Guiding Others Through Code with Storyteller
As a computer science instructor, I have long wished that there was a better way to guide others through my code. When I was first learning to program, I was a big fan of traditional programming books. However, I have known for a while now that most learners today don’t share my love of big thick books.
Blog-Style Tutorials and Videos
Blog-style tutorials mix code and the explanation of it in a top-to-bottom fashion. However, linking the explanation of the code and the code itself has always been less than ideal. Video tutorials are very popular these days, but they have some problems too. From the perspective of the viewer, videos are hard to search through and are not useful as a copy and paste source or a code reference.
Introducing Storyteller
I have created a new medium to guide viewers through code examples. It combines the best of books, blog posts, and videos. This new medium allows a developer to write code using a top-notch editor and then replay the development of that code in the browser. The author can add comments at important points in the evolution of the code.
For example, Enlarging a Picture (Python) and Dynamic Variables and Pointers (C++) are two examples of a ‘playback’. These work best on a big screen. If you are viewing a playback on a small screen you can view it in ‘blog’ mode.
Advantages of Code Playbacks
The primary focus is on the code. It is always visible and easy to search and navigate. Since the code is so accessible, the explanation of it tends to be short and concise. The narrative can include whiteboard style drawings, screenshots, or videos of running code in addition to a text explanation.
AI as an Infinitely Patient Tutor
I have extended code playbacks to include an AI tutor. One thing I’ve learned in my years of teaching is that students often hesitate to ask questions. What if every student had access to a patient tutor who never got frustrated with repeated questions and could explain concepts in multiple ways until something clicked? I’ve integrated AI directly into the playback experience.
As students work through a playback, they can ask questions about anything they’re seeing. This might be a specific line of code, a concept I mentioned in a comment, or how something connects to material from earlier in the playback. The AI has full context. It can see the code, it understands where the student is in the playback, and it can provide explanations tailored to that exact moment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Storyteller is a powerful tool for guiding others through code. With its ability to combine the best of books, blog posts, and videos, it provides a unique and effective way to learn and teach programming concepts. Additionally, the integration of AI as an infinitely patient tutor makes it an even more valuable resource for students. Try it out today and see the difference it can make in your learning or teaching experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Storyteller? A: Storyteller is a new medium for guiding viewers through code examples. It combines the best of books, blog posts, and videos, allowing developers to write code and replay its development in the browser.
Q: How does Storyteller work? A: Storyteller allows developers to write code using a top-notch editor and then replay the development of that code in the browser. The author can add comments at important points in the evolution of the code.
Q: What are the advantages of code playbacks? A: The primary focus is on the code, it is always visible and easy to search and navigate. The explanation of the code tends to be short and concise, and the narrative can include whiteboard style drawings, screenshots, or videos of running code.
Q: How does the AI tutor work? A: The AI tutor is integrated directly into the playback experience. As students work through a playback, they can ask questions about anything they’re seeing, and the AI can provide explanations tailored to that exact moment.
Q: Can I use Storyteller for free? A: Yes, I have created groups of guided code walk-throughs to help me teach different topics to my students, and these are all free and hosted on a website I created called Playback Press.
