This is my second week of working through Khan Academy classes on computer programming. Today, I was looking forward to possibly getting in some extra time watching classes this weekend.
I’ve watched lots of online classes. It’s not unusual for me to like a subject so much I look forward to learning more. But I didn’t expect that to happen with computer programming classes, especially not after only two sessions of classes.
I sat and thought about that reaction for a while.
My Observations, After Two Weeks and a Few Hours
There’s a bit of gamification with badges on my user profile. It’s not an oppressive or annoying amount, but it’s enough to be a little extra bit of fun.
There’s lots of opportunities to interact with other students. There’s a questions section below most of the lessons and it’s fairly active.
Khan Academy is very good about providing opportunities to practice what was learned. There are frequent challenges to create various programs and functions. I think that programming is like many other skills where there’s a big difference between learning the theory and applying it. So I appreciate the challenges and projects. I really appreciate that the programs are run within Khan Academy’s own site. With programming, it’s easy to go through a teach-yourself book or video and get sidetracked or stumped by system-specific problems on the local system.
I’m going to assume the discussion areas are moderated. There’s also a bit of friction to be able to comment on other user’s posts. I think it’s the account has to be at least three days old and has to have a minimum number of points. Points are earned by finishing videos, projects, and challenges. After years of being on different forums, there’s something pleasant about the atmosphere on forums where it takes some work to be able to post. It’s as if the requirement for time and work to be able to post results in a more thoughtful and deliberate user base.