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App review by David Thomas, Common Sense Education | Updated February 2014
Codecademy: Code Hour

Codecademy: Code Hour

Whirlwind taste of programming boosts confidence for novice coders

Learning rating
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Community rating
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Privacy rating
51%| Warning Expert evaluation by Common Sense
Grades
7–12
Subjects & Skills
Critical Thinking
Great for
Coding
Platforms:  iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
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Take a look inside

5 images
Follow the instructions -- see what happens!
Feedback helps keep students on track.
Point and click to update the code.
Learn the basics of HTML.
Each section provides a score.

Pros: Dive right into learning programing and interact with real code in no time.

Cons: The standalone app doesn't provide a lot of additional support when questions arise.

Bottom Line: Learn (a little) code in an hour.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

In an ideal situation, a teacher would have kids with iPads in the classroom. With the kids working alone or in pairs, the teacher could provide answers to inevitable questions such as "What is a Boolean?" and keep students on track for an hour-long introduction to computer programming. Alternatively, Codecademy: Code Hour could make for a practical homework assignment, getting kids familiar with basic code concepts that would normally be covered in an intro to web programming class.

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With the point-and-click experience users have come to expect from iPhone and iPad apps, Codecademy: Code Hour wastes no time and adds few frills to its lean introduction to computer programming. Each mini-lesson consists of a sentence or two of instruction, a snippet of code, and part of the code for the student to manipulate. Get the answer right, and the coder moves on to the next lesson. Get it wrong, and helpful feedback helps clarify any problems.

This impossible-to-fail formula keeps learners progressing through the app as they pick up the basics of JavaScript and HTML. Work through to the end of the lessons and newly minted novice programmers can show off their skills by making a webpage on the Codecademy site.

For a kid expressing interest in computer programming, Codecademy: Code Hour might be a good place to start. The quick-hit lessons and friendly feedback give learners lots of positive feedback as they work through the nuts and bolts of code. These little steps help scaffold self-confidence about programming more than they cement deeper understanding. The app developers seem to understand this and complete their lessons with a small project, which has learners view the results right on the Codecademy site -- a spot packed with new code-learning opportunities.

Overall Rating
Engagement

Bite-size lessons make it easy to get started, and encouraging feedback keeps kids interested.

Pedagogy

Dropping students right into the action gets them working on code from the start.

Support

Inside the app, it's sink or swim with the lessons. On the Codecademy site, students will find a wealth of support and resources.

Common Sense reviewer
David Thomas Director of academic technology
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Data Safety
How safe is this product?
Users can interact with trusted users and/or students.
Users can interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
Unclear whether profile information is shared for social interactions.
Data Rights
What rights do I have to the data?
Opt-in consent is requested from users at the time personal information is collected.
Users can control their information through privacy settings.
Users can create or upload content.
Ads & Tracking
Are there advertisements or tracking?
Unclear whether data are shared for third-party advertising and/or marketing.
Traditional or contextual advertisements are displayed.
Unclear whether this product displays behavioral or targeted advertising.

Continue reading about this tool's privacy practices, including data collection, sharing, and security.

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