Do You Speak Code?
Learning a new language is hard at any age, but the ability to communicate in a whole new way with a different subset of the population is an invaluable asset.
I always thought of coding as an intricate and scientific jumble of numbers and letters designed only for strongly left-brained people. After attending HTML500 this past Saturday, the idea of building a website from scratch suddenly seems a little less intimidating.
Spending several hours with over 500 coders, both amateur and experienced, it became clear how important it is to be able to speak the language of the Internet. The stigma of coding as a complicated and elitist skill is being challenged by companies like Lighthouse Labs, Bitmaker, HackerYou and Ladies Learning Code, offering courses of all levels and prices around Canada.
Here are the big takeaways from Saturday’s event:
- Coding is a simple way of solving problems. Your computer knows nothing — you know the code and your computer translates it into action.
- A website starts with content. HTML adds context to your content.
- CSS, cascading style sheets, is the appearance, the design elements; how do you want it to look and feel?
- Javascript adds interactive elements to your webpage. It is NOT the same as Java.
- Every symbol counts! If your website looks off, it could be as simple as a missing bracket.
- Indentations are important — it allows the code to be read more efficiently.
- Despite what it may seem, coding is a social activity.
Overall, HTML500 was an excellent introduction to the language of coding. After speaking with several mentors and coding professionals, it became clear that this digital and global form of communication should be integrated into the education system. While Canada has not yet implemented this approach, Australia, Holland and parts of the United States have added coding classes to the curriculum. For more on this, visit http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/back-to-school-canada-lagging-in-push-to-teach-kids-computer-coding-1.3185926.
