5 Tools Every Computer Science Teacher Needs in Their Classroom

Coding skills are becoming increasingly important in a world where technology is constantly evolving. Coding is the language of the future, and students need to be able to understand and use it. Learning to code or providing coding programs for kids can help students develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills and improve their creativity and collaboration.

Coding is a Critical Skill for Students of All Ages

By providing students with an understanding of Computer Science, educators can help the next generation prepare for future jobs and equip them with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Additionally, many jobs now require at least basic coding skills. Job seekers with coding skills on their resume benefit from gaining an edge in an already competitive market. As a result, coding can open up a whole new world of opportunity.

Computer Science educators must have the right classroom tools to ensure students receive the most out of their education. Whether you are searching for coding apps for kids or even looking for the right coding software for kids, here are five tools we deem essential for computer science teachers of any grade level:

Arduino

Arduino is great for bridging coding with the physical world. With Arduino, teachers can tap into an open-source electronics platform to interact with hardware and software. Their electronic devices respond to inputs like touch or light and deliver an output like turning on a motor. Then, depending on the lesson plan, teachers and students can build something as simple or complex as they want. Arduino provides kits and bundles for project-based lessons and even has designed kits specifically for remote learning.

Additionally, teachers and students can easily connect Thunkable apps to Arduino using Bluetooth to activate LED lights, speakers, and more! To learn more about Thunkable's Bluetooth capabilities, check out our docs.

Blockly Games

Blockly Games are perfect for students of all ages seeking to gain a basic understanding of computer science principles through visual practices. Blockly Games are geared towards individuals with no prior programming experience and make learning fun and accessible. Students can choose from various educational games like building puzzles or mazes to learn basic computer programming skills. Once students understand the basics, educators can introduce more complex tools to their students to build websites, mobile apps, and so much more.

Clever

Teachers love Clever's easy-to-implement and easy-to-use sign-on portal for educational institutions ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade. Clever can host all educational technology resources such as classroom access, data management, and reporting in one platform. Clever takes the administrative load, so teachers can focus on their curriculum.

In addition, this tool integrates seamlessly with Thunkable. With this integration you can bring Thunkable's no code app creation lesson plans to the classroom.

ScratchJr

ScratchJr is geared toward young students aged five to seven and allows children to create interactive games and stories with basic programming language. Kids can snap together blocks to make characters come to life with movement and design edits. 

ScratchJr is excellent for educators that can teach their students over several grade levels; this occurs often in coding camps because teachers can easily transition students from ScratchJr, to Thunkable’s block-based drag and drop app builder and finally to Python coding. Progressing students' skills each year will create a rewarding experience, as they can build more complex and advanced prototypes yearly.

Thunkable

Thunkable is the best no code app builder for computer science educators to use for all grade levels, from elementary school to universities. The drag and drop interface makes adding different blocks of code easy, and the visual programming language is also simple to understand. Thunkable makes the process of creating an app much easier for students to go from idea to working prototype.

Teachers love Thunkable because it has a vast online community where users can share projects and ask for help. Thunkable makes it easy to build cross-platform apps that work on Android and iOS devices and the web. In addition, it utilizes real world applications of logic, loops, functions, variables, algorithms, and more! For more on why teachers love Thunkable, check out our blog.

Coding for Kids

Computer science educators work tirelessly to bring the best tools and educational lessons to their students. The five tools we've mentioned will aid in making coding classes for kids fun and engaging for students of all ages! 

In addition to these great resources, we highly recommend bringing Thunkable, the best no code mobile app development platform, into the classroom. Thunkable is the best no code app builder and has a vast online community where users can share their projects and ask for help. The process of creating an app is made much easier with Thunkable due to its drag and drop blocks.

So what are you waiting for? Get started with your students today!