10 December 2024
Code Editor for Education - TC meeting
Key Takeaways
- The Code Editor is specifically designed to make text-based coding accessible and engaging for students.
- It supports Python and web development languages, with newly extended Python libraries for creative projects.
- Teachers can now organise classes, manage student accounts, and create starter projects within the platform.
- Safeguarding is prioritised through verified school accounts and visibility of student work.
- Upcoming features include bulk student uploads and custom teacher instructions.
Meeting Recap
The meeting kicked off with an introduction to the Code Editor for Education, a tool designed to make learning text-based programming more accessible and enjoyable. Unlike professional-grade tools, this platform focuses on supporting educational needs, with features tailored to teachers and students.
Key Features of the Code Editor:
- Accessible and Inclusive Design: Supports Python and web development with tools like text resizing, light/dark modes, and browser-based access—no setup required.
- Classroom-Ready Features: Teachers can manage class lists, create email-free accounts for students, and reset passwords to streamline lesson starts.
- Custom Starter Projects: Teachers can design coding activities and make them instantly available to classes, ensuring projects align with curriculum goals.
During a live demonstration, attendees saw how teachers could set up classes, manage students, and review projects in real-time. For example, a Year 8 lesson using Python Essentials showcased the intuitive design: teachers could create a starter code, share it with students, and track their progress through auto-saved projects.
The platform also prioritises safeguarding, allowing visibility of student work within verified school accounts. Attendees appreciated features like password resets and the ability to hide projects until ready to share.
Looking ahead, exciting updates include bulk student account uploads, integrated instructions for coding projects, and feedback features for assessing student progress. Additionally, collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation means we’ll see the editor integrated into Oak National Academy computing resources by early 2025.
Further resources
Blog detailing the classroom management features