The Killswitch team recently had the opportunity to visit an organization, not located too far from our own office actually, called The Code Academy. The Code Academy is a fellow Ruby on Rails learning environment where students are taught the basics of how to build web applications. The academy provides expert instruction and mentorship to their students, who actually learn more in 12 weeks than most do in a year! The classes that are offered are from both web design and web development perspectives, and we can tell you from first hand experience, that these students are not only having fun with their classes, but they are dedicated to developing the necessary skills to succeed in the business. Arvin Dang, the Code Academy's Community Manager was kind enough to tell us a little bit about what the program is all about. Read below to find out!

Tell us a little bit about Code Academy and the people behind the organization.

From a students end we've worked with Jeff, Mike, and Neal (instructors) on an everyday basis. Each were really unique in their approach with students and the learning experience, but all three came together to form an undeniably great pack.

How did the windy city of Chicago play into the location of the institution?

As a new student coming from LA to Chicago, I expected our core group to be the only solid community. Little did I realize how close knit the entire Chicago startup and tech scene is. Literally everyone we've come across has been excited about what we're doing, what we're building and have offered to help in some way.

Chicago itself is at the forefront of a tech shift, and it's an amazing feeling knowing you're riding along with it.

I'm guessing you guys have students from all over the world. What do you think is the major factor that plays into someone's decision about attending the Code Academy?

It's the same factors for students local or abroad. It's in their DNA to build great things. And we each recognized those elements within Code Academy from the start. The application and site's attention to passionate builders, beginner builders, and people with ideas are the three elements that resounded with us.

What makes Code Academy different from let's say a computer science class at a university?

Everything feels different in CA's approach to education. I can't think of a program that offers as consistent pairing as Code Academy. No CS class has Jeff Cohen as an instructor. You won't find the community support that we've been fortunate to have in a normal CS program. Plus we have such an entrepreneur focus, I again can't think of a CS program that lets you build exactly what you want to build, then ship it.

Speaking of universities, do students usually come to the Code Academy with a background in programming or computer science? Or is programming something that would be a brand new experience to them?

For most, programming has been a completely new experience to them. We've had the handful who come with a CS degree/background but are new to Ruby on Rails. What we've noticed is those with the background have that foundation in understanding that major components of what it takes to piece together an application, but it still comes down to learning a new language.

What's been great is seeing students who come in with no experience catching up to CS students in a matter of weeks in terms of understanding the big concepts. Even better though is seeing how quickly students with backgrounds leverage their understanding to help others. No other place have I seen so many capable students become teachers.

What's the culture and atmosphere like in the classroom?

Our mentality is to kill it. No matter what we're working on, each of our goals is to dominate our practice, and our applications. The drive is clear, the passion is there, and as a whole we're entirely dedicated to helping build each other's visions. What's more unique is how quickly people are willing to vet and open up their ideas to one another. It's an open ecosystem where we feel confident and comfortable opening ourselves up to. So while I might be possessive and excited about my idea, I know here I can find a culture of like minded people willing to help without monetary or financial reason. We're all simply here to help, to grow and to learn.

What kinds of projects do the students work on, and do they leave the program with a nice portfolio to show off?

I think a fantastic example is one of our own students, Tom Cullen who in his presentation had a simple number, 48. That's how many applications he built in the course of three months. They weren't all full blown apps, but they each were stand alone enough for him to show off to anyone. And these aren't your normal CS apps that randomize numbers, or offer the correct amount of change. These are apps that can be tied into actual services.

Some students come in very focused on a core idea they intend build, and everything they learn goes right back into that idea. Others who are geared more to learn and grow as developers tend to focus on multiple "breakable toys", things they can build upon, practice on, and break if necessary.

At Killswitch, we are always looking for new and efficient ways to test our work. What are Code Academy's thoughts on testing, do you guys recommend anything like rspec or cucumber?

Jeff was great at going over many of the aspects he uses while developing including TDD (test driven development), and we had the pleasure of having JC Grubbs from DevMynd come in and walk us through implementing rspec. So while we haven't focused on it as much in the past 12 weeks, we're in a place to better understand it going forward, and to better utilize these practices as we begin working. I believe keeping it open helps us adapt to the firms that begin hiring us out as well.

If there was one piece of advice you could give to all people who inspire to learn how to program, what would that be?

The biggest problem is working alone. As soon as you hit a roadblock, you get frustrated, and give up. The best way to combat it is working in pairs or groups. The dynamic creates a completely new approach to problem solving. So the best advice I can give you is to find someone who wants to learn with you.

Last question! For all of our interested readers, where will classes be held in the spring of 2012 and how can they learn even more about the Code Academy?

Classes in Spring 2012 will continue to be in the heart of the Chicago tech scene. While we can't give you full details right now, you can keep up with us through Twitter, or visit our website. As soon as classes begin, our students begin blogging about their experiences and hurdles along the way. Read them all, as they each provide unique insights into the pitfalls and accomplishments a group can make in just three months.