Last April, in the darkness of the early pandemic, we were looking for ways to reconnect socially, and to keep our learning flourishing despite tricky conditions.
It was our friends at Neontribe who introduced us to Dr Felienne Hermans and her work on Code Reading Clubs. We tried it, and loved it.
In this post you'll learn about what a Code Reading Club is, the benefits they bring, and how you can start exploring this technique to improve your own team's learning culture.
In essence a Code Reading Club is a bit like a book club, and a bit like a lighthearted kick-about in the park.
A small group meet regularly to read and discuss short pieces of code. Each session is facilitated by a member of the group who has selected the code sample for the occasion and who guides the group through a series of exploratory exercises. Over time, the group improves its technique through practice and by exploring new approaches through different exercises.
With a simple structure and low investment and risk, we've found the benefits of Code Reading Club to be astounding.
If we've piqued your interest you can self-start your own journey using the resources at https://code-reading.org. If you'd like help with a guided approach why not get in touch with our CTO Rupert at info@lola.tech? We've also been holding code reading club sessions for small groups on Meet.Up - check out our events listing and join if you're interested. Places are limited to allow everyone to engage and contribute.
In closing we'd like to congratulate Dr Felienne Hermans on winning the Dutch Prize for ICT research 2021. We note with surprise that sometimes the value of her work has been challenged. We are here to confirm the business, educational and personal value which it generates. Thanks Felienne!