While I was researching the book Virtual and Traditional Jigsaws in the Classroom, I was seeking out ways to teach students HTML. It is one thing to be able to tinker with and tweak HTML and another thing to be able to teach the theory to other people. Colour & Texture Jigsaw Puzzle

Teaching the code in the context of setting up a class Blog makes learning in context very easy and enjoyable.  However there is still a need for adequate support if teachers are going to do a good job.

On W3Schools.com it is possible to find out and learn about all of the kinds of codes in a one-stop shop.

Testing Code Online

W3Schools.com has an online tester where the student and teacher can play with HTML in one box and after hitting submit see what it would look like once published.  Needless to say, I played with this for a while and wrote lesson plans for the book using and citing this service.  Check out the colour coder to see how easy the teachers have made tutorials.  (Childs Play)

After playing for a while I realised that this was a kind of University.  Teachers, designers and artists can study here at their own pace and when the have taken the self paced tests and feel confident take a test for $95 and become certified.   I became intrigued!

Here is how the system works.

• Study for free at W3Schools.com
• Study at your own speed
• Test your skills with W3Schools online quizzes
• Apply for your certificate by paying an exam fee ($95)
• Take your exam online, at any time, and from any location
• If you fail, or want to improve your score, you can take the exam one more time

There are many advantages to becoming certified. For example certification is highly valued on freelancer spaces such as eLance.com   Most workplaces would be supportive of workers who were prepared to put themselves through the paces, and many would be prepared to pay the certification fee if this is the way staff chose to approach professional development.

Getting a certificate proves your commitment to upgrade your skills, gives you the credibility and documentation needed to advance your career or help you to start a new one.

Community Based Learning: Free Access for All

This resource is of great benefit for the entire Internet community because if all you want to do is snatch a bit of the basics the information it is totally and freely available.   It is only when you become serious enough to want to get certified that there is a cost involved.

The free resources set out in such an easily digestable fashion made writing lessons a breeze.    It also got me in!  I for one will certainly be coming back to get certified through this site.

Resources:

• W3Schools Try It Editor
• W3Schools Colour Picker 
• Teaching the language of learning: Meta Teaching.
• Fisher,R. (2008) Teaching Thinking.  Bloomsbury Academic.

• Murphy,J. (2013)  Global Citizens Creative Arts Text. Insights and Activities. Kindle.
• Motivational Interviewing and the Goals of Self Directed Learning.