The best online platforms to learn how to code

I’m a communicator. I love to write, read and to tell stories. Since I was a kid I had issues trying to understand how I could apply what I was learning in my math and physics class. It’s true, I was never good at it, until I opened my eyes to a new reality.

When I understood that I could actually create stuff using mathematical thinking, my life changed. When I finally realized that by learning a new and different language I could build new platforms or ways of communication, then, and only then, I found the purpose to all of those early years fighting with my exact science teachers. Public apologies to all of them!

This new language allowed me to code my way to success. Learning how to program increased my mathematical abilities and enabled me to put into practice a logical way of thinking I couldn’t apply before.

That’s why I would like to bring you today a fine selection of the places that, for me, are the best places for an adult (or a young-adult, as I like to call myself) to learn how to program and code.

Our world is changing. Knowing how to code opens a door to a number of possibilities. Creating websites, designing apps, building the next big social network, helping with the special effects of the next Star Wars movie, or maybe even finding an amazing new solution for a problem in our neighborhoods, towns or cities.

Knowing how to code will allow us to better understand every technology that’s around us, to value our kids´ STEM classes, to help them with homework, and to fully comprehend what are they going to be talking about over the next decade or two.

And why not mention it? Openings in the coding, programming and STEM fields increase every year. If you know how to code, you will be more likely to find a job.

A personal friend of mine, took a boot-camp course to learn how to program. Within a month, he left his job as a Costumer Support representative for a local startup and he is now an IBM developer. And yes, both he and his pocket are extremely happy.

I started learning how to code hereand it was quite an experience. Before joining the amazing CoderZ family I worked for a startup that developed a mobile app. Part of the things they requested from me was to lead a group of developers.

How could I do so if I have no idea about coding? Codecademy was the solution! I completed a course in HTML and started another one in Java. That knowledge helped me understand in a better way the time it takes to do a task and they way a developer thinks.

Codecademy is a free, online and friendly tool that has various courses in a number of different programming languages. If you have some free time on the weekends or evenings, you should definitely give this a try. You can easily increase your knowledge and, right away, apply the new things you learned.

“Code is just a list of instructions. There are countries that are teaching it as part of the core curriculum. Having some experience in those early years is very important.”
–Megan Smith

Sololearn has a very strong principal: Everyone can code. Their classes are based in this thought and their target is slightly different than the one Codecademy has.

With Sololearn you can choose to learn C++, Java, Python, PHP and many other programming languages.

One of the interesting things they offer is a ranking of top learners, where you can see an updated Global Leaderboard that encourages you to learn more and more of the courses they offer. Don’t lie! Of course you’d like to see your picture on the ranking.

Yes, this is also a free tool.

When I first enjoyed these two platforms I felt amazing. Finally, I was listening to a Harvard class and I was registered to another class in Stanford. Everything, from my mother’s comfortable house in Santiago, the capital of Chile.

Online tools like these ones, offer knowledge, materials, connectivity and accessibility to people all around the world that have one thing in common: Curiosity and hunger for intellectuality.

Of course, you’ll be able to pick a course between hundreds of possibilities. I would like to recommend the courses “Think. Create. Code” and “Code Yourself”.

Don’t worry, if you need a break from the <if>’s and {{value}}’s you can always take, for example, a course in philosophy, new media advertising, art curation or cultural management. They’re also free and available.

You’re right, we developed CoderZ as an online learning environment for STEM education. But me, and the entire team just love playing with it!

Although, we would love to recommend you an article we wrote about the best programming languages for kids.

As I mentioned before, I could finally apply physics to make a virtual robot move, and not only that. I’ve also downloaded the program that I, myself, created into a real robot to see “him” do exactly what I programmed “him” to do (well, robots do feel like beings after all).

CoderZ is a great place to get STEM skills, to solve real life problems, to integrate different disciplines to create solutions, and to learn how to program in Java by starting with a very simple and friendly Blockly.

If you always dreamed with coding your own robot, or to see your students and kids applying what they learn on their STEM class in actual robots, then CoderZ is the solution you were looking for. You can request a CoderZ quote today!