Learning to Code (A 21st Century Skill)

Learning To Code: Get A Degree, Or Just Teach Yourself? [Infographic]

Lauren Orsini 

Say you're interested in learning to code. Should you go back to school and pick up a formal diploma? Or just teach yourself (perhaps with some help from the Internet) in your spare time at home?

Catalin Zorzini, the founder of Web design resource site Inspired Mag, was wondering just that, so he built an infographic on the subject. “Some readers are confused by the relevance of attending university in a time where technology information is not locked within the university walls anymore,” he told me.

(See also: There's A Boom In Teaching People To Code)

After two weeks worth of extensive research, however, Zorzini said it’s not about one type of education being superior. “The challenge is to be able to match the right type of course with the right student mindset,” he said.

Zorzini’s finished infographic, based on information from editorials, universities curriculums, reviews, and even the opinions of practicing Web designers, won’t tell you which method is “best.” But it may help you figure out which method would be best for you. Check it out below:

Photo by Joseph McKinley