Coding for Kids
We here in Tynkertown were thrilled to hear that we’ve been recognized as the only complete PreK-12 coding curriculum to be chosen as a ‘Selection for Learning’ by Common Sense Education! As one of the most trusted voices for parents and educators, Common Sense Education’s rigorous, independent review process evaluated Tynker on every level and gave our learning platform a five-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. As described on their website:
The Common Sense seal program recognizes outstanding media with an official seal for quality and impact. Common Sense Selections for Learning are best-in-class media resources and tools that facilitate great learning experiences for students and educators.
Here are some of our favorite excerpts from their review.
Table of Contents
On Creativity
The drawing and animations tools and ability to add music and sound effects allow for creativity beyond typical block coding, so kids can even use Tynker to express themselves in more open-ended ways… Using the remix feature, students could build on one another’s creations, tapping into collaboration.
On Student Engagement
Students can collaborate on projects, opening up discussion to other students and the teacher… The interactive learning modules, mini-games, coding projects, puzzles, and even competitions will keep students’ interest and motivate them to keep going, and the built-in tutorials and how-to videos help them become independent learners and make Tynker compatible with distance learning.
On Breadth of Curriculum
Courses are organized by a number of criteria, including difficulty level, grade level, programming language, and topic of interest, so it’s easy to find courses that’ll work for your students. The cross-curricular options add extra appeal for those who resist the more CS-oriented lessons.
On Support for Educators
There’s also extra guidance and options for distance learning, lesson plans, classroom slides, answer keys, get started tips, activities, and previews for all the courses. Each lesson has both online and offline activities, and content is aligned to national standards…it’s definitely possible to use Tynker from a distance, using the streaming feature to present lessons asynchronously. Teachers can also assign courses to students within the Tynker app, where they can work offline without internet on an iPad.
At Tynker, we strive every day to develop the most meaningful and engaging learning experiences for students, as well as the most comprehensive support system for parents and teachers. And, in just the past few months, we’ve been proud to receive several industry-leading awards.
What’s better for us than any industry award though are the shout-outs like this we get from students and teachers 💖. That’s enough to make us feel like the winningest team ever 🏆 🤩!
Just follow @GoTynker on Twitter to see our latest announcements and get inspired by what students and teachers are bringing to life with Tynker!
