EdTech: Code Cademy

I will be the first to admit I have neglected this blog...

It has been nearly three months since I have posted a new topic on EDTech 4 Professional Development. I am sorry - the end of the year is busy as a teacher- and well...I was more focused on my other blog; as well as starting to learn HTML code.

So here I am today to introduce Code Cademy. 

I will start by indicating that I have not used the "Premium" content - as I believe it is far too expensive at $19/month. 

However, if you (as a teacher) or your student are looking to learn HTML code to better understand the internet, Code Cademy is the place to start. 

Code Cademy makes learning not only HTML, but CSS, Java, Ruby and many other programming codes easy -even if you have never coded before. I personally have not explored anything outside the HTML and CSS courses as of yet but I can tell you I have pages worth of notes  and lessons that I can revisit when I forget what I did. 

Code Cademy has set up each course into numerous lessons; broken down and made as simple as any steps you would find in a For Dummies book. (No lack of respect for the For Dummies series, as I have several of their books, including Dreamweaver CS4, HTML5 and CSS3, just to name a few). 

Each lesson provides directions and an explanation of the feature you are learning about; and will include references to previous lessons as you go along. 

In the image above - the area in white titled "Supporting Content 1" is the description/explanation of the skill being learned for this particular lesson. directly below this is the "instructions" which provide you with a specific task for this part of the lesson. 

In the center of your screen you have your plain text - coding area; line numbers, and code colors are included in this (even the free version). On the top right you have a preview screen so you can see what changes you are making have an effect on the webpage itself if it were live online. 

At the bottom of the page there is the blue submit button where it will either move you onto the next lesson (if you are correct) or provide a hint if there is an error in your code. 

I have found the free version of Code Cademy to be absolutely amazing, and even more surprisingly addictive. I expected the free version to cut me off during my course and ask me to upgrade to finish the course - this was not the case. I was able to complete 95% of the HTML & CSS course in the free version. The only parts of the course I did not have access too were the course quizzes and the major course projects. 

While I have no intention of ever leaving the teaching profession to enter web design - I want to be able to manipulate my course webpages, blogs, and other online resources I use as I see fit for my classroom - and therefore I knew I needed to start learning HTML and CSS. Next up will most likely be Java - but that will only be once I am comfortable with HTML - and I will definitely turn to Code Cademy to learn Java as well. 

So, if you are a teacher who wants to learn HTML or more advanced coding - or your intro to computer science students want to learn HTML - visit Code Cademy today.