Subject: Digital Technologies
Year Level: 7/8
Strand: Digital Technologies Process and Production Skills
Content Descriptor:
Implement and modify programs with user interfaces involving branching, iteration and functions in a general-purpose programming language (ACTDIP030)
Links to the Resource:
Teacher Information:
http://codecombat.com/teachers
Resource:
http://codecombat.com/play
General Capabilities: Literacy, Information and Communication Technology, Critical and Creative Thinking
Description of Resource:
Code Combat is a resource found on the Hour of Code website (https://code.org/learn), which aims to introduce students to coding. Code Combat uses the platform of gaming to teach students how to write code, part of the 7/8 content descriptor (ACTDIP030) requiring students to use programming language. Students can start at a beginners level and progress at their own pace. Similar to Mathletics, this game allows teachers to monitor student progress which can assist teachers in targeting areas that students struggle with.
The game involves students providing instructions, in code, to a character who must manoeuvre their way past guards to collect gems. All instructions given to the character must be written using the correct code, which the game scaffolds by providing a bank of options. As you progress in the game, code learnt during the beginners levels is replaced by more difficult code.
Using this Resource:
For teachers with little to no experience with coding or teaching code, this resource provides teacher information on how to effectively use the game. There are options to try the game for free and to also sign up for further content.
This resource is a great way to introduce and allow students to practise coding and the concepts needed to code. Although this resource can monitor student progress, it provides students with limited experience and cannot accurately assess students learning.