Structure and Community: Big Benefits of an Online Coding Bootcamp

When deciding how to train to become a software developer, you have options like learning on your own, through a traditional college program, or in an online coding bootcamp. Of course, we’re fans of the latter, in large part because we believe in the power of learning in a structured environment alongside others, forming a community that lasts well beyond graduation.

In this post, we’ll dive into the value of structured learning and community building, specifically in an online coding bootcamp environment.

The Proven Benefits of Learning in a Group

No matter if you’re in a traditional classroom or online setting, there are advantages to learning in a group. Being with others helps facilitate valuable things like group projects, or chances to discuss, analyze, question, and respond to others, which boosts learning and retention.

There are studies to support these claims. A large one conducted by researchers in Sweden and the UK found that group work facilitates learning. Students “learned more or different things when working in groups than they would have if working alone.” Students also reported learning how groups work, how to function as individuals within a group, and how others work and behave as part of a group.

All of this is valuable when considering a team-oriented career like software development. Even more studies support the idea that cooperation and group work are effective for learning. Analysts found that cooperative learning increases students’ overall effort, encourages positive relationships, and improves mental well-being.

How a Coding Bootcamp Community Can Help You Short- and Long-Term

Professional software developers have to collaborate with a variety of skilled teammates and need to consider diverse perspectives to reach the best possible outcomes. Because of this, we place an emphasis on teamwork in our bootcamps. We design them to emulate professional software development work environments so our graduates are ready to enter the workforce as effective contributors and collaborators.

Our required coding bootcamp projects help students build a professional portfolio, with many projects completed alongside others. They work together on paired programming, and on a final project where students work in groups to create an application that meets a specific need. These efforts expand their coding skills and make each student an effective group member and a job-ready professional.

As you work on projects and daily work, you’ll build your coding bootcamp community. Having a community around you as you learn and navigate new (and sometimes challenging) material can provide value both now and as you move into your new career, said Margaret Green, Tech Elevator Technical Skills Development Manager.

“In a bootcamp setting, you have a community of learners beside you, on the same journey. Some of your closest and best tech connections will end up being your classmates,” she said. “Self-learning can be hard to stay motivated and it’s easy to give up. With a group of students going through the same experiences alongside you, you’re more likely to succeed in your dream of an IT career. I work with alumni while they are looking for their IT role, and so many of them talk about how close they are with the people they went through the bootcamp with.”

Structure in a Tech Elevator Coding Bootcamp

We offer a full-time and part-time program, both organized and structured to keep students on task and help them successfully build toward a new career. Both programs are broken down into modules, assessments, and projects. Our full-time program has classes every weekday morning (Monday through Friday) for three hours. Each class starts with a review of the material covered in the previous class, followed by discussions reinforcing a new concept.

Our part-time structure is different in that class is held once a week on Saturday mornings, or twice a week on either Tuesday and Thursday or Monday and Wednesday nights. The part-time course includes more asynchronous learning than the full-time program, which provides a different learning option for students who enjoy a mix of solo and group learning.

Ready to learn in a community? Get your application started today!

If you’re ready to start learning alongside other passionate coders, you can start your application right now. Or, to learn more, consider attending an upcoming Open House event.