With so much of the world having moved online recently, some are wary about loading on more and more screen-time. Parents in Ontario were left feeling frustrated by the way school boards handled “distanced learning” in the spring, with many choosing to opt out instead. Nevertheless, there’s still trepidation about the return to the classroom.
There are no easy answers, but one thing is certain: your children’s education remains a top priority. At Real Programming 4 Kids, we’ve moved our coding courses for kids online with a commitment to making sure students still get the most out of their time. Programming courses should teach valuable skills, spark passion, and get kids engaged.
There’s a lot of value to online learning. It just has to be done the right way with small class sizes, more 1-on-1 time with instructors, more engagement with peers, and software the facilitates learning. When it’s done right, there are a lot of benefits of online coding classes.
With the start of the school year comes fall, and as the weather cools down and people have to spend more of their time indoors, people are going to be more vigilant about their exposure to others outside of their family bubbles. Doctors are already warning the fall could prove to be a challenge, and the last thing anyone wants is a repeat of the spring when school and activities were abruptly cancelled.
Online classes are a great way to make sure that your kids continue to enjoy consistency when it comes to their extra-curricular activities. Even if a second wave should occur, online coding courses are safe and socially distant.
Don’t leave learning up to chance. With the help of online coding classes for kids, you can rest easy knowing the kids have something to look forward to every week.
Online learning is convenient and doesn’t contribute more stress to your household. A lot of time and stress goes into the “kid commute,” getting kids to and from schools, sports, and lessons. It’s also a topic that’s hotly debated and fraught with issues, such as when it’s safe to let kids commute independently, and what transit options they have available to them.
Learning online saves a lot of time and energy. Kids can learn in the comfort of their own home. In RP4K’s online coding courses, classes have a maximum size of 4. That gives instructors more time to engage with individual students, and they can talk and work together to solve problems they’re facing with their video game projects.
As education experts have pointed out, one of the best ways to get kids to learn outside of a classroom is to let them follow their interests. The regular school curriculum places a lot of demands on students to learn in a wide range of subjects. They may be essential to a well-rounded education, but they don’t give students an opportunity to define and pursue their own educational interests.
Learning outside of the classroom is a chance for kids to explore their own interests without having to worry about what their peers at school are doing. It’s an opportunity to find out what they like and develop individually. Kids can truly thrive outside the classroom when they’re introduced to a subject that clicks.
Coding classes will speak to those kids who love computers or playing video games. Right from the start, kids get to see how coding makes video games work, and they learn practical skills that allow them to build video games from the ground up. Coding isn’t just about math and programming languages. There are many ways to get kids to tap into their creativity; learning how to code is one of them.
Online classes are a different mode of learning. As RP4K has moved out of the classroom, we’ve made some adjustments to make sure coding courses remain an enriching, fun part of kids’ lives where they learn some invaluable skills.
RP4K has introduced a Learning Management System to help kids, parents, and instructors integrate at-home learning with weekly sessions. It gives students access to all the resources they need to learn in a comprehensive manner outside the classroom, and tracks students’ progress with quizzes and assignments that will help them learn.
Students need a microphone, and a camera is recommended. By keeping class sizes small and working with instructors who are comfortable online, RP4K makes sure its available programming courses are rich and rewarding experiences.
Online courses are a great way for students to continue their education outside the classroom in a specialized subject. But why choose coding courses to begin with?
When people think about coding, creativity may not be the first thing that comes to mind. It’s logical, it uses math, and you spend your time sitting in front of a computer. But everything you do on your desktop, tablet, or phone was made by coding. From video games to streaming sites to social media, it’s only possible with coding.
Kids who learn how to code gain a whole set of skills and knowledge that lets them create apps, websites, games, and more. It’s just like learning how to paint or play the guitar; once they have the skills, they can make anything.
Learning a programming language isn’t the only skill students get in online coding classes. Along the way, students learn skills like problem solving, persistence, collaboration, and communication.
Problem solving is a skill that can be applied to just about any subject. In coding, kids learn how to approach problems with computational thinking. They break big problems down into smaller problems that are easier to solve. That’s an approach they can take to any subject when they get stuck on something.
Coding courses also help with students’ math skills. Math can often seem abstract and confusing the way its taught in school if teachers don’t connect concepts to their real applications. Coding for video games does a lot to fix that. A lot of math goes into determining how things work in video games, such as the trajectory of a projectile or the effects of a collision. Then students start to see how math is used to calculate tangible things in the real world.
Coders have a lot of options when it comes to their careers. There’s a growing number of coding jobs in the STEM world, and there’s still a shortage of Computer Science majors graduating to fill them. Learning how to code can be a way into a lucrative STEM career. There are options in software development, video games, robotics, and so much more.
Even beyond core STEM industries, coding is a skill that will open up a lot of career opportunities. Industries of all kinds now see coding is a “nice-to-have.” It’s also become an essential skill for any job that involves data analysis, opening doors in medicine, science, finance, and more.
Kids know about the careers and opportunities available to programmers. If they start asking how to learn Python, Java, or C++, they can find that opportunity with online coding classes for kids.
Coding courses for kids open so many doors. Find out more about how RP4K has made the shift to online learning, and make online coding courses part of your plan for this school year.
