Episode Details

275:` Web Development for Homeschoolers

In this episode, host Meryl van der Merwe interviews Robert Walsh, an experienced web developer and educator from Excalibur Solutions Stem Academy. They dive into the fundamentals of web development, discussing HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and the advantages of learning to code websites over using drag-and-drop builders. Robert shares insights on the ideal age for kids to start learning web development, free online resources, and the benefits of taking a structured web development course.

Robert Walsh was also a guest on Episode 266 where he talked about teaching students to use Tinkercad.

What is Web Development?

• Creating content that displays inside a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
• Building dynamic and interactive web pages with coding
• Requires knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • HTML = Structure
  • CSS = Appearance
  • JavaScript = Interactivity and behavior

Why Learn Web Development Instead of Using Drag-and-Drop Tools?

• Drag-and-drop tools have limitations and may not give the desired result
• Learning HTML, CSS allows customization beyond drag-and-drop capabilities
• Adding custom JavaScript enables complex behaviors not possible with drag-and-drop

Age to Start Learning Web Development:

• Middle school age (6th or 7th grade) can conceptually grasp the basics
• Need to be comfortable with a computer keyboard
• Ability to differentiate syntax between HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Free Resources for Learning:

• W3Schools (https://www.w3schools.com/)
• Mozilla Developer Network (MDN Web Docs) (https://developer.mozilla.org/)
• YouTube tutorials and online resources (search for “web development tutorials”)