As a digital marketer and UX practitioner working with developers and programmers, one of the things that I want to achieve in terms of learning and career development is to know how to code. Most of the developers and programmers that I know are self taught and if they are able to learn coding and programming online by starting out with the basics and eventually with complex code structure such as PHP and Java, then I could do it too.
Unlike 10 years ago, there are many free resources and applications on learning how to code- the most basic of these codes being HTML. So I thought I could get started on that one first and eventually acquire building blocks of knowledge which would allow me to comprehend more difficult coding languages after.
Some weeks ago, I started HTML through the learning platform Code Academy which is a coding platform for those who want to learn coding or programming in a self-taught environment. It’s like an online learning classroom for would-be website developers and for anyone who wants to teach themselves coding. Coding modules include HTML, CSS, Java, R, and PHP to name a few.
Their outline was fairly easy to follow. They teach you what the code is used for first, give you examples of where and how it is used, and after that, you can eventually apply the coding principles of the code through practice. The practice area was a block of space in the learning module which you can access right after each aspect of the lesson is given. Needless to say, it was a good learning experience- you learn the material, see how it is applied, and then apply the code through practical learning.
However, bits of code applied on each lesson on the platform was not enough for me. I guess what I was seeking at the end was a capstone project of sorts where I could eventually apply all learning blocks in HTML in one page or in one project.
With that in mind, I decided to apply my learnings on HTML through a website builder. I chose the hPage free website builder since it has no strings attached required for website upgrade and the platform is completely free. Although there is a page editor where you can just put rich-text and upload files easily, you also have the option to use their HTML editor when it comes to building your web pages. This is the perfect platform for me since the goal is to apply the HTML code on the web pages.
I was able to build my web pages through HTML code easily and I was able to see the whole process. When I made mistakes, I see them on the web pages and I correct the mistakes myself.
When it comes to creating your own capstone projects in HTML or CSS code, I think a website builder is a great platform to apply those learnings. It’s good for beginners and kids who want to see their output through a creative project. Moreover, they can do this project for themselves on their own accord. So instead of thinking of the website as a homework or coding requirement, they are able to see the fun in HTML through website building and creating their own website.
Also on the plus side, it’s a great free learning tool to accompany the HTML and CSS coding resources. I highly encourage beginners, amateurs, and kids to try both. I am having fun in learning HTML now and I will try CSS soon on the web pages as well.
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