Learning List has reviewed CodeCombat. This comprehensive product supports computer science instruction in grades 4-12, including Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles courses. Content is available online and includes printable resources. Instruction is game based and addresses the structure and syntax of computer programming using the JavaScript and Python programming languages. [Read more…]
Content is organized in ten “courses” that vary in length. The first course introduces students to concepts in computer science, including syntax, variables, and while loops. Subsequent courses address game development, computer science, and web development. Courses are broken into a set of modules that may be taught in a 55-minute period.
Instruction is formatted in engaging games that students play independently. Each game begins with a list of its goals (e.g., “Defeat all the ogres.”) and strategies to accomplish goals (e.g., “Give your soldier instructions using functions and event triggers!”). Games are broken into “levels” that follow a logical progression from basic skills to more sophisticated applications.
About CodeCombat*
CodeCombat is a platform for students to learn computer science while playing through a real game. CodeCombat courses have been specifically play-tested to excel in the classroom, even by teachers with little to no prior programming experience. Gaming is a medium that encourages interaction, discovery, and trial-and-error. A good game challenges the player to master skills over time, which is the same critical process students go through as they learn. Games excel at rewarding “productive struggle” -the kind of struggle that results in learning that’s engaging and motivating, not tedious.
*Information in this section is provided by or adapted from CodeCombat.
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