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"How can teachers prove that deep, rich learning is occurring through making? How do we justify a grade to students and parents alike, especially to the student who "just isn't good at art"? By crafting a three-part rubric that assesses process, understanding, and product, teachers can rest assured that they are covering all the bases."

"Computers intersect with every aspect of kids' lives, but most kids don't understand how they work. Through coding, students build essential literacy skills, gain an understanding of logic and sequence, and learn the mechanics of iteration. These tools support project-based learning and give students the freedom to create, collaborate, hack, remix, and tinker with their own unique designs. Using these picks, kids can unlock the logic of code and the basics of programming, turning computers into tools to make new things."

Poland's education system has always been strong on hard science and computing, but looming skills deficits are calling for an even more radical approach. While a Samsung-sponsored initiative has been aiming to bring skills in coding projects to even the youngest pupils since 2013, next year the country is planning to test a new primary- and secondary-school curriculum that focuses on software development.

Teach & Learn Java Programming

Apparently Code.org's successful 'Hour of Code' event in December was just a warm-up act. The Seattle-based nonprofit on Thursday is announcing the rollout of its computer-science education programs at 30 school districts around the country. Altogether they'll reach more than 2 million students - nearly 5 percent of all K-12 students in the country - starting this fall.

Coding isn't just for computer science any more. Educators are finding that teaching students to write code and design games enhances learning and creates engagement. These examples illustrate how coding and games are being used across the curriculum and at all levels, as well as why great teaching is at the very heart of this innovation.

"Code.org has developed a free elementary school curriculum that allows even the youngest students to explore the limitless world of computing. The courses blend online, self-guided and self-paced tutorials with "unplugged"activities that require no computer at all. Each course consists of about 20 lessons that may be implemented as one unit or over the course of a semester. Even kindergarten-aged pre-readers can participate."