What is Codementum and How Can It Be Used for Teaching? Tips and Tricks

Codementum
(Image credit: Codementum)

Codementum is a game-based platform that aims to teach users how to code using engaging learning.

This system offers a range of coding languages and offers a layout that is easy to learn and image-led to help keep things fun to ensure even younger students are engaged in STEM learning.

While this can be used by students directly, there are helpful dashboard control features for teachers to track progress and assign future work to ensure students are progressing at an ideal rate.

Read on to find out all you need to know about Codementum.

What is Codementum?

Codementum is a coding-learning platform. This uses gamification of the coding process to help students learn while staying focused on the game-based achievements. It effectively teaches coding while students feel they are simply playing a game.

Codementum

(Image credit: Codementum)

Codementum is based online so it can work across a host of devices and is easily accessible in a range of environments. This brings lots of coding types to students of varying ages, including Python and JavaScript – two of the most widely used coding languages right now.

The platform comes with teaching packs to help make it easy to teach to students, even for those without coding experience. This also works at a self-paced rate, making it a potentially pressure-free way for both students and teachers to access, learn, and teach coding.

How does Codementum work?

Codementum breaks down into Beginner, Med Level, and Advanced options. By laying out the levels in this way it removes age limits, so students can progress based on their abilities.

Students can try to collect potions in the game, which leads to completing the tasks and gaining stars -- get three to complete a task. This is all easy to understand and helps to keep students motivated in a simple way that's accessible even to beginners.

Codementum

(Image credit: Codementum)

Students can play code-based games that teach them without the feel of being taught. Progress further and it's possible to build platform-independent mobile apps and games – meaning apps for iOS and Android, which students can actually upload and share with others.

Students can also use the Codementum STEM section to write code for specific digital devices. That way students can write digital code that creates real-world changes, such as an LED bracelet flashing, or a motor-driven windmill moving.

What are the best Codementum features?

Codementum is broken down into courses that are useful sections, such as the gaming or app build types mentioned above. Since there are STEM courses, these can be integrated into lots of different subjects to suit the class.

Codementum

(Image credit: Codementum)

The more advanced coding touches on artificial intelligence and machine learning, as shown in the above image. This not only makes for more complex coding skills but also allows students to develop powerful abilities that are in demand in the workplace now and in the future.

Teachers have the use of a dashboard that displays how each student is progressing. This is also where teachers can assign lessons and manage the content within to suit each student, group, or class. There are also student reports that can be managed from this access point. 

While this is easy to get started with, there is a simpler coding format called Scratch that could be a better starting place for some younger students. That said, if the Beginner level of this works, it's an ideal way to get into real coding.

How much does Codementum cost?

Codementum has a selection of individual and school-wide plans available.

For Individual plans, pay monthly and it's $14.99 per month. Go for the annual plan and its $99 per year. Or picking the lifetime option for $199. That said, there are often sales with as much as 40% off the price so it's worth checking to find those deals.

For School plans, it's on a quote-by-quote basis, so this will vary based on how many students and teachers need access and also the level of content required.

Codementum best tips and tricks

Self driven
Since the gamification results are measurable, have students create targets for themselves across each month and check in to see if they're making measurable progress.

Class game
The game- and app-building platform is a great way to have the class or groups work in collaboration. Have them create a game with different groups dedicated to various parts of the design process.

Get real
Either invest in hardware or have students bring theirs in so that the class can code to operate real-world devices. Drones are a great option -- check out the best drones for education for some top picks.

Luke Edwards is a freelance writer and editor with more than two decades of experience covering tech, science, and health. He writes for many publications covering health tech, software and apps, digital teaching tools, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones, cars and much more.