Infographic from code.org
Each year during Computer Science Week (December 7-13, 2015), we celebrate the “Hour of Code.” The Hour of Code is a global movement to get students engaged in an introduction to computer science using basic code. During this designated hour, students are encouraged to learn the basics of coding to see just how fun (and not so scary) it really is.
If you’re wondering why you should be interested in this, check out the following facts.
- Currently in Indiana there are 6,468 open computing jobs (that’s 3.9 times the state average demand rate). However, there are only 1,236 new computer science graduates.
- Computer science is a top paying field and these jobs are growing quickly! Studying computer science can lead to some of the best-paying jobs available.
- Of all math and science students, only 2% are majoring in computer science. However, of all the math and science jobs available, 60% of those are in computer science fields.
So, would you like to get started? We challenge you to spend a total of one hour between now and mid-December checking out some of these coding activities. By simply going to Code.org’s website, you can find fun activities at various levels. Check out some of these code tutorials:
- Do you spend hours on Minecraft? Why not try out this Minecraft themed coding adventure. This is one of the most basic levels, so even if you have no idea what coding is, this is a good start. If you’re interested in a Disney theme, there’s even a Frozen version.
- For those of you who love Star Wars, build a galaxy and learn some Javascript along the way.
- Make your own video game with Flappy Bird, Infinity Play Lab, or Play Lab.
- Are you more interested in art than video games? Coding can be creative too. Check out this art activity.
If you are interested in a more sophisticated coding experience, try out these activities:
- Codeacademy takes you through writing programming language to do neat tasks (like animating your name like in this first activity). Warning! This site can be very addictive.
- CodeCombat’s Hour of Code lets you use Python or Javascript programming language to defeat ogres in this interactive game.
There are several other activities listed on code.org if you want to explore other options. Once you complete the Hour of Code challenge, comment below or share a post on Twitter or Instagram of your code creations using the hashtag #AchieveVirtual. We can’t wait to see what you create!
Mark Zuckerberg, Creator of Facebook
