In the past few years, millions of children have been introduced to coding through various avenues such as Hour-of-Code events, coding clubs, hackathons, online tutorials, one-off coding courses, and summer camps. However, despite these efforts, very few children successfully learn to code in the long term.
The underlying reason for this is the lack of consistent and spaced repetition in their learning process. Revisiting learned material at periodic intervals is essential for long-term skill development and retention; without this consistent reinforcement, retention is significantly diminished.
Understanding the “Forgetting Curve”
Below is a graph on the “Forgetting Curve”, which illustrates how information retention decreases over time if not reinforced.
“Forgetting Curves” from article Spaced Repetition: The Most Effective Way to Learn, by Josette Akresh-Gonzales, published in NEJM Knowledge+
- If you learn something once, your chance of remembering it after 60 days is less than 5%.
- If you revisit your learning even once, your chance of remembering jumps up to 50%.
- If you revisit three times, your chance of remembering jumps to 90%. And that is what we want.
This highlights the critical importance of revisiting learned material at periodic intervals to ensure long-term retention.
The Pitfall of One-Off Coding Activities
One-off coding classes or camps often fail to instill lasting coding skills in students. For instance, a child who attends a summer coding camp is likely to forget 95% of the material by the time winter break comes around. The initial excitement and exposure are valuable, but without consistent practice and reinforcement, the acquired knowledge quickly fades away.
This is echoed in the article “Learning Loss: A Summer Problem” by Caitlin Munro. This article discusses the phenomenon of summer learning loss, which occurs during lengthy summer breaks when students lose academic knowledge and skills. This loss is particularly pronounced in math and literacy. During the summer, students often forget significant portions of what they learned during the school year, leading to a need for teachers to re-teach material when students return. This recurring loss can result in widening achievement gaps each year, as students fall further behind in these critical subject areas.
If you really want your child to learn to code, you should consider a year-round coding program.
The Necessity of Year-Round Coding Programs
To truly learn to code, children need a year-round coding program that incorporates consistent and spaced repetition. Such a program does not require a significant time commitment; spending just a couple of hours a week can make a substantial difference.
For example, students in the CodeWizardsHQ program spend less than three hours per week coding—one hour in a weekly class and about two hours on practice projects. This manageable schedule ensures that students regularly revisit and apply their coding skills, leading to better retention and skill development.
Another key factor in the success of the CodeWizardsHQ program is the structured schedule of classes with live instructors. Having classes at a set time, with a live instructor, ensures that coding becomes a regular part of the student’s routine. This consistency is crucial for maintaining continuous learning.
The Importance of Auto-Enroll: Ensuring Continuous Learning
To support consistent learning, CodeWizardsHQ offers “auto-enroll” for students. This feature allows students to be automatically enrolled into the next course in our program, ensuring your child’s consistent progress and helping develop better knowledge retention (by up to 90%). Our research shows that students using auto-enroll have a 50% increase in course progression (i.e amount of courses completed) and an 8% increase in successfully completing each course on the first attempt. By continuously attending courses, students build on their recently acquired skills, which fosters this improved skill development and retention.
Conclusion
As you evaluate extracurricular activities for your child this school year, consider the importance of consistent and spaced repetition in learning to code. One-off coding events may spark interest, but a year-round commitment is essential for true skill acquisition. The auto-enroll feature at CodeWizardsHQ is designed to support continuous learning, ensuring that your child steadily progresses and excels in their coding journey. By supporting continuous learning, you can provide your child with the best opportunity to develop and retain their coding skills effectively.
References
Akresh-Gonzales, Josette (2017). Spaced Repetition: The Most Effective Way to Learn. NEJM Knowledge+. https://knowledgeplus.nejm.org/blog/spaced-repetition-the-most-effective-way-to-learn/
Munro, Caitlin (2022). Learning Loss: A Summer Problem. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education. https://eric.ed.gov/?q=summer+slide&id=EJ1350843
