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Home / News / “Hour of Code” Brings Computer Programming to Schools Nationwide

“Hour of Code” Brings Computer Programming to Schools Nationwide

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Updated: December 6, 2013
Hour of Code Pic

Computers are everywhere. We use computers, smartphones, tablets, televisions, cars, and all sorts of software every single day. All of these systems that we use, and rely on, depend on computer science. Educating students on computer science will allow them to learn about the vital principles of science, build stronger critical thinking skills, and express solutions as computer programs. As a result, the demands for skilled computer science majors have been growing exponentially in recent years.

In spirit of Computer Science Education Week, Code.org is launching the “Hour of Code.” Computer Science Education Week, from December 9-15, is an annual shout out to the birthday of Admiral Grace Hopper, a pioneer in computing. “Hour of Code” is a “one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anyone can learn the basics to be a maker, a creator, and an innovator.” The initiative simply asks schools, teachers, and parents nationwide to assist the introduction to more than ten million students of all ages.

Engineers from Google, Microsoft, Twitter, and Facebook have worked together to make Code.org’s tutorials possible. The “Hour of Code” aims to push its campaign through introductory tutorials that can be explored online, and even offline. Lead innovators and “tech gods”, such as Bill Gates and Mark Zukerberg, will be guest lecturing. Code.org designed their tutorials through games, using grapics from Rovio’s extremely popular “Angry Birds” and PopCap’s prominent “Plant vs. Zombies.”

In addition to the handful of donors, Code.org has teamed up with companies like Dropbox, Yahoo, and Apple. On top of this, many education organizations will promote the “Hour of Code” to the tens of millions of teachers and students across the country, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the College Board’s Advancement Placement (AP) Program, and the Khan Academy.

Education has typically revolved around reading, writing, science, mathematics, and history. Code.org wants to change this by adding coding into the mix. It is, however, unlikely that the new Common Core education standards will be revised to include coding, but sixty minutes spent introducing code could inspire some change. Aliso Niguel High School is one of the many schools nationwide planning to participate. Many schools are becoming more and more intertwined with technology, such as Aliso Niguel with their iPad Academy. The friendly attitude towards technology in the classroom in many schools has the potential to open the doors towards an education that includes computer programming in the near future.

But, what do you guys think? Do you think coding is an important skill and should be implemented into school’s curriculums? Let us know in the comments below!

http://csedweek.org/

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  • Advanced Gaming™

    I am taking Programming in my school. They’ve had it for a long time.

  • bboyman31

    #MerryChristmas

    It’s nice for children to be programming at such a young age

  • tobagganski343

    Good, this will get kids thinking abstractly about how the world works at a young age. I can’t see a negative to teaching this to kids.

  • Noah Pirrotta

    #MerryChristmas

  • Michael Bologna

    #MerryChristmas Good Luck!

  • https://www.facebook.com/justin.c.reback Justin

    Good idea. Way more useful skill going forward in the world.

    #happyholidays

    YouTube username JustOneMorgan

  • kelly

    #merrychristmas

  • Gaurab

    #happyholidays

  • Martin Avila

    #MerryChristmas

  • Ellis Pedersen

    #happyholidays

  • Ellis Pedersen

    I’m personally in middle school in Santa Monica and this program is not actually 1 hour but 25 hours of activities for codeing I’m 12 and have built by own computer but have no idea how to code.

  • TonytheMLG

    Rally cool I would love to learn coding, but I am so unsure what I want to go to school for. I want to do something with computers such as video editing/ recordingor programming. It would be cool to just build pcs as a job. #HappyHolidays

  • Eric Kung

    #merrychristmas

  • lukesky

    #merrxmas #happyholiday

    youtube username youth03

  • Carren Nova

    #Merrychristmas ! <3

  • Carlos Firgau

    I think it is fantastic

  • Carlos Firgau

    I hope this also happens in my school over here #MerryChristmas

  • CuriousTechGuy

    #MerryChristmas
    Youtube: CuriousTechGuy

  • Nathan

    #MerryChristmas
    Youtube: inamrav

    Glad to see them adding this to kids’ curriculums. I wish they would’ve had it in my schools growing up, even if it would’ve been very basic

  • Martin Skåreby

    #MerryChristmas
    Well i guess this is needed for the community we live in right now. Good for the children to get some information about what to expect later in life. As for how healthy it is I don’t really know, I mean learning to sit with the computer in the early ages may turn you into someone who sits a lot with the computer, which you maybe would have done later in life instead. But I guess we already now sit too much with electronic devices. Youtube: MrMysticous

  • eastyy

    #MerryChristmas youtube :eastyy wish i had coding at school we barely had computers

  • Nico Ong

    It should be an option, like an elective rather than being required for everyone. Not all would enjoy coding. We had this on school as an elective, which I took.

    #merrychristmas
    youtube: mad meatballs

  • Car Mas

    Having a few hours of programming could be good, it depends on how these classes are done and structured
    #MerryChristmas Youtube: CarmasTech

  • David

    #MerryChristmas

  • Plamen

    Let’s hope they’ll grow up to make fantastic software!
    #HappyHolidays
    YouTube: plamenbg93

  • lukesky

    #merryxmas
    youtube username: youth03

  • Sadiqali Zaveri

    Ooh I wish our school had done something like this………
    #Happy Holidays to all :)

  • DaniumMR .

    #MerryChristmas

  • Alan

    #happyholiday

  • DeniablySam

    #HappyHoliday
    YT: DeniablySamMC

  • AKAOx

    I have mixed reactions for this.. #HappyHolidays

  • j4m3z

    Excellent article. #MerryChristmas
    Youtube name @james p

  • Matheus Faiotto

    I wish I had this opportunity while growing up. My learning curve would have been a lot shorter. I started learning how to program at a very young age(most likely younger then they are, I was 8). It changes how one thinks, and I think it changed me for the better.

    #HappyHolidays2013

  • LegitGamer117

    #HappyHolidays

  • Sargus3

    #MerryChristmas

    Youtube name Sargus3

  • Matman24

    #Merry Christmas
    Youtube: Matman3124

  • Paul Anthony Soh

    #MerryChristmas!
    Very Desperate for a win now!

    YT Username: MusicHaven2012

  • Omar

    #merry christmas

  • Ramiro Salto

    #MerryChristmas To All You Guys At Tech Of Tomorrow

    Youtube – SuperMagicBean

  • Guy Jameson

    Beautiful stuff! The kids man…they the future!

    #merrychristmas and #happyholidays

  • Tomas Cabral

    I believe its awesome. We need people who understand computers as they are an inevitable part of our lives at this time. Coding is the first tool to get us there.
    #MerryChristmas Elric! Thanks for the giveaways :)

  • LikeDeckofJade

    I love coding. Why didn’t they have this in school when I was in school?? Oh well. #happyholidays Youtube:LikeDeckofJade

  • SasukeXInferno

    Wish they would come to my school >_>. Something useful to learn.

  • koenen_2

    #merrychristmas

  • LastF0rc3

    #MerryChristmas

  • BboyMonkey Marius

    #HappyHolidays YT: monkeye5z … everyone should learn code :)

  • Joshua Gordon

    #MerryChristmas

  • Michael Tejada

    #MerryChristmas Youtube: Epicpotato12 This really cool code is very fun!

  • Sunil Vijay

    #MerryChristmas

  • Nikho Sagala

    Wow its good. I also from informatics and love coding. #HappyChrismas

  • Matthew Nguyen

    #MerryChristmas :)
    Youtube: Matthew Nguyen

  • David Alejandro Ramos

    #happyholidays #merrychristmas
    This is great for all kids to learn!
    Youtube: MagicOfficial

  • Amado Dwayne Santana

    This stuff ain’t easy to learn tho
    #MerryChristmas

  • Jack O Neil

    Our school would need that :P #merrychristmas
    Youtube: genarationHD

  • DecapitatedApplw

    Merry Christmas

  • Grant

    #MerryChristmas I have a computer class at my school, but it sucks… YouTube: ASillyLlama

  • JoseFikuii

    #MerryHappyChristmasTechAholics ;d thats a nice program but Mexico is probably not included xD

  • Thomas Huynh

    #MerryChristmas

  • Blake

    #merryChristmas Really cool on what they are doing these days.

  • Nox

    #Merry Christmas Youtube Username: IRocaNox
    This is a MUST for kid. Give them something new to learn.

  • ViinceTech

    #merrychristmas Already had this a long time in my school!

    Youtube ID: ViinceTech

  • Randall Wood

    #MerryChristmas from RBJWOOD

  • Erika Yinned Narvaez Morales

    #HappyHolidays

  • Kerron Blair

    #Happy-Holiday
    You-tube: Kerron Valdus

  • Carren Nova

    #Merrychristmas <3 Everyone !

  • Katy Day

    #MerryChristmas

  • Rockon12709

    #merrychristmas

  • Ido Barak

    Great idea!!
    #happyholidays

  • Kersey Hachi

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays :D – Kersey Hachi

  • CuriousTechGuy

    #HappyHolidays

  • Zé Miguel

    awsome, i once teached code to kids in my school #MerryChristmas

  • wallasmod

    Thats awesome #HappyHolidays
    Yt: Wallasmod

  • Oscar Hope

    #merrychristmas ok

  • Stefce

    That’s good to hear, we will have more IT educated kids in near future… I am afraid my son will know much more than I will ever know :D #MerryChristmas YT: MrDockas

  • Eric

    #merrychristmas username:AweshumEric

  • JetVeam

    Hope they do something similar in my country…
    #MerryChristmas
    YouTube: JetVeam

  • Billy Bragg

    #MerryChristmas Youtube BillyBillBragg

  • John Kirby

    #merrychristmas this is something im going to check into myself. I used to do c++ coding and really loved it.

  • Charles

    #merrychristmas I would really love to see that in school, if only it had been implemented earlier :(

  • skipyC

    #Merrychristmas i wish i had that when i was younger :(

    yt: skipyC

  • SnacksMuffs

    #MerryChristmas I hope this comes to my high school! I’ve been trying to learn how to code but it’s some hard stuff.

  • Thomas

    Damn, I still need to learn code myself. Looks like I’ll have to race these kids! #merrychristmas

  • Nasir Shaik

    #MerryChristmas
    TheHolyEvade

    This is awesome wish i was a kid in school :(

  • Adam Howard

    I like coding. Not too hard not too easy. #MerryChristmas

  • Michael Cheung

    #MerryChristmas

    Damnnnnnnnnnnn, More competition from the younger, earlier skilled, generation is gonna be tough for the job market in the coming years!
    Lucky you can’t beat experience!

    YT: cheunga0101

  • GhostEffect

    #MerryChristmas

  • Daniel Muriuki

    i love this idea. if i started coding earlier than senior year of high school i would be waybetter at, maybe even developing games now. #merrychristmas

  • Dieter Chan

    #MerryChristmas Wonder I can learn programming from these videos too lol.

  • Jonathan Lee

    #MerryChristmas
    Youtube Name : Relations99

  • CoderCoderPumpkinEater

    I really think this will be helpful, considering that I am in Middle School currently and have learned C++ and Python, to my peers – whom I want to introduce to programming.

  • Gabriel Mena

    #MerryChristmas

    Youtube Name: Megagabobe1

    Very nice article

  • iSimplyEnvy

    #MerryChristmas

    YouTube name – iSimplyEnvy

  • loseyourselfmw2

    Wish I could take this when I went through school): #MerryChristmas
    Youtube Name: loseyourselfmw2

  • Guest

    Wow………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Very.Impressed……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

  • mattsilo

    #merrychristmas i wish my school would do things like this

    matt silo

  • Abtin Keramati

    WOW………………………………………….VERY IMPRESSED……………………..zen

  • Eric Ayers
  • Elias Mueller

    #MerryChristmas
    youtube: skyroadstar

  • RANKOR788

    #MerryChristmas also Elric, your singing in that my Curse cover was awesome!

    Youtube: RANKOR788

  • Abtin Keramati

    VERY IMPRESSED

  • Abtin Keramati

    WOW

  • Fonpotter

    #MerryChristmas! By Fonpotter! ( youtube name)

  • Abtin Keramati

    HOLY BAJEEZUS THIS IS GREAT

  • Michael Eberhardt

    #HappyHolidays
    Youtube username: Ultrabanana69

    My school is doing this in our math classes, and part of my computer class was to rank the different hour of coding websites, to decide on the one for the school to do.

  • Walid sami

    #happy holidays

    walid sami

  • dhizon17

    #MerryChristmas :)
    Youtube Username: gaurdjatixa

    I wish we had this when I was a child.

  • zack

    #happy holidays

  • Rimon.B

    #MerryChristmas !

    youtube: Rimon Boules

  • RazorBlade ARC

    #MerryChristmas

  • Ravneil Lal

    #MerryChristmas from Ravneil Lal…

  • Rahul Manthena

    #MerryChristmas :)

    YouTube Name: Rahul Manthena

  • Tyshots

    #happyholidays enjoy the season no matter if you celebrate a holiday or not!

  • StareX415

    #MerryChristmas – YUP! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :DD
    StareX415 – Youtube

  • Gia Lam Bui

    Awesome. Wish I had this when I was a kid.
    #MerryChristmas
    -MuttonLambs

  • Sammy

    #MerryChristmas
    youtube: Immrsam

    wish they had this when i was younger..
    i used to code Basic from a ‘make your own computer games’ book when i was about 5yo on my dads Spectrum, i would of loved this as a kid!

  • Alex Chang

    #MerryChristmas

  • Filip

    I want to lear C++ but don’t have the time because of school (although i am learning Pascal)
    #MerryChristmas
    YT: CyberWolf755

  • Arteh Em

    #MerryChristmas youtube: IISgGuitaristII
    this is so awesome

  • Lifeintheskies

    This is absolutely genius, now if only I had time to get started.

    #MerryChristmas

    Youtube: Lifeintheskies

  • Krenival

    Technology officially is going to start taking over today. Can’t wait for the future
    #MerryChristmas
    Krenival

  • Mateo Burbano

    #MerryChristmas

  • Trezza

    Damn wish i had this :(
    #MerryChirstmas

  • Farshad Felfelian

    I hope when i was in elementary school, i had an opportunity like that.
    #MerryChristmas

  • xchel Dominguez

    #MerryChristmas I hope I win something :) good luck people
    youtube: /user/xjdom or Xchel Dominguez

  • Hanchibi

    Interesting

  • SinisterSmiley

    Yeah sounds good now we just need a nice present from TOT :D
    Thank you :) #MerryChristmas
    Youtube name: Wiat Marais

  • Matej Smolíček

    #MerryChristmas

    Sounds good

  • ana georgievska

    Ana Georgievska

  • Architect

    #MerryChristmas

    Gabriel15Ro

  • muguripon

    #MerryChristmas ToT, you saved me multiple times from bad purchases, that is a fantastic gift even when it’s not christmas :) Happy Holidays to all of you!
    And good luck!
    Youtube: muguripon

  • 1hackingo

    #MerryChristmas and good luck for the giveaway participants :)

  • Rihards Špons

    #MerryChristmas
    pizdatijsChalis

  • DragonBallFTW

    #MerryChristmas This is a really cool idea, seeing as everything is becoming more and more computer oriented, programming will definitely become mandatory in the future, it also helps with people who are new to programming and are interested in learning it :)

  • FellandorGaming

    #MerryChristmas and good luck to all!

  • McTavish

    #MerryChristmas

    YT: McTavish

  • McTavish

    #MerryChristmas
    McTavish

  • RazorGecko .

    #MerryChristmas I don’t really think that every young kid will be able to learn to code… I am not a really big fan of this idea!

  • Jason Tirtabudi

    #merrychristmass this is really intersting!! love it

  • EBRH2

    lol i’m 18 now and i don’t even know what coding is

    #MerryChristmas EBRH2

  • Drcustomizer

    lol i wish i could code im 18 would love to code some new software somthing,

    anyways #merrychristmas

  • EagleAPI

    #MerryChristmas Even more shitty games for Steam Green light :D

  • Tomas Saročka

    #HappyHolidaysEveryone! Greetings from Lithuania!

  • Franco Araujo

    #MerryChristmas from Peru

  • Qasim Mahmood

    #HappyHolidays! YouTube username: ragrerules

  • Nathan Diaz

    I have little brother who has an hour of computer every other day. Helps him learn better for any subject in the form of games.

  • GhostDJ27

    This might mean a lot to computing in the future and also benefit kids. Teaching them skills that are used more in the computerized world we live in and will live in…

  • Lord Bloindor

    #MerryChristmas Youtube: Lord Bloindor

  • Jimboxslim

    #Happyholidays

  • Arjol Henci

    Sounds nice, but… It should be only for those that want it.
    #merrychristmas

  • Chuang Chu Xiang

    Not bad …. But most likely they are for kids who are interested #makingthefuture #rainychristmas

  • Reece Tam

    #warmwhitechristmas

  • Matthew Dicks

    Is this only for the US?

  • Bassem Awny

    #MerryChristmas !

  • Brian M Guthreau

    I read the Wiki article on Hooper. At her retirement she was the Oldest serving US Navy member on the oldest serving US Navy ship, the 216 yo. Constitution. #MerryChristmas

  • Dean Graham Smylie

    This is a good idea. The sooner children learn about coding the better.

  • Martin Cooper

    #MerryChristmas man !!

  • sgan

    #MerryChristmas harry781012 on youtube!

  • Grega

    #MerryChristmas This would be great, so that my little brother could help me program some games ;)

  • derenei

    #happyholiday

  • http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB8OF9Z5N4fzBvIF9ccCSjQ Deep Bhavsar

    #MerryChristmas #HappyHolidays
    Hope everyone has a great Holiday and safe new year with their Family & Friends.

  • Yasmine Zefri

    I wish my school had something like this. Unfortunately where I live no one really cares about things like computer science. #HappyHolidays

  • Checkedbox .

    I wish i’d learnt programming, or have the option to :(

  • Checkedbox .

    #merrychristmas everyone!

  • Gabriell Vig

    My old teacher has been speaking a whole lot about this project!
    #MerryChristmas

  • Jan Getz
  • Jesse Jo

    #merrychristmas I don’t really think this will change much as there is already classes in my school teaching coding. Would be a really cool thing to learn though!!

  • Denis Koprivc

    #merrychrismas

  • nimish

    #merrychristmas .. I hope I would have got the part instead of a game ,as I am building a PC for myself this Christmas, enjoy the holidays

  • Ivan

    #MerryChristmas to all of you.

    I’m Currently in my second year learning C# /ASP.Net programming and i am aware of how useful coding can be in someone is life. It teaches you how to develop logic skills (which is an important skill to have these day), problems solving, plus you can have really fun once you get the hang of it.

    YouTube: Ivan Alberto

  • wazaaa4 .

    #HappyHolidays All!! :)
    I say it’s about dam* time.

  • Gio Rodz

    #MerryChristmas..
    GioRodz

  • Jerry Clark JR

    wish schools did this when i was a kid #MerryChristmas

  • Rovonn Russell

    Technology’s Future Potential just got serious
    #MerryChristmas
    Youtube: NukeyXD

  • Deborah Alves Cht

    #MerryChristmas Let’s hope they don’t throw away the baby with the bathwater re: Educa. With all our tech. we still don’t know how they built the Pyramids.

  • Victor Munoz

    #MerryChristmas
    Youtube:Victor Munoz
    I will check this page out right now have been trying to learn to code.

  • Jacek

    Typical coding teach to solve problems, that’s something new in our world where childrens are only teching to solve tests under the key
    #MerryChristmas
    Youtube:jacekmi5

  • Asaf Kurtzvail

    We will have a great generation of technicians in about 10-15 years from now :)
    #HappyHolidays
    Youtube: MrAsafK / Asaf Kurtzvail

  • ShaRaKuZz

    #MerryChristmas Elric and Buddy the Dog :)
    ShaRaKuZz

  • Josh Jones

    #MerryChristmas
    YT: Josh Jones
    I’ll have my kids all over this for the next week!

  • Neo1964

    I wish my school schedule gave me more coding classes to be in.
    #happyholidays (YT:Neo1964)

  • Lonnie Monk

    this is actually long overdue, in other countries, programming has been being taught for years, we need to catch up now

    #merrychristmas and #happyholidays

  • Haroon Rashid

    #HappyHolidays

  • dragondyn4s7y

    #merrychristmas
    youtube: dragondyn4s7y

  • SpaceWalker189

    #MerryChristmas And #HappyNewYear !!!

  • Jon Brunnemer

    I remember the first time I used a computer in school, one of the older kids told me to look something up and had to show me how to use google. Its crazy to me to think that kids are learning to program in schools at that age now. #MerryChristmas (youtube: kinetic1029)

  • Zachary Anderson

    My coding knowledge doesn’t extend much farther than Web Programming, although I do a bit of Java and Objective-C, but I love the idea that kids this young can be exposed to the world of computer science in an easy way. #MerryChristmas and #HappyHolidays to all!

  • Zach Baxter

    #merrychristmas

  • Remy Mleczak

    #MerryChristmas

  • http://RonaldMatters.com/ RONALDMATTERS.COM

    #MerryChristmas from YouTuber RonaldMatters!

  • tafiliz

    aha if only I got this as a kid lol
    #merrychristmas
    Youtube: tafiliz

  • Akile Joseph

    yeah i would

  • Dan Oliveira3

    #MerryChristmas youtube/;Daniel Oliveira AKA DanOliveira3

  • Brandon L’Heureux

    this is amazing, we should all learn code and start hacking wars. gun wars are getting boring and unnecessary :( #merrychristmas
    youtube: Brandon L’Heureux

  • Muhammad Fauzi

    #HappyHolidays ! YouTube: Muhammad Fauzi Johari

  • Stefan Jankovic

    #MerryChristmas as Stefan Jankovic

  • Mattice van Houtte

    #HappyChristmas i love you guys

  • Mr Garretto

    Wish I was as lucky as these kids, #MerryChristmas!!

  • Kaka Pete

    #HappyHolidays

    I wanna learn, so that I can build my own Android apps and build custom roms….

  • Ching Chong

    If the Chinese do this before the West, we are royally FUCKED!