Hour of Code

The Hour of Code has come and gone this year with barely a notice - at least here anyway. But have a look at the link below.  It doesn't have to be run during the suggested time frame and maybe it is something that could be looked at for next year? 

http://slav.global2.vic.edu.au/2016/11/21/hour-of-code-coming-soon/#.WFHa29V94nQ

In the three years it has been running it has become a global movement reaching  tens of millions of students and spanning 180 countries.  As most of the jobs that will be available in the future are not even dreamed of now, just having the confidence to step into the arena will be a big part of gaining work. 

All of us are literally surrounded by gadgets, devices, gaming, social media and so the list continues. The Hour of Code is a creative activity that works to provide students with an opportunity to be more than an onlooker.  It takes some of the mystery out of digital tech and offers students a world of resources that they can revisit and explore at any time they like. 

What can you learn in just an hour?  You won't become an expert computer programmer in an hour - but you will have fun, learn to have a go - and realising that you CAN do this is a big part of it.

Computer Coding and the Hour of Code

December 7th to 13th sees the 2015 Hour of Code run once again.  Every student should have the opportunity to learn computer science. It helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path. See more stats on code.org. 

This app is being offered free as an official app for the Hour of Code - see below. 
"Box Island: One Hour Coding - The #1 mobile tutorial for an Hour of Code™.  Officially featured by Code.org at https://code.org/learn.

Box Island purports to teach kids from 6+ about coding via a game and it’s currently free on the App Store https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/box-island-one-hour-coding/id1048373739

Take a trip on Box Island and help Hiro collect all the clocks scattered in the wilderness! In this fun mobile tutorial, students take part in a journey on Box Island that has been specifically designed for the Hour of Code™ campaign. Students are introduced to many of the basic fundamentals of coding through engaging puzzles in the tropical wilderness of Box Island.

Students are introduced to fundamentals such as:

* algorithmic thinking

* sequencing

* pattern recognition

* loops

* conditionals

* debugging

The tutorial is student-led and suitable for age six and up. The Hour of Code™ is a nationwide initiative by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org [code.org] to introduce millions of students to one hour of computer science and computer programming.

It could be handy for getting kids more involved in computers and computer science.