Digital Resources

Sometimes you just run out of things to do. For those of you who have grown bored of the side-scrolling games, why not try something a little more educational and productive? Here are some still-fun-but-also-brain-boosting-good-doing ideas below.

Code Academy

The idea of learning how to code sounds daunting, but Code Academy (http://www.codecademy.com/) makes it easy. There are a few different ways to approach learning code. If you are totally new to coding, the "Goals" section provides you with three 30 minute tasks that lead you through the process clearly and simply, and with examples. From there, you can learn about coding languages or coding skills that could be helpful to you in the future. 

DIY History

Do you love history? Can you read cursive and have the patience to decipher faded transcripts? Check out DIY History at the University of Iowa (http://diyhistory.lib.uiowa.edu/). You can read and transcribe primary documents from 8 different collections so that others (including scholars, students and the public) can use the information contained within more easily. 

Galaxy Zoo

Astronomy for the masses - Galaxy Zoo (http://www.galaxyzoo.org/) allows you to help out scientists who are classifying galaxies from across the universe. You know how we keep talking about "big data"? Well this data is huge and the team of scientists could use your help. All you need to do is look at pictures of galaxies and click on answers to a few questions. 

Skills for Change    

It's great to make a difference in the world - but study hall only lasts 45 minutes. Skills for Change (http://www.skillsforchange.com/) allows you to contribute a little bit of time and energy to a cause that you're interested in. It's called micro-volunteering, and it gives you a chance to contribute something that nonprofits need. You can choose what types of causes to work on, you can choose the kinds of services you're willing to give and Skills for Change will set you up with "challenges" that take very little time to complete. It's crowdsourcing for a good cause!