun and engaging coding projects for your students. These five programming projects cover cross-curricular standards, supported by critical thinking discussion prompts. These projects will introduce important coding skills to your students as they get a taste for how their coding abilities can impact the world around them.

What is JavaScript?

Language

Humans communicate using different languages. Maybe you speak one, two, three or more! The internet is built using different languages. Every website you visit speaks at least one language, but probably more. 

You’ve heard of HTML, CSS, and you might even know the basics of each. Great work!  This is a great place to start.

But where does JavaScript come in, and why do you need to learn JavaScript? We’ll give you a quick overview of JavaScript, why aspiring programmers like yourself need it, and why Vidcode is the perfect place for you to start.

Different Languages - Different Jobs

Different programming languages perform different jobs. They are all important, but work best as a team. Let’s go over the basics of each, and see how each language - ending with JavaScript - builds on each other.

HTML

A website using just HTML might look like this:

What is HTML?

CSS:
A website using HTML and CSS might look a little more interesting.

HTML and CSS

JavaScript

A website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript will be more dynamic! You can add sliders, carousels, loading graphics, animations, and more all using JavaScript.

Why You Need JavaScript - Start Learning Now with Vidcode!

Remember, HTML and CSS are great places to start when learning the basics of coding/programming. But an exciting future in programming means you need to be able to use JavaScript to create exciting, dynamic, and multi-functional websites. 

Vidcode is the perfect place to start learning JavaScript! We’ll guide you as you build fun projects and develop the skills you need to become an all-star programmer. The skills you learn with Vidcode will prepare you to become a key player in the world of technology. 

The best part? We want you to succeed - we’ll be here with you every step of the way.

Whitepaper: Virtual Learning with Vidcode

In September 2020, Vidcode partnered with WestEd to conduct a rigorous US Department of Education backed study of Vidcode’s platform and curriculum in a remote learning environment. The study was run with two middle school teachers in a virtual class setting. The 2 teachers in the study spent three weeks on Vidcode material and a total of 97 students participated.

Teachers completed JavaScript 101 with their classes, starting with drag-and-drop blocks and moving on to writing their own code as the lessons progressed. Teachers felt that they were able to successfully use Vidcode in their classroom for three weeks during distance learning.

Ready to read more? Download the full report

3 Tutorials to Get Kids Coding Their Own Games

When you see your kids playing video games, you might wonder how to channel that energy into creating! With these tutorials, kids can start learning to code through video game creation. One of the most fun ways to learn to code is by making games! If you’re trying to get your child more excited about computer programming, making their own games can be a great entry point, with a lot to learn.

In this article, we’re giving you three free video game tutorials that your child can go through on their own pace. These tutorials are best for ages 8-14. While following along, new coders will learn JavaScript by making fun video games. When they’re done, they can play these games with their friends and compete for the high score! With code, they can learn to make puzzle games, choose your own adventure games, point-and-click mini-games, and anything else they can imagine.

JavaScript is a great language to learn, and can be applied to both website creation and video game design in Unity, a free advanced game engine.

1. Code an Avatar

Before you start making a full game, you’ll want to build an avatar. An avatar is an image that represents you online. In this tutorial, you’ll use JavaScript functions to display graphics, and use arguments to control how they display, while creating an avatar that represents you! This is a great place to start, especially if you don’t have a lot of (or any!) experience coding.

Collision detection JavaScript tutorial

2. Collision Detection

Some things about video games, you might not even think about, like gravity, or running into objects and walls. In this game, you’ll learn about keeping characters on the screen. You’ll use JavaScript concepts like loops, mouse-tracking, and conditional statements. Although the actual project is simple, these concepts are huge for understanding programming and making more advanced games and programs.

Gravity simulation in video games

3. Physics Simulation

Ready to add controls like running or jumping to your game? This tutorial will introduce you to gravity! You’ll make a game with a jumping character, enemies, and learn about variables in the context of creating a score. This is a more advanced tutorial, but once you’ve completed it you’ll be able to make advanced games with swimming, running, jumping, and other play mechanics.

Ready to learn more?

Now that you have the basics, you can sign up to Vidcode to access a full JavaScript learning pathway. This pathway and game development course can be used at-home or in a classroom or club.

8 Tips for Teaching Computer Science Remotely

With many schools going for remote or hybrid learning this fall, we’ve put together our list of the top 8 things to know when you’re teaching computer science remotely. We hope they’re helpful to you as you start this school-year, however you’re starting it.

1. Elect a VJ

Highly recommend having a “VJ”. This co-teacher or classroom leader arrives 15 mins early, lets people in, answers chat questions, logs the chat, and follows up on additional questions via email after the session.

2. Give students multiple ways to learn

Try teaching through live videos, record yourself going through a PowerPoint presentation, or maybe screen share and go through one of Vidcode’s tutorials on your own. You can also try to incorporate a range of media by illustrating important concepts in a variety of formats. Include pictures, graphs, handwritten summaries, and coding. 

3. Incorporate milestones to keep students motivated

In a virtual environment, it is especially important to keep students engaged and motivated. Incorporating milestones is a great solution. You can use the quizzes built into Vidcode as goals for students. You could also create badges to award students once they have completed certain tutorials and units. Another idea is keeping a spreadsheet of each students’ progress and turning that into a graph for an even stronger visual.

4. Students supporting students

If a student has gotten ahead of the class, elect them to be the teacher’s assistant and field all questions from other students who are in earlier tutorials.

5. Give students a place to share thoughts and projects

A commonly perceived disadvantage to virtual learning is the lack of community and difficulty for student-to-student interaction. However, you can easily address this by emphasizing the feeling of community. Encourage students to share their projects and ask their questions live. Maybe try separating your students into smaller groups to tackle more difficult problems. The goal is to cultivate a place for your students to share and comment on work both in and out of class.

6. Leave time for exploration outside of class

Assign homework and check on students progress throughout the week. It can be the next tutorial in the course or it could be to ‘remix’ another students’ project.

7. Encourage creativity

Give an initial prompt for projects, but leave enough room for students to be creative on Vidcode. Students will have the opportunity to add their own interests and media to their projects. An example is assigning the “Code a Meme” project but encouraging students to show a “Learning from Home Tip”. In response to this assignment, students made projects incorporating Minecraft, sports, and pugs!

8. Celebrate student work

Create a virtual showcase to showcase students’ favorite projects. Make sure to dedicate time to celebrate each student’s accomplishments with time for show and tell. It provides a nice change of pace from normal class time and creates a bit of fun for the students. Encourage brief presentations in class and maybe even host forums afterward!

Interested in teaching with Vidcode in a virtual classroom?

Check out our Getting Started Guide. Vidcode has dozens of courses covering computer science, javaScript and hardware that can be taught effectively in a virtual classroom. You can start assigning classes to unlimited students for free by creating an account. 

Encourage your students to use their laptops, Chromebooks, or tablets to join the class on Vidcode. You can easily keep track of your students’ progress with exciting projects that teach the basic concepts of JavaScript. 

“When I think about digital equity, I think about ensuring that everyone has equal access and opportunity. That they have knowledge about what technology resources are available to them and the possibilities that they can achieve through technology, whether it’s creating or consuming. Access doesn’t necessarily mean handing students devices. It is more about what they can create with that technology.”

• Patricia J. Brown, technology specialist for the Ladue School District in Missouri

What’s next?

Thanks for checking out our 8 tip for teaching computer science remotely. Next up, check out our Getting Started Guide & create a free educator account.

Launching platform updates, new courses, & more

The Vidcode team is excited to announce platform and course updates! Over the past year, we’ve listened to your feedback, and have conducted thorough research on our curriculum and platform. We’ve been working hard to release new features and material to support both classrooms, libraries, and anyone learning on their own.

You’ve asked, we’ve answered! Check out what’s new and what’s changed:

ASSIGN multiple COURSES

Our most exciting new addition for teachers is the ability to assign multiple courses to your sections. This has been a highly requested feature for our teachers! Now you can choose which lessons you would like your students to complete.

ASSIGN COURSES

New Courses BreakDown

We’re excited to roll-out a brand new course breakdown, with units now defined by type of coursework and level.

Don’t worry… all of the Creative Coding material is still available! We’ve just changed the pacing, assets, and challenges for the Middle School and High School levels. Middle School can access the Creative Coding material with JavaScript 101-401, and High School can access it with Computer Science 101-601.

Updates

• My Sketches: “Portfolio” has been changed to “My Sketches”.

• Course Progress: In your Course Dashboard, you will now see “Section Progress” and “My Progress”.

• Easy Access to the Sandbox: The coding Sandbox is now linked directly on your dashboard, so you’ll always know where to find it!

Educator Dashboard Snapshots

• Dashboard: On your Dashboard, you will now see “Sections” instead of “Classes”. You now have the ability to assign courses to each section as well, one of our most anticipated new features!

COURSE SECTIONS

• Header Tabs: We’ve now added header tabs, for easy access to the dashboard items you use most frequently. See your student roster, course progress, completed projects, and course breakdowns, all with one click!

SECTION DASHBOARD

• Learn About Vidcode: We’ve added a new “Learn About Vidcode” page with information about the curriculum, creative coding, and creating a video filter.

VIDEOS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED

• Courses Organized by Type: Access to the Course Library has changed with newly separated types: free courses, middle school coursework, high school coursework, library courses, and at-home courses.

COURSE ACCESS BY TYPE

• General Resources: In Lesson Plans & Resources, there is a new section of “General Resources”, with guides, rubrics, and other helpful tools for teachers.

GENERAL RESOURCES

Student Dashboard Snapshots

• Free Courses & Pro Course Previews: Access to the Course Library now has Free Courses (always available) and Pro Courses, which students can preview before upgrading!

COURSE PROGRESS

FREE & PRO COURSE ACCESS

MY SKETCHES

We hope you will love the updates, navigation, resources, and new courses as much as we do! As always, if you have questions along the way, our team is here to assist. Reach out by email, or join a demo to get a hands-on tour of the new updates.

Happy coding!

Tips from a Teenage Hackathon Attendee

Hi! My name is Valerie, and I’m a high school student who’s attended (and won) quite a few hackathons. I’m here to give you some tips on how to run your own hackathon! I’ve also included a section on virtual hackathons towards the end of this post, given that they are especially relevant today.

Photo from the YouTube + Vidcode Hackathon

What is a hackathon?

A hackathon is an event where attendees form teams to create coding projects within a given time period (typically 24 hours). Afterwards, teams have the option to submit and pitch their project (via platforms such as Devpost) to a panel of judges for a chance to win a neat prize! Most hackathons have an overall winner and different category winners (e.g. best beginner hack, best web development, best mobile app, etc), so there are lots of opportunities for people to win prizes. 

What gets made at a hackathon?

The sky's the limit. I’ve seen a large variety of projects made at the hackathons that I have been to. Teams can choose to create websites, apps, or games - I have even seen teams bring their own hardware to incorporate virtual reality (VR) into their projects! Typically, the different prize categories help teams decide what types of projects they want to work on. 

Hackathon Essentials

Interested in running a hackathon but don’t know where to start? There are four important categories to focus on: People, Space, Technology, and Activities. 

People

You can’t run a hackathon if you don’t have people at the event! From my experience, it is crucial to have participants, student staff, and judge/speakers at every student hackathon. 

• Participants: Anyone who has been to a hackathon will say you don’t need to know how to code to attend a hackathon. This is 100% true! In fact, most hackathons will hold workshops to teach basic coding to beginners (anything from website development to mobile games). These workshops are often taught by student staff members or guest speakers. However, a simple introductory workshop can be taught by platforms such as Vidcode - no coding expert needed!

• Student Staff: Recruiting a group of students to be a part of the staff is crucial to running a hackathon. Student Staff members are a helpful way to spread the word about your hackathon to their friends and classmates. In addition, during the hackathon, they are more approachable to students who need help with their projects than adult supervisors. You can probably find students who are willing to participate from coding/computer science clubs at your local high school or college.

• Judges/Speakers: Judges and guest speakers are equally important as having participants at your hackathon. Finding these people is all about reaching out and contacting individuals who may be willing to volunteer. Reach out to anyone you may know in the tech industry: teachers, developers, software engineers etc. Most hackathons have sponsors who send representatives to judge and speak at workshops. 

Space

Make sure your venue has a hacking space (school gym/cafeteria) and a hangout/planning space (empty classrooms). Minimize distractions, and make sure attendees have space to spread out and write notes - portable whiteboards are great for this.

Technology

Without technology can there be a hackathon? Make sure to have good Wi-Fi, Audio/Visual Equipment, and some hardware. 

• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi is crucial! Without a good connection, most participants will not be able to work on their projects. In addition, the last thing the participants want is to lose connection in the middle of their pitch to the judges.

• Audio/Visual Equipment: Audio/Visual Equipment is helpful when you are trying to communicate important information to the entire staff and participants. Most hackathons use presentations during their opening and closing ceremonies.

• Hardware: Hardware is also important. However, it is not necessary. You do not need to provide a computer for every participant, they will bring their own device. However, larger hackathons provide hardware such as VR equipment and microphones for participants to use in their projects. 

Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

Activities

Hackathons are not just about the competition. There are non-coding activities/competitions and workshops. 

• Non-Coding Activities/Competitions: Kids need a brain break! Coding for 24 hours is tough! Set up fun non-coding games and competitions like Capture the Flag, Cup Stacking, Chess, or Jeopardy.  

• Workshops: Workshops are as important as the competition itself! Some people attend hackathons just to learn something at the workshops. As I mentioned before, these workshops can be taught by student staff or guest speakers, and they can range from beginner to advanced levels. 

Photo from the YouTube + Vidcode Hackathon

Some Additional Tips

Here are some other tips for hosting your own hackathon:

• Outlets! Outlets! Outlets! Make sure you have plenty of outlets for your attendees. All of them will have to charge their devices at some point. 

• Make sure you have a detailed schedule planned out. People need to know how much time they have until projects are due. They also want to know when certain activities and workshops will start. 

• Get as many sponsors as you can. Most hackathons are free to attend thanks to the sponsors who pay for the meals and snacks at the events. They are also a great way to bring in judges and guest speakers. 

• Prizes are the best incentive. Although prizes are not necessary, they are the best incentive for people to participate. 

Photo from the YouTube + Vidcode Hackathon

Virtual Hackathons

Especially with COVID-19, virtual hackathons have become more popular. Virtual hackathons are very similar to regular hackathons. The competitions and workshops are still there, the only difference is that there isn’t a physical venue for the event. In some ways, virtual hackathons may be easier to host. Participants code at home and submit their projects by a certain deadline. There are workshops held via livestream or Zoom, and there are staff members available virtually through platforms like Discord or Slack. In fact, hosting a virtual hackathon makes it easier to reach out to a wider range of people in different regions of the country or world!

Well, what are you waiting for? You better get hacking!

Case Study: Computer Science for Grades 6-12 at Young Women’s Preparatory Network

Founded in 2002, the Young Women’s Preparatory Network is a nonprofit agency that partners with public school districts across Texas to operate the largest network of all-girls, public schools in the nation. Their schools are located in struggling urban neighborhoods, and have been recognized amongst the top public schools in Texas and the nation.

In 2019, Young Women’s Preparatory Network (YWPN) was looking for ways to engage girls in computer science. They partnered with Vidcode to create new computer science courses in middle and high school that would reach over 550 students over the course of the school-year. 7 school districts launched computer science programs at the middle and high-school level: Grand Prairie ISD, Dallas ISD, Fort Worth ISD, San Antonio ISD, Midland ISD, Lubbock ISD, Houston ISD.

550 students • 28 classes • 7 schools

Vidcode Implementation Results

• 7,852 Coding projects created

• 25 hours of coursework completed by all 550 students on average

• 90 hours of coursework completed by top 20% of students

One of the teachers running new computer science courses with Vidcode was Ms. Kilgore, a Robotics, Engineering, and Computer Science teacher at Young Women's Leadership Academy San Antonio. She emphasized how much using Vidcode “helped during distance learning” because of the ease in which assignments could be assigned and accessed on the student-side.

““If the girls were learning fast, I was able to assign other modules, and the icons on Vidcode were especially helpful when differentiating in a remote setting [because they distinguished between tutorials and challenges]. Tutorials were given to everybody, but challenges were given to the faster students” ”

Ms. Kilgore assigned one module per week and found that accessing Vidcode online was much easier for the students than downloaded coding software. When asked about a favorite project, she mentioned the Digital Card Project:  

““ I edited the assignment slightly so that the girls got to create their card for a health worker on the front lines of the pandemic and they really enjoyed that””

All in all, Ms. Kilgore was very grateful to have Vidcode as a resource in her engineering and computer science classrooms, as she has found it difficult to find robust, long-term, CS curriculum for middle school. “Vidcode is engaging and has allowed me to impact more students with coding material than ever before.”

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YWPN Students’ Published Projects

For loops, pop art activity

For loops, 5 star rating

Functions, create a filter

User interaction, cross roads

String manipulation, silly sentence

User interaction, create an app

Conditionals, heartbeat

Conclusion

The seven participating school districts saw strong learning outcomes and positive student and teacher feedback from the first year of Vidcode programs. Students were able to complete a substantial amount of computer science curriculum.

Students were introduced to intermediate levels in core object-oriented programming concepts, such as arrays, variables, functions, loops, and algorithms. As students advanced, they learned about and created simulations, data networks, and other core K-12 CS Framework concepts. Teachers loved that the curriculum is linear and that they are provided with teacher resources that make it easy for student-driven learning with teacher mentoring.

““With no prior coding experience, the Vidcode curriculum was a life-saver for me and my students! It provided the structure and sequencing I needed to offer an introductory coding course to my students. The teacher resources provided enough information to introduce each lesson and then turn it over to my students and enjoy their creativity. The sandbox was great when students wanted to explore their unique ideas.” ”

— Sandy Smith, Technology Teacher, Lubbock ISD

Learning to Code at the Library

Now that school is out, it’s the perfect time to start offering coding clubs and independent learning resources at your library. This blog post will dive into different methods and resources to get your library started supporting everyone (with a focus on tweens and teens) in learning to code at your library!

Coding + Community at your Library

There are many reasons to offer computer science education and learn to code resources at your library. Some are:

• Increasing confidence and abilities of the members of your community

• Generating positive exposure to computer science

• Transforming perspective and identity

• Supporting their futures - every company is becoming a tech company

• Carving professional pathways for all students - learning to code can help students no matter what their career interests are, and can even help them start their own companies!

School districts often don’t have the time or teachers with the correct certifications to offer inclusive computer science and coding classes. Often students don’t have space in their schedule for a coding elective, or it won’t be offered until upper high school. Libraries are able to fill these gaps for the tweens and teens in their communities.

Library Coding Clubs

Coding clubs are ideal for tweens and teens who want a structured environment and time set aside to code each week. It has the benefit of creating a community of new coders. Students get inspired to create more advanced coding projects when they see or remix what their fellow club attendees create. If you can, connect coding to real life - bring in guests working in tech from the local community for mini-lessons and to talk with students about their roles.

Why are coding clubs great?

• Students learn more by coming back over time - can build through the levels

• External motivation for students to keep learning

• Help and mentorship when they get stuck

• More advanced students can support newer ones, or older students can mentor younger ones

• Students build advanced portfolios and learn important skills

Watch a sample coding club for help planning out your first day. Vidcode has Coding Club Kits and free resources specifically for libraries starting their first club, create an educator account to access them.

Vidcode offers our own Virtual Coding Club that meets once a week, and is a completely free way for students ages 10 and up to learn how to code. Sessions occur every Tuesdays at 3 pm ET. Club sessions will allow students to dive deeper into programming concepts and connect with other programmers for future collaboration.

Many libraries link directly to the Coding Club signup page from their websites as an easy option to offer their patrons an entry point into coding. Librarians are welcome to come drop in and see a session for themselves, and get inspiration for their own clubs! The downside is that it doesn’t offer the small groups and collaboration that a smaller in-library club allows for.

Workshops

Not every library is ready to dedicate the time and resources to an ongoing coding club. Many offer one-off events first as a way to gauge interest and give their library’s members a low-stakes introduction to coding. Code the News is a great project to use in a one-day workshop, because it involves filmmaking and recreating something students are familiar with with code. The Snapchat Filter tutorial is also a great workshop project, since the idea of learning to code a Snapchat filter can be a great draw for the tweens and teens you want to reach. It’s important during the workshop to show attendees how code connects to their lives, and the things they use every day.

Code the News example project

Snapchat location filter example project

Snapchat face filter example project

Hackathons

Sample hackathon schedule

Another one-day event option to get your members engaged in coding is a hackathon. Hackathons are friendly, sometimes competitive, coding events offering programmers and creators a space for playful, exploratory programming. Participants in teams of 2-4 spend the day gaining a practical understanding of the engineering design process as they tackle a meaningful open-ended challenge (often community-related).

6th grade students at a hackathon using Vidcode to make apps for their local community

Independent Learning

Your library can offer resources for your patrons to start learning computer science & JavaScript independently as well. Independent learning is great because it’s flexible - your library members can work at their own pace from wherever they are, and come in with specific questions or for guidance with a coding pathway. Vidcode virtual learning options make it easy for tweens and teens to choose the pathway that works best for them. They can learn JavaScript and Python while creating interactive memes and building their own projects in a fun coding sandbox. Share a link with your library members to create their own student accounts or add them to a group for your library.

Get Started with Vidcode

1. Sign up for a free Vidcode educator account

2. Try a few tutorials yourself 

3. Download the lesson plan PDFs from your Vidcode Educator Dashboard

Over 50% of librarians running coding clubs with Vidcode don’t have any previous experience coding.

Review the corresponding Vidcode lesson plan for the tutorial you want to demo for your club that week. In the lesson plans, you can see which coding concepts are covered (arrays, functions, loops, etc.). Vidcode tutorials circle back on the same concepts as student progress through the course, so even if you lead a discussion or show a presentation for a Level 1 project, students on Levels 2+ will benefit from it and be able to participate.

More Great Content for Your Club

CodeScty is another incredible resource that can be used in conjunction with Vidcode’s coding curriculum. They combine the excitement of Hip Hop music with the effectiveness of videos to teach programming. Librarians can play their videos during a virtual club meeting or even have members download their mobile app to watch videos and learn on their own time.

Some Places to Start

• Watch a sample coding club

• Watch a webinar Hands-on Coding Events for Libraries

• Explore a project for your members called “Code the News”

• Create an account and add students for free

Community Resources

Looking for additional resources, or want to connect with other librarians focused on their coding programs? The Vidcode Forum is an online platform where you can post projects that you’ve just published, ask questions about coding challenges you are facing, and gain inspiration from coders all over the world.

Virtual Learning for Individuals

Today, we will show you how to learn code if you are an independent learner working from home. Vidcode was built to be a tool for both classroom teachers and independent learners. For many independent learners, a parent/guardian signs up as an educator to fulfill the role of mentor for their kid. Educators receive answer solutions that students don’t.

Self-Guided Learning 🤓

To get started, create a free Vidcode account, to access over 200+ independent coding tutorials that encompass multiple years of academic Computer Science curriculum. By the end of your experience, you’ll have made an interactive meme, solved puzzles, and created data visualizations. You will also have the equivalent of multiple years of competitive high school or college coding courses with certificates to exhibit your skills.

Bumpers On or Off? 🎳

We know it takes a community to teach a person to code. That’s why we offer two pathways for learners on Vidcode - one with an instructor led class and one fully independent.

Instructor led

Vidcode Staff led courses are run by experienced educators, artists and coders who are passionate about teaching kids to code. Click here to learn more about our Instructor Led courses.

Fully independent + GUARDIANS

Over 100,000 people use Vidcode independently each year to learn to code. We used our experience of supporting over 10 million learners worldwide to help support our independent learners through email and chat. Our independent pathway is also a perfect option for guardians who want to get involved! Parents/Guardians can sign up as an educator and add their kids to their account via our class codes. Track progress, access answer sheets and have access to complete the coursework alongside your family!

Click here to sign up as a Student individually (ages 13 and up)

Click here to set up your account as a Guardian

Click here to sign up as a Student with a Guardian

A Community with ❤️

The Vidcode Forum is an extensive resource and database with learning from 6 years of working with over 12,000 CS teachers. Navigate here to find great resources outside of the website. Have a question? Want some inspiration for your next project? Wondering if there’s someone else experiencing the same challenge as you? Check out the forum, read some posts, or post something of your own.

Coding For K-3!

codeSpark is a well-known ipad application that teaches you to code starting with the absolute basics. Their interface is great for younger students and those who only have access to a mobile device.

codeSpark is incredible for the early elementary years starting in kindergarten. If you are not yet ready to start text-based programming this is a great option for you.

codeSpark’s use of bright colors and animated characters make it the perfect alternative to watching television and playing video games for any child. Instead of quickly losing focus over monotone audio and black and white writing, your child will become enamored by and invested in all the characters of codeSpark.

Enjoying this Independent Learning Journey

Learn core computer science skills through fun multimedia projects:

• Famous Filters: photo editing, filter creation

• Spinning Squares: animate objects

• Video DJ: user interaction, audio manipulation

With over 16 coding courses, individual learners have the opportunity to complete any and all at their own pace. By the end, you will be ready to apply for internships in computer science or take even more specialized courses in programming. Who knows? Maybe you’ll code an app or a website that leads to the next significant innovation to be used for generations to come.

Good Luck and We Can’t Wait to See All You Accomplish!

Click here to sign up for Instructor Led courses (student with Vidcode instructor)

Click here to sign up for Independent Learner courses as a Guardian.

Click here to sign up for Independent Learner courses as a Student with a Guardian.

Click here to sign up as a Student individually (ages 13 & up)

Summer Coding Programs for Teens

Are you someone that wants to learn a new skill? Are you a student finishing up school and getting ready for the summer? If either of these describe you, then why not learn how to code this summer!

Why Learn to Code?

Once you learn how to code, you can create anything you want to express yourself, show an opinion, and help others. Coding is such a straightforward skill that be easily turned into a tool.

Coding is another language. Once mastered, you can begin to converse with other members in the coding community and collaborate.

It is never too late to learn to code and you can start by reading some advice and tips shown below.

Learn on your own

Vidcode offers a variety of free courses that you can follow along with, completing tutorials and projects. You can pick and choose which courses interest you most and take them like that or you can follow the sequence below. Either way, you will come away with a solid foundation in coding. Sign up for a student account to access self-guided courses on JavaScript, Python, and Computer Science Fundamentals.

Join a Summer Camp

Virtual Creative Tech Summer Camp

Another option that you have this summer is enrolling in one of Vidcode’s sessions within their Virtual Creative Tech Summer Camp.

Sessions are for anyone ages 12-17 and no prerequisites are needed. Each session is capped at a maximum of 10 students who are matched with 1 instructor.

Camp runs from Mondays through Thursdays, 12 pm to 2 pm ET and each session lasts 1 week. The first hour is when the instructor will go over their lesson plan and the second hour is when you will be able to work on your project and use your instructor as a resource.

All you need is internet access and a computer or tablet to join a community of other coders.

Sessions

• Intro to Javascript June 29 - July 2

  Build a portfolio of video filters, games, chatbots, simulations, and more.

• VR Camp July 6 - July 9

  Creating 360 degrees images and use physical objects to create VR experiences.

• Web Development July 13 - July 16

  Make your own website.

• Music + Code July 20 - July 23

  Make music and music visualizers.

• Game Development with Javascript July 27 - July 30

  Make video games, like a pet simulator and a guessing game.

Learn more and apply

Whichever way you choose to learn, you’ll walk away with a new skill and a portfolio of awesome projects!

Case Study: Virtual Learning Academy Charter School & Vidcode

Vidcode has partnered with Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS) to help empower students to code in non-traditional classroom settings. VLACS is a nonprofit virtual charter school for grades 6-11 in Exeter, New Hampshire, the only public online high school in the state.

VLACS has incorporated Vidcode into their course catalogue with 3 career/computer science courses: Creating Coding 1 (Beginner); Creative Coding 2 (Intermediate); and Creative Coding 3 (Advanced). All the courses are student-paced but students are given a recommended 9 week completion time for each course. As students progress they are able to create increasingly complex projects.

When adding these new courses to their catalog, VLACS looked for certain criteria, including flexible pacing, specialized assessment and remediation. Specifically when looking at STEM/STEAM courses, curriculum has to align with CSTA K-12 CS Standards and offer real-world practice for skills that are translatable into the workforce. The Vidcode curriculum offers VLACS students open-ended projects, tutorials, and assessments that are aligned with multiple standards including CSTA. 

“We have partnered with Vidcode for several years using their creative coding courses. We were attracted to these offerings because they are highly interactive, immediately get students coding, and students see the results of their work in real-time. These highly engaging offerings have been well received by middle and high school students new to coding or with some previous experience with other coding languages. Students particularly enjoy the hands-on approach of these courses with minimal text and lots of interactive coding practice.”

— Scott, Director of Instruction at VLACS 

Student projects from Creative Coding 3

“Vidcode provides engaging content for learners of all levels - including beginners.  My students have no trouble using the easy-to-follow, user-friendly interface. Vidcode lessons allow for creative freedom while learning standards-based material.  As a virtual instructor, I feel confident facilitating my students’ journey through Vidcode courses.”

— Tammie, VLACS Instructor

Virtual Computer Science Class Case Study: North Carolina Virtual Public School

Vidcode has partnered with North Carolina Virtual Public School to help bring computer science to students in non-traditional classroom settings.

North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) is the state run online class program in North Carolina. As of 2017 the system was the second largest online class program in the United States. Through online, blended, and mobile courses, students grades 6-12 are provided e-learning opportunities that prepare them for college and their future careers. NCVPS is using Vidcode’s computer science curriculum as their Middle School creative coding elective. The class runs in semester increments, and students learn beginner to advanced computer programming with JavaScript. In addition to following tutorials and creating projects, students participate in class through LMS forums and share their work through Canvas.

What drew NCVP to Vidcode was the LTI Integration that was easily adaptable to their existing Canvas system. They also liked Vidcode’s student-first focus on flexible individualized learning and strong alignment to the CSTA and North Carolina Computer Science standards. At NCVP, students in the Vidcode creative coding elective are given an exploratory space to evoke curiosity through autonomous discovery, while ensuring they are mastering content.

Vidcode is available free while schools are closed, sign up to teach computer science remotely in your school.

Creating Lessons Intertwining Digital Citizenship and Coding

Have you ever heard of the term digital citizen? A digital citizen is someone who effectively uses technology to engage responsibly in society. Furthermore, it’s a top priority for many educational institutions in today’s tech-savvy age. K-12 coding strives to foster environments where every student is able to become a digital citizen. There are so many various components that make up K-12 coding and directly contribute to the multi-faceted process of becoming a digital citizen. 

1. Creative Commons Media

Creative commons media are specifically chosen images that have been curated for the purpose of reusing content free of charge. Vidcode is a startup company with features that allow users to upload their own creative commons media. Vidcode offers computer science courses focused on open-ended projects that are both research-backed and standards-aligned. Creative commons media can be found on creativecommons.org and images can be browsed or specifically searched for. 

PROJECT: MUSEUM SLIDESHOW

STEP ONE

Students can download creative commons media from their favorite art museum and upload it directly to their Vidcode coding sketch to create a slideshow. 

www.vidcode.com

STEP TWO

Students’ can then properly cite the source in the title and description of their Vidcode sketch after they press the ‘Submit’ button. See example below:

www.vidcode.com

Try this project yourself ——-> Link to lesson plan

2. Licensing

When an image or piece of content is not free to use by anyone a license is applied to track the content. Students can use licensing, including Creative Commons Licenses, in their own projects, so that their peers can properly cite them as sources when remixing their work. 

Navigate to the project gallery on Vidcode’s website. Find a project that you would like to remix into your own. Next, click the remix button and you’ll be brought to a new screen. You are now able to see the code from the project you are interested in remixing and also see the rest of its skeleton. You now have the freedom to make the project your own and  customize it in your unique fashion.

Once you’re done, re-name your new project and cite the name of the original project with a link in your new project’s title/description box. Voila! You have successfully referenced the contributions to your work. This is the first step in safely citing material so that you can always go back and reference where it came from in the first place. 

3. Reputable Sources

Many coding projects may need a background or foundational knowledge that comes from reputable websites and sources. Girl Scouts of Greater New York is an after school organization whose Vidcode projects focus on making Public Service Announcements with three facts that properly refer to reputable sources. That’s a lot to do in one coding sketch! 

Here’s an example of a project that this student group made which was an informative video about the issues surrounding equal education for all. In addition to including multiple types of media, they also had to do research to look for reputable facts, and then incorporate those facts into their code, culminating in an overall instructive way. 

Students can check information such as Author (who wrote a piece and what their background is), and domain (the domain .edu is reserved for colleges and universities, while .gov denotes a government website), to make sure the sites they’re referencing are credible sources.

Vidcode and digital citizenship work hand in hand together in K-12 coding. K-12 coding is such an important undertaking, Vidcode eases the process by teaching students about creative commons media, licensing, and reputable sources in a much more visual and relatable manner.

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About the Author

Veronica Zhang is a first-year student at New York University studying Mathematics with a keen interest in Computer Science and K-12 Education. In the future, she hopes to work in an area that combines her passion for community service and with her skills in technology.

Vidcode is Going Free to Support Educators & Students During School Closures

Dear Community:

The Vidcode team knows how concerning the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been for educators and students, and we would like to support you in any way we can. As such, we’re offering our full platform and curriculum for free to help schools and districts as they plan for potential school closures and student absences.

If your school or district is planning a closure for health-related reasons, please submit this form to get access to Vidcode’s full computer science curriculum and coding platform at no cost. We will provide you and your students with access to our courses, lesson plans, and virtual PD resources until May 2020 (but we will happily extend this offer until your school reopens). Students will be able to access courses from home as a supplement to your other e-learning measures.

Additionally, we will be running a series of virtual webinars and expanding the support we provide on our community platform. Explore our webinar list for more details and to sign up to trainings.

Please share this message with other educators, schools, and districts affected, as this offer is available to all K-12 schools. This offer wouldn’t be possible without our current Vidcode school subscribers, to whom we say thank you for your continued support.

How else can we support you? As communities make plans for possible school closures, we’re actively exploring other ways we can be helpful to educators, students, and guardians. Please let us know if you have any suggestions — please message us at [email protected].

On behalf of the entire Vidcode team, we thank every educator for the impact you make every day.

Best regards,

Alexandra Diracles, Vidcode CEO & the Entire Vidcode Team

Growing up with Vidcode

By Maya Williams

‘The place where it all started’

At the age of 12, I discovered my passion and love for coding during a  weekend workshop with the Girl Scouts of Greater New York and Vidcode. This event was the start of the coding journey I’m going to share with you. 

Ever since that day, I’ve sought to be a  part of every program Girl Scouts of Greater New York has offered with Vidcode ...at least two or three.  These programs are called Breaking the Code and The STEM Next Academy. 

During these after school programs, we coded video projects about ‘Education for All’ and other pressing topics. We also coded fun videos before all of our more pressing project concepts. 

After spending so much time at these events I essentially became a TA; helping the younger girls when the staff couldn’t handle all of them at once. At one of these programs, Leandra (co-founder of Vidcode) and I presented together in front of a large audience.

At the age of 14, Leandra (co-founder of Vidcode) and I finally spoke, and you’ll never guess what happened...she offered me an internship! I was beyond excited about this and I really couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t my first internship, but it’s the first one that I got on my own. 

Presenting at the Whitney, summer 2019

‘Working over the summer and school year’

I interned at Vidcode over the summer of 2019 for about two weeks and it was the best two weeks. I had fun working alongside another Girl Scout who was interning as well that summer.

We helped modernize the Vidcode website as well as helped test out programs and lessons. It was really awesome learning from Leandra and Miles, in addition to seeing the behind the scenes of processes of creating programs and parts of the website. I got to experience what it would be like to work in a real office with other people. It was an amazing real world experience, it prepared me for what I want to do when I graduate college. 

After my summer internship I was given the opportunity to come back to Vidcode and work during my school year, and lucky for me I had plenty of breaks and holidays from school. By continuing to engage with the team, I got even more time to learn and be a part of the Vidcode staff.  

‘Why did you intern with Vidcode’

 I interned with Vidcode for countless reasons, not only because I was comfortable with the site but because I also wanted to bring my ideas to the table and wanted to bring them to the table. I believed my ideas would modernize the site a bit (we still had Grumpy Cat Lessons...) and make it more appealing for the people using Vidcode who are my age or younger. 

‘My favorite project created with Vidcode’

My favorite creative project that I’ve made in Vidcode was my project called ‘Science Time’. It’s a button project that starts with an image of a cat, then when you press the button it goes from ‘Sleep Mode’ to ‘Awake Time’. Finally, when you click on it for a third time Bill Nye pops up and the button changes to ‘Science Time’. I love it!

My favorite informational project is ‘Education For All’ where a group of Girl Scouts where we created a video speaking about the unfair system in schools.

https://www.vidcode.com/share/Hgzwie05rz

What’s next in your coding journey?

 I’m not quite sure what my next journey is but I’m positive I’ll be majoring in Computer Science along with Animal Science; I’ll be double majoring in college. I also want to continue to help out at Vidcode as much as I can. I hope to make a living out of my passions.

Vidcode Wins 2020 Parents' Choice Award

The Vidcode team is delighted to have received the 2020 Parents’ Choice Award.

Vidcode is a website that encourages preteens and teenagers to explore computer programming with JavaScript. Through a series of tutorials, students begin by creating and modifying video and image objects, adding filters, text, and other graphics. As the projects become more complex, the lessons cover all the basics of object-oriented programming, from simple linear programming to complex object properties with user interactions, creating games and simulations. Programming is taught through interactive tasks, requiring minimal parental or teacher preparation and oversight, and teens are encouraged to add their own style and sense of humor to the projects they create. Unlike many introductory programming sites, this successfully targets older youths without either being painfully cute or overcomplicating the coursework. The look and feel are clearly for middle and high school: users can choose from a generic library of images (including, for example, the well-known “Doge” meme star) or even upload their own videos and photos. Completed projects can be saved and shared through the site.

Read more here.