Visual Block-Based vs. Text-Based Coding

From grandmothers commenting on new profile pictures to four-year-old children playing games on tablets, it’s fair to say the expansion of technology is near enough complete. With this in mind, coding jobs are in demand and some countries are introducing coding to the educational syllabus. If you want to get your child involved, we’re discussing an important topic today!

In case you’re unaware, a programming language is used to generate instructions for programs and machines. As formal languages, many exist, and they serve different purposes depending on the technology involved and what you’re trying to achieve.

If this seems confusing, don’t worry – all you need to know is that you’ll find both visual-based and text-based programming courses for your child. As the two main categories of programming languages, they both serve a purpose. At Alpha Coding, we utilize visual block-based programming to teach beginners, especially younger kids, the concepts of computer science and we’ll tell you exactly why in this short guide.

As a parent, you know that one of the hardest things for children to do is focus. Whether you’re having a fun family baking day, or you just want them to brush their teeth, it doesn’t take long before their concentration is lost.

Of the two options, it’s generally understood that visual block-based coding is much better for engagement and keeping your kids concentrating. In fact, it could be better for all ages for this reason but particularly important for children.

When children take text-based coding courses, it can be a bit overwhelming. While some go back into their shell and stop learning, others become loud and disruptive. Either way, it’s not exactly conducive to a learning environment.

We believe that block-based learning allows children to jump into coding without these complexities. At first, they’ll be presented with simple ideas. As they gain in confidence and start enjoying themselves with others, more advanced concepts can be introduced. Before long, your child will be learning basic computer science. However, it’s almost a by-product – they don’t realize that they’re learning so much because it’s so fun and introduced in a staggered way.

Once young learners are comfortable, knowledgeable in various abstract concepts, and are ready for the next step, text-based programming can be introduced. One of the themes we use to keep students engaged is by creating video games using JavaScript or Python. There’s a number of framework or packages (or ‘library’ as they’re called in the software world) that allow visualization, 2d/3d rendering, or video game engine called Unity.

In education, children are used to being told information. Rather than discovering for themselves, they simply memorize information and regurgitate it when required. With App Inventor or Scratch, for example, students take back control of their learning… and at Alpha Coding, we encourage students to explore what piques their interest. Whether they’re more comfortable with block-based or text-based programming, they’re free to choose.

Ultimately, there are a number of reasons why visual block-based programming is effective for teaching coding to children.

• Ease of Use – With text-based programming, one misplaced character can cause a headache for an hour. With programs like App Inventor or Scratch, the blocks have pre-written instructions, so children aren’t bogged down in the finer details at too young an age.
• Readability – Generally, the blocks are simple and it’s easy to predict what they will do.
• Simplicity – Finally, children don’t need to understand all sorts of complex concepts to get started.

 

At Alpha Coding, our teaching emphasizes the cornerstones of coding: creativity and imagination. With this approach, they’re more likely to have fun and continue coding as they grow older!