Coding Communication TOOL Options

A continuum of mastery

As you work in this internship, we want you to advance along a contiuum of growing mastery with coding. No matter where you start, there is always more to learn about using computer coding, animation, and data representation to understand and communicate science. Considering yourself as along a continuum can help to alleviate frustration, stagnation, and imposter syndrome.

If you are already a coder, awesome! We hope that you learn more about the computation thinking (CT) fundamentals that are embedded in every programming language. If you're just starting out, welcome! We hope that as you build knowledge you'll do so on solid footing.

A simple check for how well you know coding is, where would you put yourself on the programming skills/practices continuum below?

Beginning

I know that people use coding for websites, apps, and computer programs, but I have no experience.

Recreational

I've coded some in or out or school, usually just messing around or in a game. I do pretty well in block programming and am unfamiliar with script.

School

I took a coding or programming class and got the hang of coding in script and block.

Hobby/ proficient

I jump into coding projets for fun in my spare time. I feel fluent in script programming in one or more languages.

Professional

I am capable of programming for very specific applications in at least one programming language. I really understand the affordances and limitations of programming.

Expert

I fully understand differencees among programming languages (may be expert in using just one.) I am able to innovate on programming platforms.

Programming SCAFFOLDS

Any or all of the programming scaffolds below might be useful as you improve your coding skills and work towards more and more complex programming tasks.

Concept Map

Making a concept map of the related pieces demonstrates an introductory-level understanding of a phenomenon and related processes, concepts, data, frameworks, laws, or theories.

Resources:

Create concept maps in miro (login required) or MindMup (no login)

Just show the screen you would show with iphonemockup (no login)

Flowchart

Making a flowchart showing the interaction of those pieces demonstrates a causal-level understanding of a phenomenon.

Resources

Make flowcharts with Creately (no login required, but won't save) or Lucidchart (login required).

Connect "app" pages together and click through the mock-up with wireframes. Try Figma (great tutorials) or Mockup.io. Both are free but require a log in.

You can also make a clickable "app" experience in PowerPoint by assigning buttons to skip to various slides. It can be complicated, but it's do-able!

Pseudo code

Writing a pseudo code of what a code should do when complete or programming a spreadsheet to calculate an output based on needed calculations demonstrates an application-level understanding of phenomenon to desired analysis.

Resource

You can embed a Google Sheet into a Google site, if you want people to be able to interact with the sheet online.

PIECES of Code

Coding one small interaction from the longer string of needed calculations or interactions demonstrates application with entry-level coding.

COmplete Code

Coding the entire string of calculations with sense-making visual representations demonstrates a full synthesis of phenomenon with articulation of analysis.

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