Communicate .. Create .. EdTech

There are so much talk and so many options out there to get students interested in coding.  Why should students learn to code?  Simple - it builds critical thinking functions. As a former junior high teacher, I would have loved students come into my classroom with the ability to make independent decisions and feel they had the ability to step "outside the box."  I always believed that ability was there, the students just didn't understand the functions to access it.  Coding is one way to build that necessary thinking.

Here are two coding apps that students will really enjoy.  One is for younger students, the other is geared for high school.  Adults of any age who want to see what coding is all about would enjoy both.  Both were introduced through Imagine K12, an education start-up incubator located here in Silicon Valley.

Kodable: Programming geared for little ones (5 years and up, and adults like me).  It's currently iPad only, but should be web-based and Android by Fall.  There is a teacher dashboard with 105 self-guided levels for kids to enjoy. Basic is free, upgrades will cost.


CodeHS: Full computer programming curriculum for high school students. Students should be designing their own games within a year. They even have tutors available.  Free to try, with a basic individual subscription of $25/mo.

These are just two worth looking at.  If you use others, please let us know!