Today, kids grow up in a world of incredible technology, where jaw-dropping devices that didn’t exist when their parents were young are everywhere. When such drastic change occurs over a short period, parents want to know their kids won’t be left behind.
They want their children to understand how the technology works, so they speak its language fluently. Technology can be empowering or alienating, and feeling burdened by tech is the last thing any parent wants.
Let’s check out how the best online coding classes get teens ready for a job in the workforce.
Industry-Standard Coding Languages
There’s a difference between having computer skills and knowing how to write code in the languages professionals commonly use to build the most popular apps, websites, and video games. General skills are great to have, but you need direct knowledge of specific languages.
Look for a school season coding class that teaches the most powerful, relevant coding languages, such as:
- Python
- Java
- JavaScript
- C#
- C++
Your child will leave the program with skills employers look for when hiring. If they decide to go it alone and blaze their own trail in tech, they’ll have the know-how to start their own journey.
Small, Supportive Classrooms
Students need the right level of support in any classroom environment, online or offline, especially when the subject matter is so new. That’s why the leading online coding programs cap class sizes at four, so every student gets the attention they need from their teacher.
Ideally, the program has no minimum requirement for enrollment, so you know the session will run as scheduled as soon as it’s booked.
Lessons Should Be Fun
Is it really necessary to explain why lessons should be fun? Joy is its own reward! Plus, a motivated student who is hungry to learn absorbs more than a bored one.
The most successful online coding classes put video games at the centre of their lessons — classes revolve around teaching students to design and build their own games, which they can play with friends and relatives. Students are as motivated to finish designing their games are they are playing them!
They’ll chase that carrot and learn along the way. Look for a coding course that embeds gamification concepts into the lessons, as this harnesses what makes games so addictive and fun for kids but for the purpose of learning.
Think Like an Engineer
Finally, learning to code teaches critical and logical thinking. Teens will learn that experimenting is a great way to test out theories to see what works and what doesn’t.
In addition to all the direct skills STEM skills teach, they also impart vital lessons about problem-solving and how to get things done. They’ll emerge from the program knowing how to write code that powers modern devices and develop mental models that help in countless other disciplines or sectors.
Technology evolves so quickly that nobody can predict what it will look like tomorrow. But teenagers looking to stay on top of the tech, rather than risk getting left behind, are wise to enroll in a fun online coding program that gives them the right tools.
