| layout | default |
|---|
In the Code Skull teaching system, the following terms map directly to fundamental education concepts:
- Skull
- A component task.
- Bounty
- A learning objective.
- Skill
- A learning outcome.
- Level
- An assessment grade that may be transferable to a traditional letter grade.
Adopt a grading system that better incentivises learning:
- A points system is used instead of letter grades;
- Learners start at zero Points;
- Points are earned by collecting Skulls;
- Skulls are collected by completing Bounties;
- Learners gain a Level when enough Points are earned;
- Learners earn different Skills at each Level through their choice of Bounties.
Structure activities (Bounties) to encourage the idea that the choices learners make actually matter.
- Bounties will have mandatory Skulls that are required to earn Points, but the learner can include optional Skulls that provide point bonuses.
- Skulls will map to Skills that can be earned at the time of a Level-up.
- End result: two learners with the same Level (which may map to a D letter grade, for example) may have different Skill trees that reflect the choices they have made in their Bounties.
- Example: one learner may have chosen to implement an image with a JPEG while another may have used an inline SVG. One student may earn points for a Raster Skill and the other may earn them for a Vector Skill (which may itself have multipliers for being more difficult).
Create a learning environment that fosters intrinsic motivation in the learners.
- Encourage curiosity by offering optional Skulls they haven't seen before (perhaps when they Level-up).
- Example: If a Bounty requires a starting array, provide a default array but also offer a
fetch()Skull that requests an array from a public API. Many beginners will not be aware of asynchronous code and study futher on their own time.
- Example: If a Bounty requires a starting array, provide a default array but also offer a
- Encourage teamwork by providing bonus Collaboration Skulls for Bounties that are too difficult/impractical to complete alone.
- Facilitate the development of a team identity by providing bonuses for all members if everyone earns a minimum Level/Bounty/Skill.