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head: MASSIVELY OPEN ONLINE COURSE: CODE ACADEMY

Massively Open Online Course: Code Academy

Ryan Lucchesi
Azusa Pacific University
EDTC515
Dr. Brown
4/2/2016

MASSIVELY OPEN ONLINE COURSE: CODE ACADEMY

The Massively Open Online Course, now referred to as a MOOC, is a class accessible
over the internet. The course is free and is available to anyone interested in the subject matter.
MOOCS have only been around for a couple of years and, because of this, the concept of the
MOOC is still very broad. The MOOC is the evolution of OpenCourseWare, a concept first
developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2001 (Marques, 2013). With MIT
driving the existence of this type of learning beginning to increase in stride it was given an
identifying term which was MOOC, coined by Dave Cormier from the University of Prince
Edward Island in Canada (Marques, 2013).
MOOCs provide a great benefit to everyone involved. From a student perspective, a
MOOC provides a great opportunity for students to learn a subject they are interested in, connect
with other students possessing the same interests, and enhance the content being taught (Negrea,
2013). From the instructors perspective, MOOCs provide the opportunity to answer additional
questions regarding material that may not get asked. An instructor would have the opportunity to
proctor an exam and see if students are missing a particular question, if course material is too
confusing, or come up with other interesting options for teaching a subject. These practices can,
then, be translated into classrooms that instructors are teaching with a university (Negrea, 2013).
Within the world today, it is apparent that MOOCs have imparted a lasting impression.
OpenCourseWare originated the MOOC concepts which are now widely available. Because of
the MOOC concept, other programs have begun to emerge taking the concept in different
directions. One individual, by the name of Salman Khan, started a program for the purpose of
tutoring math to his younger cousins. This site evolved into Khan Academy, a site where anyone
can create an account and begin to receive tutoring in math. Aside from Khan Academy, Apple
has launched a division of iTunes called iTunesU (Marques, 2013). iTunesU launched in 2007

MASSIVELY OPEN ONLINE COURSE: CODE ACADEMY

and is now a powerful resource employed by many colleges and universities. Educational
institutions create instructional videos and podcasts which are posted for download (Marques,
2013).
Getting involved with a MOOC provided me with the opportunity to learn a new skill in a
way I had never thought would be possible. I researched the available MOOCs open to the public
and decided to participate in a MOOC that was different than the standard. The MOOC that I
participated in was called Code Academy. I chose Code Academy because learning how to code
has always been a desire of mine and a skill I regret not learning long ago. I decided to learn
PHP, a coding language that is very popular at the moment and used by many programmers to
develop websites, graphical user interfaces, databases, and more. Learning PHP required me to
sign up with Code Academy and register for the PHP course, within minutes I was participating
in lessons and learning basic PHP commands.
Most MOOCs operate in a traditional online class format with a professor leading the
course. Code Academy operates in differently as it functions in a work-at-your-own-pace
environment by providing an assignment to the student with coding instructions. My assignments
began in a simple format with basic requirements; I would read the instructions and learn how to
write the code to produce what was required. As I completed each assignment, my instructions
became increasingly complex. Each task was filled with a lot of attempts resulting in incorrect
code; I would try to figure out where my code was mistyped and then correct the mistake. Since
coding was a new experience, I appreciated that I could take my time on each lesson to try and
fully understand what I was doing. As an individual who can feel self-conscious from falling
behind, I could remove these feelings from the equation and just concentrate on myself and the
task at hand. Unfortunately, I did miss out on the benefits of having a mentor that could guide me

MASSIVELY OPEN ONLINE COURSE: CODE ACADEMY

and answer my questions. The issue with this type of learning is that, at times, it can produce a
feeling of simply mimicking what is required without producing a reason to why we are doing
what we are doing. Often I would want to ask questions to gain deeper insight on why my
actions were important and I missed having an individual that was available to assist in me in
this regard.
The total time I have invested in Code Academy, at this point, is around 7 hours and my
opinion is generally positive with some reservations. I feel more educated in the world of coding
however; I think more practice is needed. PHP is a great language but I should have started with
the HTML course to understand the surrounding coding language before engaging in the PHP
program. I intend to continue my coding to better understand the program by going through the
HTML course. Once the course is completed, I will retry the PHP program and compare the
difference in experience from my first attempt at the course. I suspect that my understanding will
be stronger and certain commands will make more sense. Coding is very precise, one incorrect
character can result in the entire program not running. Because of this, understanding and context
are necessary and that is why I want to go through the HTML course before retrying PHP.
Code Academy was a great program and would encourage anyone interested in coding to
research the site. Code Academy advertises that anyone taking the program will become
competent coders alongside all of the reviews of individuals who have used the site. This
expectation needs to be tempered; Code Academy is not a replacement for years of computer
science courses truly delving into the depths of coding. What Code Academy does, and does
well, is provide a solid foundation for anyone interested in learning coding but is struggling in
figuring out where to start. I am excited to continue using the site, after completing the HTML

MASSIVELY OPEN ONLINE COURSE: CODE ACADEMY

course I intend to redo the PHP course with a broadened perspective. After I complete the coding
classes, I intend to learn SQL to better understand databasing.

References
Marques, J. (2013, June 7). What is a Massive Open Online Course Anyway? MN R
Attempts a Definition. Retrieved April 01, 2016 from http://moocnewsandreviews.com
/what-is-a-massive-open-online-course-anyway-attempting-definition/
Negrea, S. (2013, September). Colleges and Universities Begin to Assess the Benefits of MOOCs.
Retrieved April 01, 2016, from http://www.universitybusiness.com/article/colleges-andUniversities-begin-assess-benefits-moocs