Coding Symposium

Adrian Amandi discusses the upcoming National Coding Symposium co-hosted by the California School for the Blind and the American Printing House (APH) for the Blind. Visit the Freedom Scientific Blog to gain access to FSCast 214; you can also find it in pod cast players as Freedom Scientific FSCast.

Find more information on the APH Connect Center website External link opens in new window or tab..

Logo for the 2023 National Coding Symposium presented by APH and partners.

Join the 2023 National Coding Symposium to learn how to design and build your own web pages, games, and logic! Our introductory computer science and HTML lessons provide a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the web, with a focus on inclusivity and accessibility for all learners, with a focus on those with visual impairments. Lessons range from the absolute basics of markup language, to scripts and larger projects.

Our self-paced lessons use engaging and interactive activities, challenges, and exercises to teach you how to create, design, and test web pages using HTML, as well as how to make and edit games. Even if you have no prior coding experience, our lessons are designed to be accessible and easy to understand, allowing students to progress at their own pace and review material as needed. By the end of the course, students will have been introduced to the world of web development, cybersecurity, and so much more!

We're proud to say that all of our lessons are aligned with CA State standards, meaning that students are still achieving academic excellence while learning valuable digital skills. In addition, we offer activities that don't require computers but still help you develop the concepts of building functions, web pages, and learning logic, so you can practice your skills anytime, anywhere. This is especially important for younger students that are still developing computer skills. Whether you're a student looking to expand your knowledge or a teacher seeking to empower your students with new skills, our CS and HTML lessons are the perfect resource.

2023 Coding Symposium Student Award Opportunity

The National Coding Symposium is excited to partner with Humanware, Vispero, and the American Printing House (APH) to offer student awards as part of this year's Symposium!

Vispero will be giving two credits of $3,000 each towards a purchase of technology from any of their brands. Humanware will be giving a BrailleNote Touch+ and a Coding Kit, and the American Printing House for the Blind will be giving either an available braille device or low vision device depending on the student.

A product specialist from each of these organizations will connect with award recipients and their TVIs (if applicable) to help choose the most appropriate device.

Eligibility Information

  • Eligibility is limited to middle to high school and college-aged students who are visually impaired and interested in a career related to coding.
  • Each applicant must complete the scholarship application form below and submit a typewritten .pdf or .doc/.docx essay of 500 words or less.

Essay Criteria and Considerations

  • Submitted on or before Thursday, November 30, 2023
  • Did you submit a complete application (this form and essay sent in together)?
  • Does your essay answer the prompt?
  • Is your essay at, or just under, the 500-word maximum word count?
  • Is your essay cohesive, clear, and organized?
  • Does your essay inspire the judging committee to believe in your future to seek employment in, or related to, coding?

To apply, please fill out the 2023 Coding Symposium Student Award Opportunity form External link opens in new window or tab. (Google Form).

More information about the symposium, including the registration link, can be found on the APH Website External link opens in new window or tab..

Day of Code

CSB will be hosting Day of Code on December 4, 2023. Find more details and reserve your spot on the Day of Code web page. For more coding resources, check out the CSB Coding Resources page.

 

Schedule

Monday, December 4th: Day of Code (Hands-on Coding Activities for All)

Learn about efforts that APH, the Centers for Assistive Technology Training (CATT) and other educational institutions are doing to support students who are blind or low vision with learning coding. There will be content shared from some live events, including lesson plans and activities that you can use to springboard your students' interest in coding.

Tuesday, December 5th: Coding Towards Careers (Student Inspiration)

Learning how to code is a pathway to many careers in all areas of technology. There is a growing need for coders of various abilities to support our growing need for digital access. Meet professionals doing this work and learn about the variety of career opportunities in the vast coding field.

Wednesday, December 6th: Supporting Coding Opportunities Throughout the Year

We know that coding is for ALL LEARNERS and it does NOT need to be taught in isolation and can easily be built into meaningful lesson to engage all levels of learners. Join in on the conversation about creative ways to build coding vocabulary and structures into a variety of subject matter beyond the scope of traditional computer science.

APH Resources

Resources External link opens in new window or tab.

  • Code Jumper
  • Code Quest
  • HTML
  • Quorum
  • Python