Students are living in a digital world – computers are a part of every day life. Just as students need print and/or braille literacy, students also need to read computer language. Coding is a way to communicate with computers; it is the language of the future. It is essential for today’s students to understand coding – at a very early age!
The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science is designed to demystify “code”, to show that anyone can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. The Hour of Code is now a global movement by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org reaching tens of millions students in 180+ countries and currently over 477,000,000 students have participated. 10 million students in the U.S. alone are anticipated to participate in the Hour of Code events this week! This year, the Hour of Code is the week of December 4-10, 2017; however, you can host an Hour of Code all year round. The Hour of Code is for students age 4 and up. Note: The Hour of Code is an annual event occuring every December.
Mainstream Coding Resources
Hour of Code website – For more information about the Hour of Code, to register an event, and for free activities listed by grades (pre-reader – 9th+)
Khan Academy Hour of Code – free activities
Computer Science Education Week – free activities, tutorials and tips for teaching activities – including hands-on classroom activities that do not require tablets or computers. (See the Hour of Code Walkthrough video below)
Disney Partners Hour of Code – activities, video tutorials, etc.
There are many additional Hour of Code resources as well as fun apps geared for 4 year olds and up.
Paths to Technology Posts about Accessible Coding
The first three posts are about coding languages and geared for students who understand basic coding logic. The additional posts are activities that are geared for beginners who are learning coding logic and/or basic coding skills.
Accessible Coding: What’s Out There – an AT educator reviews several mainstream coding sites and how they are accessible with screen readers and magnification
Quorum – accessible coding language
Swift Playgrounds – the VoiceOver Challenge an AT educator reviews Apple’s SwiftPlaygrounds, a free mainstream coding app for iPads
Project Bloks – an AT educator reviews Project Bloks has physical blocks that are manipulated to create code strings
Code-A-Pillar – STEM toy that teaches coding concepts
Osmo Coding iOS App Kit – combination of a physical manipulatives and iOS coding app
Cubetto: Teaching Children How to Code without Screens – a STEM toy
Teaching Coding and Programming Logic to Young Students – information about kids coding activities and toys
Fix the Factory App: Teaches beginning coding logic – an exciting free iOS LEGO app; it is not accessible with VoiceOver
Rocket Cupcake Co: Coding iOS app for kids – created to encourage girls into the computer science field; it is not accessible with VoiceOver
Microsoft’s Project Torino – currently beta testing with students who are visually impaired
By Diane Brauner
