Etsy just announced an intriguing offer: a free four-week class on basic Web programming centered around its own API. The class is being offered through Codelesson.com and doesn’t require any programming or HTML experience. This sort of course probably won’t produce the next computer science superstar, but this seems like a great idea for getting more people coding.
Most programming classes focus on the basics and learning general skills. By focusing on learning the skills needed for a specific scenario, the instructors may attract a group of people who may never have learned programming otherwise.
Here are some of the specifics the class will cover:
- Displaying Etsy listing on your own site
- Searching Etsy listings via the API
- Adding special effects to a Web page
From Etsy’s announcement:
The course runs for four weeks, with one lesson each week. Lessons are posted on Monday, allowing students to read the material and do the homework on their own schedule. There’s an online forum where you can post questions for the instructor (me!) or get help from your fellow students. There’s only one homework assignment per week, and it’s quick and to the point. If you have one night free per week, you can learn to program with Etsy.
What are some other scenarios that would make a good basis for beginner programming classes?
